Sept 23, 1948 - Yankee Stadium

Despite being rated the number-two challenger for the title with just three losses in 50 contests, Jesse Flores (134¾) was unable to offer much of a threat to Ike Williams (134¾), being content to box on the back foot. Finally catching up with his rival Williams dropped him twice in the fifth and eighth rounds before Flores, trying to avoid the punches coming his way, took a count of ‘three’ after slipping over in the ninth. In the tenth it was all over at 2.04 of the session after the elusive Flores was felled by a right to the jaw and counted out after being set up with jabs and a tremendous left hook to the body.

Overshadowing this title bout, was an exciting fight on the under card between Sugar Ray Robinson and Cuban Kid Gavilan. Gavilan, a future world champion, hurt Robinson several times during the fight, but Robinson was able to control the final rounds with a series of jabs and left hooks giving him a controversial 10 round decision.

This chapter from "The Sweet Science" describes the scene on the day of the Sugar Ray Robinson v Randy Turpin rematch, and the scene at the arena before the fight started...describing the various characters and fans of each side who Liebling met that day at the Polo Grounds, New York in 1951...and of course the fight itself..

1961

for a larger more readable image....click on this link and click again to enlarge..

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Stephen Singer, a collector of all things Muhammad Ali, had sought out to collect the signatures of every man Ali fought in his 21-year professional career.

After all, many became famous for fighting Ali. Chuck Wepner's 1975 effort spawned the billion dollar Rocky franchise.

Joe Frazier's 1971 victory cinched his place in heavyweight history. Great Britain's own Henry Cooper became a knight of the British empire and his legend lives on long after him for what he did against a 21-year-old Clay in London, England.

Enlisting the services of a "professional autograph collector," the first 35 signatures came easy. As the pro's well ran dry, Singer set out to find the rest on his own.

Searching over the course of months, Singer went from gym to gym, seedy neighborhood to seedy neighborhood in his quest.

He located a notarized letter from a fighter turned Mafia hit man. A rabbi acted as a middle man in a small Argentine town for the passport of a fighter who'd been dead since 1964. He was No. 49.

Bit by bit, the puzzle came together as Singer counted his autographs.

He counted 49.

Only one remained.

One February night in 1961, just a few weeks removed from celebrating his 19th birthday with a 3rd-round stoppage over gangster Tony Esperti -- who later did time for a mob hit -- Clay was scheduled for his fourth fight.

The scheduled opponent had fallen through. Jimmy Robinson, a last-minute replacement from Miami, found himself with the assignment to pad Clay's record.

He lasted a mere 94 seconds in what turned out to be Ali's only 1st-round KO, sans the Sonny Liston dive.

"If promoter Chris Dundee had canvassed the women in the audience, he couldn't have found an easier opponent for Clay," The Miami Times wrote.

Robinson, known as "Sweet Jimmy" went on to carve a niche as a local "enhancement talent," a jobber - a guy paid to lose.

He retired in 1964 with an 8-24 record, coming out of retirement in '68 to lose once more.

There's been only one sighting since then. In 1979, a photographer shooting pictures for Sports Illustrated went to find Ali's earliest opponents. Michael Brennan located Jim Robinson, whom people down in Miami called "Sweet Jimmy." Most of what's known about his life comes from the brief blurb that ran with the photos. He lived off veteran's benefits. He claimed he was born around 1925. He claimed he was wrongfully convicted of armed robbery. Most days, he just hung out in the seedy Overtown neighborhood, at the pool hall owned by Miami concert promoter Clyde Killens.

The photos show a haunted man. His jaw juts out, like he's lost teeth. His eyebrows are bushy; once, they probably seemed delicate. A visor throws a shadow across his eyes. A deep scar runs along his left cheekbone. In one, he leans up against the wall of a Winn-Dixie. In another, he walks down railroad tracks, the skyline of Miami rising behind him. He never smiles.

Brennan shot the photos on a Friday night and Saturday morning. Sweet Jimmy smelled of booze and Camel cigarettes. Brennan remembers the last time he saw him. It was in the morning, on the railroad tracks, and he slipped the old fighter 20 bucks. Sweet Jimmy turned and walked off, negotiating the crossties. He never looked back.

"Tell Clay I ain't doing too good," he said.


...............................................


Some other Ali opponents...

Tunney Hunsaker, the first opponent, spent nine days in a coma after a bout.

Trevor Berbick, the final opponent, was beat to death with a steel pipe.

Herb Siler went to prison for shooting his girlfriend.

Tony Esperti went to prison for a Mafia hit in a Miami Beach nightclub.

