‘God Will Punish Me if I Don’t Give Credit Where It’s Due’: Muhammad Ali’s Emotional Tribute to His Idol Goes Viral

For all those who love boxing as well as those who do not, the very first name that comes to their mind is Muhammad Ali. It’s been six years since he left the world. But even today, multitudes wouldn’t miss a single video of ‘The Greatest’. There was a time when he used to call himself the greatest boxer ever brazenly. Some sneered, but most agreed. Nobody could deny that whatever Muhammad Ali said about himself, he backed it up in the ring very well.

However, it may surprise many that even the great Muhammad Ali considered someone else way above him. While talking about his icon, the former once said, “That man was beautiful. Timing, speed, reflexes, rhythm, his body, everything was beautiful.”

The boxer who influenced Muhammad Ali the most

The man widely acknowledged as the signature representative of the sport used to call Sugar Ray Robinson the best boxer of all time. In the post-war boxing scene that commenced in 1946 and lasted till 1960, Robinson held the titles of Welterweight and Middleweight divisions on multiple occasions. His stunning boxing skills inspired many and are talked about fervently to this day.

A short video clip shared by @FightingCentre has already attracted the attention of 34k viewers. It lasts slightly more than thirty seconds. An emotional Muhammad Ali could be seen talking about his inspiration, Sugar Ray Robinson.

Ali said, “Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Robinson, he’s still my idol. If I said, if anybody’s greater than me, where’s he at? Come on….”

By that time, Robison was on stage, and the two hugged each other. Then, standing by his side, Muhammad Ali told everyone present, “…God will punish me if I don’t give credit where it’s due. It was this man that inspired me watching him fight. I mean, he had a style.” 

And off he demonstrated the shuffle and moves most usually associated with his trademark style. The crowd, awestruck by the presence of two of the sports’ greatest, could be heard clapping and lauding.

A brief career review of Sugar Ray Robinson

Born Walker Smith Jr. on May 3, 1921, in Ailey, Georgia, Sugar Robinson turned professional in 1940. For the next two years, he fought and won forty bouts till Jake LaMotta stopped him in 1943 at Olympia Stadium, Detroit. After that, he remained undefeated till 1951.

At Welterweight, Robinson defeated the likes of Jimmy Doyle, Chuck Taylor, Bernard Docusen, Gavilan, and Charlie Fusari. Then, he fought LaMotta for the third time in what is known as the ‘St. Valentine’s Day Massacre’ for the Middleweight championship on February 14, 1951.

Read More: “We All Hung Out”: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Muhammad Ali Had an Iconic Relationship in 70s

A few months later, however, he lost the Middleweight title to Englishman Randolph Turpin on July 10, 1951. But come September 12, Robinson turned the table on Turpin with a tenth-round knockout at Polo Grounds, New York. On June 25, 1952, he challenged reigning light heavyweight champion Joey Maxim but couldn’t succeed. He announced his retirement immediately. But by 1955, Robinson was back in the saddle.

He continued for the next ten years, winning and losing his titles. Then, on November 10, 1965, Robinson finally bid goodbye to the sport. He was forty-four.

There’s a saying in boxing that the term ‘pound-for-pound’ came when Sugar Ray Robinson entered the scene. He bested boxers like Henry Armstrong, Kid Gavilan, Carmen Basilio, Jake LaMotta, Rocky Graziano, Gene Fullmer, and Fritzie Zivic, who were Hall of Fame inductees like himself. In a career that lasted three decades, he received the ‘Fighter of the Year’ Award twice, in 1942 and later in 1951.

He fought a massive 201 bouts, out of which he won 174 and lost 19. Six of the matches he participated in were draws, and two more – were no contests.

The youngest heavyweight champion Mike Tyson once remarked, “Have you ever watched Sugar Ray Robinson? Wasn’t he amazing? “Listen right; Sugar Ray Robinson had 40 fights; he went 40-0. And then he lose one fight. “After he lost that one fight, he went 80 fights undefeated. The record was like [128-1].”

Do you agree with Muhammad Ali’s comments on Sugar Ray Robinson? Have you seen the latter’s old video clips? Do share your thoughts and views in the comments below.

Watch Out for More: How Much Did Muhammad Ali Earn? Net Worth, Biggest Fight Purse, and More