Sorry Mr. Mayweather, Sugar Ray Robinson Was The Best Ever

Published

10 years ago

September 18, 2014

Floyd Mayweather appeared forlorn on Saturday night. He had over 32 million reasons not to be. But Mayweather looked tired after his latest victory, his second decision win over a welterweight whose best showings in the division are against Adrien Broner, a fighter with no good welterweight wins of his own, and two gatekeeper-types named Jesus Soto Karass and Josesito Lopez. Mayweather’s eyes seemed to glaze off into the distance as reporters peppered him with questions about Manny Pacquiao and the fight that never was. Sweat rolled down his face like tears, and his busted lip seemed to nag at him as if it were a voice from the past he didn’t want to hear, a never quite forgotten love who tortures his soul or a long lost friend buried beneath the ash of youthful mistakes.

All the while, Mayweather wore a black hat with the initials “TBE” emblazoned on it in gold. It stands for “the best ever” and the boxing gods, the likes of which Springs Toledo labels “The Gods of War” in his soulful collection of essays carrying the same title, shudder in disapproval.

They have the right.

There are only a handful of fighters who historians have dared to label as the best ever. Why just that handful? For the historian, perhaps it is the threat of waking up in an age to come and having to explain why they included someone else with the likes of Ray Robinson, Harry Greb and Henry Armstrong. After all, in heaven, God would be on their side.

While Toledo tabs Greb at No. 1, the famed essayist finds himself in the minority on that point. The majority of folks who study the sweet science appreciate the monster that Greb was but subscribe to the idea that “Sugar” Ray Robinson was the finest pugilist who ever lived, and enough film of Robinson exists to help them prove it.

Robinson was born Walker Smith, Jr. At the age of 14, he borrowed the name of another fighter in order to keep his mother from finding out he was as boxer and to circumvent the amateur system that said he needed to be 16 years old in order to compete. The name stuck with him, and “Sugar” was added later when his manager, George Gainford, described his immaculate fighting style as “sweet as sugar.” That stuck, too.

Robinson enjoyed a brilliant amateur career. He went undefeated in 85 amateur bouts and turned professional at age 19. He started his career at lightweight and was welterweight champion six years later. Robinson won his first 40 professional fights before jumping up to middleweight to face Jake LaMotta in 1943. Just three years into his professional career, an out-weighed Robinson couldn’t outbox a bull-rushing LaMotta over ten hard-fought rounds.

After suffering his first loss, Robinson reeled off 91 consecutive victories, including five over LaMotta. In 1946, he defeated Tommy Bell for the world welterweight championship. He held the title for four years before vacating it to move up to middleweight. During his stay at 147, he defeated notables Bell, Jimmy Doyle and Kid Gavilan.

In 1951, Robinson knocked out LaMotta in 13 rounds to become the world middleweight champion. In his tenth bout of the same year, he lost the crown to Randy Turpin on points but knocked out Turpin in the rematch just two months later. After a Round 3 knockout over Rocky Graziano in 1952, Robinson moved up to light heavyweight to challenge Joey Maxim for the 175-pound championship. After dominating Maxim for much of the fight, Robinson retired on his stool in Round 13, a victim of the 104-degree temperature only.

Robinson won the middleweight title a total of five times during his illustrious career. He fought tooth-and-nail with Hall of Famers like Carmen Basilio and Gene Fullmer late in his career when Robinson was still sweet but not quite the same Sugar Ray. He retired after a decision loss to Joey Archer in 1965. Over the span of his 25-year career, Robinson defeated 10 Hall of Famers, including LaMotta, Gavilan, Graziano, Fullmer, Henry Armstrong and Fritzie Zivic. He was named Ring Magazine’s Fighter of the Year in 1942 and 1951.

It’s never easy to compare fighters from different eras, but there are several different ways to approach it. First, there is simply something that could be termed the “versus” approach. In this scenario, the idea is to pit the fighters against each other in one’s mind at each man’s peak. This method is largely subjective, but for the sake of argument, let’s assume each man did meet each other at his best.

