Sugar Ray Robinson
Welterweight Champion 1946-51
Middleweight Champion 1951, 1951-52, 1955, 1957, 1958-60

 

 

WALKER SMITH JR.
b. May 3, 1921
d. April 12, 1989

 

WON
175

LOST
19

DRAWS
6

KO'S
109
 

A  Sugar Ray Robinson check made out to Alonzo Holly, relative of Robinson's wife Edna Mae Holly... This check was signed by a 25 yr. old Robinson on December 30, 1946, just 10 days after capturing his first world title by decisioning welterweight Tommy Bell... An exceedingly rare, early form Robinson signature which is close to impossible on a check!!

measures: 2.75 x 6.25"
condition: a mild vertical fold down center, some running/bleeding of ink in dollar amount which runs down to signature

$650
$17 insured shipping

purchase this item

 


Welterweight Champion

By 1946, Robinson had fought 75 fights to a 73𢴏 record,[1] and beaten every top contender in the welterweight division. However, he refused to cooperate with the Mafia, which controlled much of boxing at the time, and was denied a chance to fight for the welterweight championship.[18] Robinson was finally given a chance to win a title against Tommy Bell on December 20, 1946.[1] Robinson had already beaten Bell once via decision in 1945. The two fought for the title vacated by Servo, who had himself lost twice to Robinson in non-title bouts. In the fight, Robinson, who only a month before had been involved in a 10 round brawl with Artie Levine, was knocked down by Bell.[1] The fight was called a "war," but Robinson was able to pull out a close 15 round decision, winning the vacant welterweight title.

In June 1947, after four non-title bouts, Robinson was scheduled to defend his title for the first time in a bout against Jimmy Doyle.[1] Before that fight, Robinson had a dream that he was going to accidentally kill Doyle in the ring.[19] As a result, he decided to pull out of the fight. However, a priest and a minister convinced him to go ahead with the bout. His foe, however, died from the injuries he sustained.[19] Robinson said that the impact of Doyle's death was "very trying."

On the night of June 25, Robinson dominated Doyle and scored a decisive knockout in the eighth round that knocked Doyle unconscious and resulted in Doyle's death that night.[19]

In 1948, Robinson fought five times, but only one bout was a title defense. Among the fighters he defeated in those non-title bouts was future world champion Kid Gavilan in a close, controversial 10 round fight. Gavilan hurt Robinson several times in the fight, but Robinson controlled the final rounds with a series of jabs and left hooks.[20] In 1949, he boxed 16 times, but again only defended his title once. In that title fight, a rematch with Gavilan, Robinson again won via decision. The first half of the bout was very close, but Robinson took control in the second half. Gavilan would have to wait two more years to begin his own historic reign as welterweight champion. The only boxer to match Robinson that year was Henry Brimm, who fought him to a 10-round draw in Buffalo.

Robinson fought 19 times in 1950.[1] He successfully defended his welterweight title for the last time against Charley Fusari. Robinson won a lopsided 15 round decision, knocking Fusari down once.[1] Robinson donated all but $1 of his purse for the Fusari fight to cancer research.[21] In 1950, Robinson fought George Costner, who had also taken to calling himself "Sugar" and stated in the weeks leading up to the fight that he was the rightful deserver of the name. "We better touch gloves, because this is the only round," Robinson said as the fighters were introduced at the center of the ring. "Your name ain't Sugar, mine is."[22] Robinson then knocked Costner out in 2 minutes and 49 seconds.[1]

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