Alfredo Evangelista went to prison in Spain.

Alejandro Lavorante died from injuries sustained in the ring.

Sonny Banks did, too.

Jerry Quarry died broke, his mind scrambled from dementia pugilistica.

Jimmy Ellis suffered from it, too.

Rudi Lubbers turned into a drunk and joined a carnival.

Buster Mathis blew up to 550 pounds and died of a heart attack at 52.

George Chuvalo lost three sons to heroin overdoses; his wife killed herself after the second son's death.

Oscar Bonavena was shot through the heart with a high-powered rifle outside a Reno whorehouse.

Cleveland Williams was killed in a hit-and-run.

Zora Folley died mysteriously in a motel swimming pool.

Sonny Liston died of a drug overdose in Las Vegas. Many still believe the Mafia killed him.


(by Wright Thompson)

In the continuing series, just for fun, the next fantasy fight report kindly passed to CBS courtesy of Jimmy Krug (Jersey-Jim), theboxingmagazine.com

Sugar Ray Robinson vs. Roy Jones, Jr.

........................................

There’s electricity in the air tonight as the referee Carlos Berrocal sends Robinson and Jones back to their respective corners… we are moments away from one of the most anticipated fights of the past month of this tournament.

And there’s the bell!

Round 1

Robinson and Jones meet in center ring. Ray goes to the body. That punch was caught on the arm by Roy Jones. Jones doubles up with the jab. The second one gets through! Robinson slips a right and scores with a straight left. Robinson strikes with a fast two punch combination and Jones misses with the counter!

They’re trading punches! Blazing speed on display by both fighters!

You can see the intensity in their eyes. Both men feinting and moving – looking for openings.

There’s the bell. That’ll do it for a very close opening round!

............

Round 2

Ray Robinson opens up the 2nd round with a hard, fast left to the head of Jones. Robinson can strike like a cobra at times… and so can Jones. A hard combination from Ray Robinson jolts Roy Jones! Jones fires back but Robinson was already out of range. You can see a little smile on Jones face. He felt those punches.

Robinson scores well with a combination to the body! Ray Robinson with a right to the head!

That’ll do it for the 2nd. Good round for Ray Robinson.

Neither fighter is marked. Each round is like a suspense novel right now… wondering how this one is going to play out.

We’ll be back for the 3rd in just a moment.

..............

Round 3

Welcome to the 3rd… and Roy Jones snaps Robinson’s head back with a hard jab! Robinson misses with a hook and Jones connects with a uppercut that lands flush. Robinson smiles at Jones. He felt that one.

Jones rips Robinson to the body with a savage combination!! Oh! Another big right lands to the head! Robinson wobbles!!

Robinson fires back with a four-punch combination!!

The fans are roaring their approval! And there’s the bell to end the 3rd round.

If we look at that replay again… look at those punches to Robinson’s body! Roy Jones Jr. threw those punches with some bad intentions and I’m surprised Robinson didn’t at least drop to a knee after taking those thunderous shots!

We’ll be back in just a moment.

.............

Round 4

Roy Jones and Ray Robinson are starting to light it up out there. We’ve got a long way to go… but maybe not! We’re in the 4th. Roy with a cracking right hand!! Robinson seemed a little surprised by that last shot! Jones has the power to Robinson’s attention. We’ve established that, now.

Jones with a huge right hand!

Robinson counters with a left to the body. Robinson absorbed that punch without buckling somehow. He can’t keep taking that shots all night without getting into trouble, though!

Robinson goes to the body.

Roy Jones scores with a fast combination downstairs at the bell! Another good round for Jones.

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Round 5

Roy Jones Jr. backs Robinson up with a blazing combination of punches to the head and body! It seems like Jones’ unnatural speed is giving Ray Robinson some problems! Jones rocks Robinson with a hard right hand and Robinson ties him up! Here comes Carlos Berrocal to separate them. He’s had hardly nothing to do tonight so far.

Robinson scores with a fast right hand over the top.

That punch wobbled Jones!! Robinson scores with a combination to the body! They exchange another blaze of leather and the crowd rises to their feet!! I can’t even hear myself talking… the sound is deafening!

Robinson rocks Jones with a left hook!

Jones with a booming right hand!

Robinson staggers back into the corner! He’s hurt! There’s the bell to end the 5th and Carlos Berrocal jumps between the fighters. Great, great round!

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Round 6

Roy Jones blocks a right hand from Ray Robinson. Jones scores with a hard right hand – right on the button. You can feel the momentum once again shifting towards Jones as it has many times already for him in this tournament.