How would a prime version of Robinson, a man who was 128-1-2 with 84 knockouts at his peak, do against a prime version of Mayweather? Again, while entirely subjective, it’s hard to imagine Robinson having much trouble with Mayweather at all. He was a busier fighter with tremendous power in both hands who knew how to hurt his opponent and took care of business once he did. Unlike Mayweather’s typical opponents, Robinson wouldn’t have the shorter reach and would also posses comparable foot- and hand-speed. While Mayweather is the best technician of his era, he would be at least matched in this department by Robinson.

Another approach to comparing fighters from different eras is to transport each man into the other man’s time. How would Robinson do against the men Mayweather faced during his career? How would Mayweather do under similar circumstances?

A review of Mayweather’s record does not reveal any fighter Robinson would be an underdog against. Mayweather’s best wins are over Oscar De La Hoya, Shane Mosley and Juan Manuel Marquez. While each of those men are stalwarts of their era, it’s important to note that both Mosley and Marquez would be rated higher historically at lightweight than during their late-career welterweight runs. Other notable wins include Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto. Robinson would be a huge favorite against any of them, as well as those Mayweather didn’t face, including Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito.

The opposite cannot be said for Mayweather. He would be in deep waters against LaMotta, Gavilan, Graziano, Basilio, Fullmer and Armstrong. Mayweather has never faced men the size of LaMotta, Graziano, Fullmer or Basilio. Mayweather has fought just three times over the welterweight limit, wins over De La Hoya, Cotto and Canelo Alvarez. Only the latter could be considered a natural at anything above welterweight. At best, Mayweather might be even money against Gavilan and maybe a slight favorite over the older version of Armstrong that Robinson defeated. The notable name of the era Robinson missed, Charley Burley, would be favored over Mayweather.

Finally, one can simply review each man’s resume. Who fought the better fighters during his career? How many times did he fight them? Was there anybody he could’ve face but didn’t? Is his legacy all that it could be?

Robinson faced some of the greatest welterweights and middleweights who ever lived. Moreover, he pushed himself to his absolute limit by moving all the way up to light heavyweight and battling well past his prime years against Hall of Fame middleweights. At his peak, Robinson was considered unbeatable. To his credit, he damn near proved that it was true. Meanwhile, the easiest way to look at Mayweather’s career is to look at recent history. A review of current pound-for-pound rankings, which the undefeated Mayweather sits atop of at present, reveals three to four other fighters of the era who campaign between 140 and 154 pounds. Mayweather has faced and defeated one of them, Marquez, who lost a decision to Mayweather back in 2009 in his first bout at welterweight after jumping all the way up from lightweight. Besides him, and one could argue Marquez’s welterweight peak came much later, Mayweather has chosen less formidable opponents to earn his millions of dollars, such as Maidana and Robert Guerrero, over the likes of the higher rated Pacquiao, Tim Bradley and Danny Garcia.

“No beefs, George,” Robinson told his manager when he retired in 1965. “Sometimes we got the best of it in the past.”

At the time, Robinson was speaking on his better days being him. But in the case of who deserves to be called the best ever, Mayweather or Robinson, it’s safe to say that it’s also true. The best was in the past, and his name was Ray Robinson.

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Kelsey McCarson

Floyd Schofield Wins a Banger and Gabriela Fundora Wins by KO

Published

2 days ago

November 3, 2024

David A. Avila

Floyd-Schofield-Wins-a-Banger-and Gabriella-Fundora-Wins-by-KO

Floyd Schofield Wins a Banger and Gabriela Fundora Wins by KO

LAS VEGAS-Shades of Henry Armstrong and Baby Arizmendi. If you don’t know those names, look them up.

Floyd Schofield battled his way past Mexico’s super tough Rene Tellez Giron who walked through every blow the Texan could fire but lost by decision on Saturday.

It was a severe test and perfect matchmaking for Schofield who yearns for the big bouts against the lightweight giants roaming the world.

Schofield (18-0, 12 KOs) remains undefeated and won the war over thick-necked Mexican Tellez Giron (20-4, 13 KOs) who has never been knocked out and proved to be immune to big punches.

In the opening rounds, the Texas fighter came out firing rapid combinations from the southpaw and orthodox stances. Meanwhile the shorter Tellez Giron studied and fired back an occasional counter for two rounds.

