Ralph Jones vs Sugar Ray Robinson

[warp1432]

This might have to be one of the most frustrating fights I've ever seen from back then. Probably the most frustrating Robinson fight.

DEFENSE. Damn man, it was pretty much non existant. It kind of made me question how good Robinson's defense was in his prime, but I don't know how he beat Basilio or Fullmer and other people.

Some of Robinson's combos were sick and his right was deadly, but man. He ate way to much leather. He seemed rusty though, probably because it was off of his three year layoff. His footspeed didn't seem as good or when he was trying the shoulder roll, the timing was off.

Ralph Jones didn't have any defense either. Infact, I think this fight was closer then the judges had it. I wasn't scoring it that closely, but I had it either 97-93 or 96-94 for Jones. I'm not sure how the judges had it a shutout as Robinson clearly won rounds 2 and 3.

[TheGreatA]

He looked terrible in that fight and also against Rocky Castellani and Lombardo which is why he was a 3-to-1 underdog against Carl 'Bobo' Olson even though he had beaten Olson twice before (although the second fight had been tough for him).

Here's an interesting article from 1955 before the third Olson fight:

Maybe Robinson, off his timing and slower on his marvelous, dancing legs, can paste together his experience and passion and take the 27-year-old Bobo Olson out early. But the gamblers, who always went with this phenomenal winner (137 pro battles), are laying 3-1 the Sugar has melted away.

Robinson - Olson III

Now I wouldn't say Robinson was ever a great defensive boxer, but from the films I've seen of him in his prime/near his prime, he was adept at picking off and slipping punches. With his movement he was rarely in a position to be hit.

I would compare him to Muhammad Ali and Larry Holmes in that regard, his chin and recovering abilities kept him competitive into his late 30's even when he had diminished physically.

[Southpaw16BF]

Yeah this was Ray's comeback after the Maxim fight and early on he weren't looking impressive at all and he was a shadow of himself.

I remember reading in ''Pound for Pound'' that he just thought he could go in and as soon as he landed a punch it would be over, so he forgot to use his skills, timing, speed, footwork etc.

And it was his wife Edner Mae who said you need to get back to use your boxing skill and even do he still weren't a shawdow of himself he relized this and started getting better and then got a historic win by knocking out Bobo Olson for the Middlweight crown, and the fight after repeated this by knocking out Olson again, So when he realized were he was going wrong, he showed signs of his former self.

[Southpaw16BF]

Ralph ''Tiger'' Jones was a very tough customer, who fought some of the best of his era and was only ever stopped was in 89 fights due to a cut. And he went in with fighters like Johnny Saxton,Kid Gavilanx3,Joey Giardellox2,Sugar Ray Robinson,Bobo Olson,Gene Fullmer. And pushed and beat some of them as well.

[Southpaw16BF]

Here's pictures of Jones vs Robinson.

[TheGreatA]

Tiger Jones may not have been great or even very good but he was incredibly tough. He had upset wins over (an old) Kid Gavilan and Joey Giardello as well.

'Bobo' Olson, who was always in great condition, easily outboxed Jones while Robinson could not. Robinson however was able to get to Olson early twice and KO him before getting tired.

This is not exactly a prime Robinson but you can see that Sugar Ray boxed a lot better here against Graziano:

[Brockton Lip]

Robinson had good defense when he wanted to but he was a very tough fighter and often just decided to go after the opponent and risk getting hit; he could take their punches and dish it out even better. He could be slick (not on the level of Pep or Whitaker though) but many times he just wanted to get the opponent out of there.

[Southpaw16BF]

Ray Robinson in his prime had good defence and reflexes but i don't think his defence skills were on the same level as the Pep's, Whiatker,Maxie Rosenbloom's level etc, but the comeback one relied a lot more on his cast iron chin.

[Southpaw16BF]

Tiger Jones may not have been great or even very good but he was incredibly tough. He had upset wins over (an old) Kid Gavilan and Joey Giardello as well.

'Bobo' Olson, who was always in great condition, easily outboxed Jones while Robinson could not. Robinson however was able to get to Olson early twice and KO him before getting tired.

This is not exactly a prime Robinson but you can see that Sugar Ray boxed a lot better here against Graziano:

Robinson would later go on and say no body hit me as hard as Rocky Graziano did.

[TheGreatA]

Robinson would later go on and say no body hit me as hard as Rocky Graziano did.

Here he says that Artie Levine hit him the hardest.

Robinson is often said to have "killed" Jimmy Doyle in the ring with a left hook but it was Levine who caused a serious brain injury to Jimmy Doyle yet Doyle decided to keep on fighting.