Robinson misses with a left. Both fighters have slowed the pace down noticeably this round. Robinson has taken a few big shots over the last few rounds, but there’s no visible damage.

Jones lands another booming left hook! Oh, that shot sent sweat flying from Robinson’s head into the third row!

Robinson’s looking for the openings, but he’s just not connecting.

That’ll do it for round 6.

.................

Round 7

Robinson and Jones trade combinations. Nice way to open a round. Ray lands a left. Roy with a straight right hand. Roy takes a right hand high on the head. He was relaxing for the first time in this fight, letting his left hand drop below his waist and Robinson made him pay.

We’re just about at the midway point of this scheduled 15 rounder.

Roy scores to the body of Robinson with a hook. Ray Robinson returns fire – scoring well to the head.

They trade right hands at the bell!

A close round and difficult one to score.

.................

Round 8

Roy Jones Jr. – stringing together a beautiful salvo of punches! Robinson takes them well… but Robinson must be falling behind on the scorecards by now. He’s needs to start stepping it up! Another hard combination scores for Roy Jones Jr. Robinson seems to have been taken out of his rhythm. You can hear the buzz around the arena… we may be seeing a huge upset here tonight!

Jones scores with a left at the bell!

...............

Round 9

Robinson’s left eye is starting to swell noticeably! The camera went into his corner in between rounds and you could see the swelling. They’re out for the 9th! Jones lands a big hook that lands flush! Robinson scores with a right to the body.

Robinson lands a big right hand! Jones wobbles!! That punch hurt Roy Jones Jr.!!

Ray Robinson lands to the head and body! Ray Robinson’s got Roy Jones Jr. in trouble! Robinson scores with a combination! Robinson with another combination! He’s backed Jones into the corner!!

Ray Robinson lands a booming right hand at the bell! That was the best round, possibly in this fight, for Sugar Ray Robinson!

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Round 10

Robinson’s out fast for the 10th. He fires several rockets into Jones’ midsection. Jones took them well. Jones turns Robinson’s head with a screaming left hook! Robinson digs in and blasts a left hand off the side of Jones’ rib cage! They’re letting it fly now!

Another combination scores from Robinson! Robinson finished up with a hook to the head! He rocked Jones with that hook! Robinson blasts Jones with two hard rights to the head!!

Jones catches Ray with a booming right hand as Ray was moving in!

They’re trading their biggest guns in ring center as the bell ends the 10th! Wow, they were shooting it out as the 10th round came to its end!

.................

Round 11

We’re in the 11th. These are the championship rounds. Robinson is no stranger to 15 rounds. Roy Jones never had to go beyond the 12th during his career. But he looks to be in great shape. Robinson just rocked Jones with a hard right to the head!

Robinson scores with a hard right to the body!

Jones returns fire with a smoking combination to Robinson’s body!

Jones with another combination!!

Robinson hooks to the head.

Down goes Roy Jones, Jr!! That hook caught Jones flush on the chin and down he goes!

Wait... he's getting up

1

2

Jones is back on his feet! He looks a little groggy and referee Carlos Berrocal is taking a long close look at Jones.

Okay, he's going to let this one continue!

Here comes Robinson! Ray Robinson misses with a right hand. He scores with a combination downstairs... and there's the bell!

Ray Robinson's turning up the heat - here in the championship rounds.

They’re working on Jones in the corner. You can see the swelling now appearing around his left eye. That was a big round for Ray Robinson. It’ll be interesting to see if he can turn this fight around.

....................

Round 12

Both fighters seem tired as we’re underway in the 12th. Robinson and Jones are both dealing with swelling around their eyes. Jones lands first. Jones with a heavy combination downstairs. Those punches backed Robinson up. Ray lands a hook upstairs. Jones took it well. Jones scores with a right… Robinson scores with a right hand of his own.

They tie up along the ropes. Carlos Berrocal comes and separates them.

They’re both moving slow. And they clinch again. No boos coming from the crowd, though. Robinson and Jones are keeping the fans on the edge of their seats tonight!

That’ll do it for the 12th!

.................

Round 13

Jones and Robinson are both dealing with noticeable swelling around their left eyes round thirteen gets underway. Roy Jones scores to the body. Robinson scores with a right hand to the head. Jones scores with an uppercut, Robinson counters with a straight left!

Roy Jones nails Ray with a booming hook! Jones with another left to the body! Robinson lands a right hand upstairs!

The bell ends the 13th, and they’re standing toe-to-toe as the round ends! I’d give that round to Roy Jones. There are only two rounds left. The winner of this fight moves to the finals. It’s all on the line with only six minutes remaining!

