SUGAR RAY ROBINSON VS SUGAR RAY LEONARD
Both men boxed cautiously at long range over the first two rounds as each looked to take the measure of the other. There was a noticeable lack of clowning on the part of Leonard, a sign of his enormous respect for Robinson. In round 3, Leonard began to open up more with his patented flurries. Although impressive to the crowd, they were having little impact with SRR easily slipping most. By the 4th, it was apparent Robinson was having some difficulty adjusting to Leonard’s speed. SRR was in pursuit mode but unable to corner the elusive Leonard.
Robinson worked his way inside in the 5th, landing effectively to the body. The tide really turned in the 6th. Leonard finally left his chin exposed and Robinson made him pay, landing a vicious right that knocked Leonard on his back. Leonard rose at the count of 5 but was seriously hurt. Robinson tried to follow up but SRL, always a gritty competitor, fired back gamely.
Leonard spent round 7 on his bicycle. Robinson pursued but was unable to trap the elusive SRL. Leonard planted his feet in the 8th but paid the price, getting rocked with another wicked Robinson right hand. In the 9th, Leonard was on the move again while Robinson was having more and more success with his left jab. By the 10th, this fight was starting to take on similar tone to Leonard-Hearns I with Leonard able to mount little in the way of offense due to the dangerous punching power of Robinson.
After a stern talking too in the corner by Angelo Dundee, Leonard came out more focused and determined in the 11th. He walked through a wicked Robinson right and landed a vicious left hook of his own that rocked SRR. Leonard followed Robinson to the ropes and banged him to the body. A more confident Leonard smiled as he returned to the corner.
The tide really turned in the 12th when Robinson suffered a severe cut over his left eye. The referee ruled that it was due to a Leonard punch. However, the replay showed that it was due to a clash of head. Leonard continued his momentum peppering Robinson with a series of quick combinations. SRL capitalized on SRR’s compromised vision in the 13th, landing an overhand right that rocked Robinson. Robinson appeared to be tiring as Leonard battered him along the ropes. SRL was very much back in this fight.
Leonard continued to have the better of it early in round 14. However, Robinson rallied late in the landing a three punch combination that shook SRL. Now Leonard appeared to be the one who was tiring. Both fighters let it all hang out in a wild 15th round. Leonard tagged Robinson with a left uppercut that forced Robinson to the ropes but Robinson responded with a tremendous right shook Leonard. The fighters continued to trade power shots over the final minute of the fight until the final bell.
The decision was announced: 145-141, 145-140, 143-143; the winner by majority decision is Sugar Ray…………………………………………Robinson! Sugar Ray Robinson is the all-time Welterweight champion.
ROBINSON WINS MD15!
Both men boxed cautiously at long range over the first two rounds as each looked to take the measure of the other. There was a noticeable lack of clowning on the part of Leonard, a sign of his enormous respect for Robinson. In round 3, Leonard began to open up more with his patented flurries. Although impressive to the crowd, they were having little impact with SRR easily slipping most. By the 4th, it was apparent Robinson was having some difficulty adjusting to Leonard’s speed. SRR was in pursuit mode but unable to corner the elusive Leonard.
Robinson worked his way inside in the 5th, landing effectively to the body. The tide really turned in the 6th. Leonard finally left his chin exposed and Robinson made him pay, landing a vicious right that knocked Leonard on his back. Leonard rose at the count of 5 but was seriously hurt. Robinson tried to follow up but SRL, always a gritty competitor, fired back gamely.
Leonard spent round 7 on his bicycle. Robinson pursued but was unable to trap the elusive SRL. Leonard planted his feet in the 8th but paid the price, getting rocked with another wicked Robinson right hand. In the 9th, Leonard was on the move again while Robinson was having more and more success with his left jab. By the 10th, this fight was starting to take on similar tone to Leonard-Hearns I with Leonard able to mount little in the way of offense due to the dangerous punching power of Robinson.
After a stern talking too in the corner by Angelo Dundee, Leonard came out more focused and determined in the 11th. He walked through a wicked Robinson right and landed a vicious left hook of his own that rocked SRR. Leonard followed Robinson to the ropes and banged him to the body. A more confident Leonard smiled as he returned to the corner.
The tide really turned in the 12th when Robinson suffered a severe cut over his left eye. The referee ruled that it was due to a Leonard punch. However, the replay showed that it was due to a clash of head. Leonard continued his momentum peppering Robinson with a series of quick combinations. SRL capitalized on SRR’s compromised vision in the 13th, landing an overhand right that rocked Robinson. Robinson appeared to be tiring as Leonard battered him along the ropes. SRL was very much back in this fight.
Leonard continued to have the better of it early in round 14. However, Robinson rallied late in the landing a three punch combination that shook SRL. Now Leonard appeared to be the one who was tiring. Both fighters let it all hang out in a wild 15th round. Leonard tagged Robinson with a left uppercut that forced Robinson to the ropes but Robinson responded with a tremendous right shook Leonard. The fighters continued to trade power shots over the final minute of the fight until the final bell.
The decision was announced: 145-141, 145-140, 143-143; the winner by majority decision is Sugar Ray…………………………………………Robinson! Sugar Ray Robinson is the all-time Welterweight champion.
ROBINSON WINS MD15!