Tellez Giron had seen enough and took his stand in the third stanza. Both unleashed blazing bombs with Schofield turning his back to the Mexican. At that moment referee Tom Taylor could have waved the fight over.

You never turn your back.

The fight resumed and Schofield was damaged. He tried to open up with even more deadly fire but was rebuked by the strong chin of Tellez Giron who fired back in the mad frenzy.

For the remainder of the fight Schofield tried every trick in his arsenal to inflict damage on the thick-necked Mexican. He could not be wobbled. In the 11^th round both opened up with serious swing-from-the-heels combinations and suddenly Schofield was looking up. He beat the count easily and the two remained slugging it out.

“He hit me with a good shot,” Schofield said of the knockdown. “I just had to get up. I’m not going to quit.”

In the final round Schofield moved around looking for the proper moment to engage. The Mexican looked like a cat ready to pounce and the two fired furious blows. Neither was hit with the big bombs in the last seconds.

There was Tellez Giron standing defiantly like Baby Arizmendi must have stood in those five ferocious meetings against the incomparable Henry Armstrong. Three of their wars took place in Los Angeles, two at the Olympic Auditorium in the late 1930s as the U.S. was emerging from the Great Depression.

In this fight, Schofield took the win by unanimous decision by scores 118-109 twice and 116-111. It was well-deserved.

“I tried to bang it out,” said Schofield. “Today I learned you can’t always get the knockout.”

Fundora

IBF flyweight titlist Gabriela Fundora needed seven rounds to figure out the darting style of Argentina’s Gabriela Alaniz before firing a laser left cross down the middle to end the battle and become the undisputed flyweight world champion.

Fundora now holds all four titles including the WBO, WBA and WBC titles that Alaniz brought in the ring.

Fundora knocked down Alaniz midway through the seventh round. She complained it was due to a tangle of the legs. Several seconds later Fundora blasted the Argentine to the floor again with a single left blast. This time there was no doubt. Her corner wisely waved a white towel to stop the fight at 1:40 of the seventh round.

No one argued the stoppage.

Other Bouts

Bektemir Melikuziev (15-1, 10 KOs) didn’t make weight in a title bout but managed to out-fight David Stevens (14-2, 10 KOs) in a super middleweight fight held at 12 rounds.

Melikuziev used his movement and southpaw stance to keep Pennsylvania’s Stevens from being able to connect with combinations. But Stevens did show he could handle “The Bully’s” punching power over the 12-round fight.

After 12 rounds one judge favored Stevens 116-112, while two others saw Melikuziev the winner by split decision 118-110 and 117-111.

Super middleweight WBA titlist Darius Fulghum (13-0, 11 KOs) pummeled his way to a technical knockout win over southpaw veteran Chris Pearson (17-5-1, 12 KOs) who attempted the rope-a-dope strategy to no avail.

Fulghum floored Pearson in the first round with a four-punch combination and after that just belted Pearson who covered up and fired an occasional blow. Referee Mike Perez stopped the fight at 1:02 of the third round when Pearson did not fire back after a blazing combination.

Young welterweight prospect Joel Iriarte (5-0, 5 KOs) blasted away at the three-inch shorter Xavier Madrid (5-6, 2 KOs) who hung tough for as long as possible. At 2:50 of the first round a one-two delivered Madrid to the floor and referee Thomas Taylor called off the beating.

Iriarte, from Bakersfield, Calif., could not miss with left uppercuts and short rights as New Mexico’s Madrid absorbed every blow but would not quit. It was just too much firepower from Iriarte that forced the stoppage.

Photos credit: Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy

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Results and Recaps from Turning Stone where O’Shaquie Foster Nipped Robson Conceicao

Published

2 days ago

November 2, 2024

Arne K. Lang

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Top Rank was at the Turning Stone casino-resort in Verona, New York, tonight with an 8-bout card topped by a rematch between Robson Conceicao and O’Shaquie Foster with the victor retaining or recapturing his IBF world junior lightweight title. When the smoke cleared, the operative word was “recapturing” as Foster became a two-time title-holder, avenging his controversial setback to the Brazilian in Newark on July 6.