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Round 14

Robinson and Jones are out fast for the 14th round. They exchange right hands. Nice clean punches, no clear advantage to either fight. Jones lands a nice right hand from the outside. They're circling one another.

Robinson steps in with a hard right hand to the body. Jones counters upstairs with a combination... Robinson counters Jones counters with a blazing hook, uppercut!

The crowd's mesmerized by the skills of these two fighters!! Jones scores with a hard right to the head of Robinson!

Robinson scores with a hard left to the head of Jones! Everyone's on their feet cheering wildly as Robinson and Jones bring down the house!!

There's the bell and that'll do it for the 14th round. Only one round remaining... and you've gotta wonder how the judges have been scoring this fight. Robinson may be behind and the whole tournament is riding on this final round for these two fighters!

Looking back over the past rounds and I don’t know… Roy Jones Jr. may just be looking at the ultimate upset – defeating Ray Robinson on points with only 3 minutes to go.

.................

Round 15

Carlos Berrocal has Sugar Ray Robinson and Roy Jones Jr. touch gloves in ring center for this – the 15th and final round of their amazing matchup tonight!

Roy Jones lands a hard right cross! That shot wobbles Robinson momentarily! Robinson scores with a left to the midsection. Roy Jones rips Robinson’s head back with a booming uppercut! Jones scores with a hard right to Robinson’s head! Roy Jones is bringing on the pain in the 15th and final round!

Ray Robinson slips a hook and snaps Jones’ head back with a hard uppercut on the inside! Robinson blasts a blur of punches off Jones’ body!!

Jones nails Roy Jones with a hard hook to the head. The crowd’s on its feet for the final shootout of the night!!

Robinson nails Jones with a big left hook on the chin!
Robinson with another hook!

Robinson with another!!!
Jones is hurt!! Jones is hurt!!

Robinson rips Jones with a huge right hand to the head! Jones staggers back against the ropes! Robinson scores with a combination! Robinson scores with another combination! Robinson is raining punch after punch after punch down up Jones!!
Jones hands are coming down! Robinson rips into Jones with a left… two rights, another left… Robinson with an uppercut!! Jones can no longer defend himself!! Robinson lands punch after punch after punch!!

That’s it!!

Berrocal jumps in as Jones is out on his feet!! Two seconds left in the round and Sugar Ray Robinson has stopped Roy Jones Jr. in the 15th and final round!

I can hardly believe my eyes! What an incredible finish by one of the greatest fighters to ever step through the ropes!

We’ll be back in just a moment!

..............

I just had a moment to check out the scorecards of the judges at ringside. One had Robinson up by 2 rounds going into the 15th. Another had Jones ahead by 5 rounds. And the last judge had Jones ahead by one round!

We were looking at a majority draw had Jones been able to survive the round. The referee Carlos Berrocal could have stopped the fight a little sooner than he did and no one would have complained, though. Jones collapsed in the corner as soon as Berrocal halted this fight. He was definitely OUT.

This fight does nothing short of adding to the legend of P4P King, Ray Robinson.

What a great finish to this fight!

Spurred by the success of his All-Time Heavyweight Fantasy Boxing Tournament, staged via computer in 1967, Promoter Murry Woroner came back the following year with an All-Time Fantasy Middleweight elimination that promised to answer some intriguing questions.

.........

The middleweight tournament was run in the same fashion as the heavyweight tourney. Sports writers around the country selected the 16 champions whom they considered the all-time greats, and there's plenty of room for argument over the fighters entered. The tournament kicked off on Sept 30 1968 with Carmen Basilio meeting  Marcel Cerdan, and other -first round bouts included Emlfe Griffith against Kid McCoy, Gene Fullmer against Stanley Ketchel, Tiger Flowers against Rocky Graziano, Nonpareil Jack Dempsey against Sugar Bay Robinson, Bob Fitzsimmons against Jake La Motta, Mickey Walker against Dick Tiger and  Harry Greb against Tony Zale.

