[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 43 (Thursday, April 6, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E537]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     A TRIBUTE AND COMMEMORATIVE STAMP TO HONOR SUGAR RAY ROBINSON

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 5, 2006

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to enter into the Record a 
tribute to the legendary six-time world champion boxer Sugar Ray 
Robinson and to recognize the issuance of the Sugar Ray Robinson 
commemorative stamp.
  Although this charismatic boxer was born Walker Smith, Jr., he is 
best remembered as ``Sugar'' Ray Robinson. Born on May 3, 1921 in 
Ailey, GA, his parents moved the family to New York when Sugar Ray was 
a teenager to escape the prevalent prejudice in the South. It was 
there, in a Harlem gym, that he was first introduced to boxing. Sugar 
Ray visited the gym frequently, using a borrowed Amateur Athletic Union 
boxing card of a friend. The friend's name, incidentally, was Ray 
Robinson.
  His natural talent in the ring began to draw attention, and soon 
crowds gathered to watch Sugar Ray perform. When future coach George 
Gainford watched him box for the first time, Gainford commented that 
the young boxer's style and fluid motions were ``sweet as sugar.'' 
Others agreed, and the nickname stuck. After winning the New York 
Golden Gloves championship in 1940, 19-year-old Sugar Ray turned pro 
and never looked back. By 1946, Sugar Ray was the world welterweight 
champion. His reign included a 91 fight winning-streak. He held the 
title for 5 years, and then moved onto acquiring the world middleweight 
title, which he held five times between the years 1951-1960. A dominant 
force in the boxing ring for two decades, Sugar Ray was 38 when he won 
his last middleweight title.
  In the mid-1960s, Sugar Ray exited the ring gracefully.
  Sugar Ray's record was 128-1-2 with 84 knockouts at the pinnacle of 
his career. Amazingly, in over 200 fights, Sugar Ray was never 
physically knocked out; though he did receive one technical KO. 
Altogether, he amassed 109 KOs, and finished with a record of 175-19-6 
with two no-decisions. World champion Muhammad Ali called him ``the 
king, the master, my idol'' In 1997, The Ring magazine named Sugar Ray 
``pound for pound, the best boxer of all time.'' In 1999, the 
Associated Press named him both the greatest welterweight and 
middleweight boxer of the century.
  Sugar Ray Robinson passed away on April 12, 1989.
  Mr. Speaker, Sugar Ray Robinson is a true legend. I am very pleased 
to pay tribute to his legacy and also pleased to acknowledge the 
issuance of a commemorative stamp in his honor scheduled to be unveiled 
on April 7, 2006.

                          ____________________