This was a somewhat better fight than their initial encounter and once again the verdict was split. Foster prevailed by 115-113 on two of the cards with the dissenting judge favoring Conceicao by the same margin. Conceicao seemingly had the edge after nine frames, but Foster, a 4/1 favorite, landed the harder shots in the championship rounds.

It was the thirteenth victory in the last 14 starts for Foster who fights out of Houston. A two-time Olympian and 2016 gold medalist, the 36-year-old Conceicao is 19-3-1 overall and 1-3-1 in world title fights.

Semi-wind-up

SoCal lightweight Raymond Muratalla (22-0, 17 KOs) made a big jump in public esteem and moved one step closer to a world title fight with a second-round blast-out of Jose Antonio Perez who was on the canvas twice but on his feet when the fight was stopped at the 1:24 mark of round two. Muratalla, a product of Robert Garcia’s boxing academy, is ranked #2 by the WBC and WBO. A Tijuana native, Perez (25-6) earned this assignment with an upset of former Olympian and former 130-pound world titlist Jojo Diaz,

Other Bouts

Syracuse junior welterweight Bryce Mills, a high-pressure fighter with a strong local following, stopped scrawny Mike O’Han Jr whose trainer Mark DeLuca pulled him out after five one-sided rounds. Mills improved to 17-1 (6 KOs). It was another rough day at the office for Massachusetts house painting contractor O’’Han (19-4) who had the misfortune of meeting Abdullah Mason in his previous bout.

In a junior lightweight fight that didn’t heat up until late in the final round, Albany’s Abraham Nova (23-3-1) and Tijuana native Humberto Galindo (14-3-3) fought to a 10-round draw. It was another close-but-no- cigar for the likeable Nova who at least stemmed a two-fight losing streak. The judges had it 97-93 (Galindo), 96-94 (Nova) and 95-95.

Twenty-one-year-old Long Island middleweight Jahi Tucker advanced to 13-1-1 (6 KOs) with an eighth-round stoppage of Stockton’s teak-tough but outclassed Quilisto Madera (14-6). Madera was on a short leash after five rounds, but almost took it to the final bell with the referee intervening with barely a minute remaining in the contest. Madera was on his feet when the match was halted. Earlier in the round, Tucker had a point deducted for hitting on the break.

Danbury, Connecticut heavyweight Ali Feliz, one of two fighting sons of journeyman heavyweight Fernely Feliz, improved to 4-0 (3) with a second-round stoppage of beefy Rashad Coulter (5-5). Feliz had Coulter pinned against the ropes and was flailing away when the bout was halted at the 1:34 mark. The 42-year-old Coulter, a competitor in all manner of combat sports, hadn’t previously been stopped when competing as a boxer.

Featherweight Yan Santana dominated and stopped Mexico’s Eduardo Baez who was rescued by referee Charlie Fitch at the 1:57 mark of round four. It was the 12^th knockout in 13 starts for Santana, a 24-year-old Dominican father of three A former world title challenger, Mexicali’s Baez declines to 23-7-2 but has lost six of his last eight.

In his most impressive showing to date, Damian Knyba, a six-foot-seven Pole, knocked out paunchy Richard Lartey at the 2:10 mark of round three. A right-left combination knocked Lartey into dreamland, but it was the right did the damage and this was of the nature of a one-punch knockout. Referee Ricky Gonzalez waived the fight off without starting a count.

Knyba, 28, improved to 14-0 (8 KOs). A native of Ghana coming off his career-best win, a fourth-round stoppage of Polish veteran Andrzej Wawrzyk, Lartey declined to 16-7 with his sixth loss inside the distance.

Photo credit: Mikey Williams / Top Rank

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Avila Perspective, Chap. 303: Spotlights on Lightweights and More

Published

3 days ago

November 1, 2024

David A. Avila

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Those lightweights.

Whether junior lights, super lights or lightweights, it’s the 130-140 divisions where most of boxing’s young stars are found now or in the past.

Think Oscar De La Hoya, Sugar Shane Mosley and Floyd Mayweather.

Floyd Schofield (17-0, 12 KOs) a Texas product, hungers to be a star and takes on Mexico’s Rene Tellez Giron (20-3, 13 KOs) in a 12-round lightweight bout on Saturday, Nov. 2, at the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada.