"We sent questionnaires to about 500 writers," said Woroner, "and got about 300 replies. Frankly, I thought some fighters who were omitted should have been included. The writers were required to rate each fighter on 129 variables, on such as speed of foot, ability to take a punch, and accuracy, on a 1-10 scale. The fighters were matched by promoter Chris Dundee, manager Angelo Dundee and Nat Fleischer, publisher of Ring Magazine, and the material then was fed into a computer. "The idea started one night after I'd spent a couple of hours listening to arguments about what fighters were the best, who would have done what to whom" said Woroner. "I asked a friend who works for a computer company whether a tournament couldn't be arranged if data was obtained on the fighters. He said it could be done and we were on our way:" Besides the questionnaires, Woroner also got information by interviewing each living fighter in the tourney and getting all the facts he could from the World Boxing Historians and Ring Magazine. Woroner also spent a lot of time recording sound effects at actual fights, including punches landing, feet . scraping on the canvas, the timekeeper counting the knockdown and the crowd. ' The tapes of each-match are delivered to the stations in sealed containers two hours before fight tune so the results cannot be divulged in advance.

(The Ogden Standard-Examiner)

................

The following are the results of Woroner’s Semi-Finals and Finals Match-ups!

Round 1:

Marcel Cerdan KO 4 Carmen Basilio

Emile Griffith W points Kid McCoy

Stanley Ketchel TKO 7 Gene Fullmer

Rocky Graziano KO 11 Tiger Flowers

Sugar Ray Robinson TKO 11 Jack "Nonpareil" Dempsey

Bob Fitzsimmons W points Jack La Motta

Mickey Walker KO 9 Dick Tiger

Harry Greb KO 14 Tony Zale

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Round 2:

Cerdan TKO 10 Griffith

Ketchel KO 11 Graziano

Robinson TKO 3 Fitzsimmons

Walker W points Greb

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Semifinals

Cerdan v. Ketchel
Robinson v. Walker

Cerdan-Ketchel: In 12 bloody rounds, Marcel Cerdan was floored 5 times and Stan Ketchel twice before the Michigan Mauler finally put the Ferocious Frenchman down for the big sleep at 2:08 of the 12th round. Cerdan was decked in the 7th, twice in the 9th, and twice in the 12th.

Winner: Ketchel, KO 12.


Robinson-Walker: The arms of Sugar Ray Robinson were a bit too long for the Toy Bulldog. Robinson set himself up for the all-time finals by outpointing Walker 145-141 in a close one.

Winner: Robinson.

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Final -
Sugar Ray Robinson v. Stanley Ketchel

Background: It was a duel made in promoters' heaven. Ray Robinson, the angelic boxing master, v. Stan Ketchel, the demonic fury, who fought as if every round put his life on the line. Ketchel had become a ring legend in 8 years. Robinson fought everybody and beat the greatest during a 25-year career.

Sugar Ray had an assortment of punches that would rival a soda fountain. Ketchel was as tough as homemade iron. Robinson's flickering feet and hands kept him in control of a fight. It was said that Ketchel could stop any man on any given evening. What would the computer have to say about it?

The fight: The real Sugar Ray Robinson listened to his computer image on the radio and said: "I kept ducking and blocking, feinting and moving. . . . I felt every punch."

His transistorized alter ego felt one especially in the 1st round when Ketchel surprised him with a right to the head. Robinson, down for one of the few times in his life, knew that he was in a fight.

Ketchel moved in to work on the body and Robinson used his reach to punish the little battler to the head. Robinson drew blood in the 3rd and kept it flowing. In the final rounds, knowing he needed a knockout to win, Ketchel unleashed a brutal attack, but Robinson's long arms and clever combinations kept him at bay. The officials gave the mythical all-time championship to Sugar Ray 147 to 139. Even though Robinson tilted the electrons in his favor in every round except the 1st and 8th, he never had Ketchel off his feet.

Winner and All-Time Middleweight Champion: Sugar Ray Robinson.

French sports writers hauled out all their adjectives today to praise Welterweight Champion Sugar Ray Robinson for his second-round technical knockout victory over France's Jean Stock in a non-title match Monday night.

Robinson dynamited the "Rock" Jean Stock without even mussing his hair. Robinson, the prodigious champion, made Stock "disappear in less than two rounds" the sporting paper L'Equipe headlined.

"It is a god of the ring we saw last night" Le Parisien's sports wroter said. "Robinson is a fighter unique of his kind, a sort of scared monster of the ring of fearful power, speed and punch."

Stock, himself, said the left to the head which Robinson landed in the first round was "the hardest punch I have ever felt." - "After that I couldn't breathe and didn't even know where I was" Stock added.

The Paris correspondent of The LondonDaily Telegraph appeared more interested in the fate of Robinson's future European opponents. He said a society for the prevention of cruelty should stop Robinson from fighting any current European talent "in the interests of humanity".

(The Pittsburgh Press - Nov 29, 1950)

Mick Leahy (born - Cork, Ireland 1935) outpoints Sugar Ray Robinson in 1964..