DAZN will stream the Golden Boy Promotion card that includes a female undisputed flyweight championship match pitting Argentina’s Gabriela Alaniz and Gabriela Fundora.

Like a young lion looking to flex, Schofield (pictured on the left) is eager to meet all the other young lions and prove they’re not equal.

“I’ve been in the room with Shakur, Tank. I want to give everyone a good fight. I feel like my preparation is getting better, I work hard, I’ve dedicated my whole life to this sport,” said Schofield naming fellow lightweights Shakur Stevenson and Gervonta “Tank” Davis.

Now he meets Mexico’s Tellez who has never been stopped.

“I’m willing to do whatever it takes,” said Tellez.

Even in Las Vegas.

Verona, New York

Meanwhile, in upstate New York, a WBC junior lightweight title rematch finds Robson Conceicao (19-2-1, 9 KOs) looking to prove superior to former titlist O’Shaquie Foster (22-3, 12 KOs) on Saturday, Nov. 2, at the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, N.Y. ESPN+ will stream the Top Rank fight card.

Last July, Conceicao and Foster clashed and after 12 rounds the title changed hands from Foster to the Brazilian by split decision.

“I feel that a champion is a fighter who goes out there and doesn’t run around, who looks for the fight, who tries to win, and doesn’t just throw one or two punches and then moves away,” said Conceicao.

Foster disagrees.

“I hope he knows the name of the game is to hit and not get hit. That’s the name of the game,” said Foster.

Also on the same card is lightweight contender Raymond Muratalla (21-0, 16 KOs) who fights Mexico’s Jesus Perez Campos (25-5, 18 KOs).

Perez recently defeated former world champion Jojo Diaz last February in California.

“We’re made for challenges. I like challenges,” said Perez.

Muratalla likes challenges too.

“I think these fights are the types of fights I need to show my skills and to prove I deserve those title fights,” said Fontana’s Muratalla.

Female Undisputed Flyweight Championship

WBA, WBC and WBO flyweight titlist Gabriela “La Chucky” Alaniz (15-1, 6 KOs meets IBF titlist Gabriela Fundora (14-0, 6 KOs) on Saturday Nov. 2, at the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada. DAZN will stream the clash for the undisputed flyweight championship.

Argentina’s Alaniz clashed twice against former WBA, WBC champ Marlen Esparza with their first encounter ending in a dubious win for the Texas fighter. In fact, three of Esparza’s last title fights were scored controversially.

But against Alaniz, though they fought on equal terms, Esparza was given a 99-91 score by one of the judges though the world saw a much closer contest. So, they fought again, but the rematch took place in California. Two judges deemed Alaniz the winner and one Esparza for a split-decision win.

“I’m really happy to be here representing Argentina. We are ready to fight. Nothing about this fight has to do with Marlen. So, I hope she (Fundora) is ready. I am ready to prepare myself for the great fight of my life,” said Alaniz.

In the case of Fundora, the extremely tall American fighter at 5’9” in height defeated decent competition including Maria Santizo. She was awarded a match with IBF flyweight titlist Arely Mucino who opted for the tall youngster over the dangerous Kenia Enriquez of Mexico.

Bad choice for Mucino.

Fundora pummeled the champion incessantly for five rounds at the Inglewood Forum a year ago. Twice she battered her down and the fight was mercifully stopped. Fundora’s arm was raised as the new champion.

Since that win Fundora has defeated Christina Cruz and Chile’s Daniela Asenjo in defense of the IBF title. In an interesting side bit: Asenjo was ranked as a flyweight contender though she had not fought in that weight class for seven years.

Still, Fundora used her reach and power to easily handle the rugged fighter from Chile.

Immediately after the fight she clamored for a chance to become undisputed.

“It doesn’t get better than this, especially being in Las Vegas. This is the greatest opportunity that we can have,” said Fundora.

It should be exciting.

Fights to Watch

Sat. ESPN+ 2:50 p.m. Robson Conceicao (19-2-1) vs O’Shaquie Foster (22-3).

Sat. DAZN 5 p.m. Floyd Schofield (17-0) vs Rene Tellez Giron (20-3); Gabriela Alaniz (15-1) vs Gabriela Fundora (14-0).

Photo credit: Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy

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