Birth Name: Walker Smith Jr.
Nickname: “Sugar Ray”
Birthplace: Ailey, Georgia, USA
Weight Class: Welterweight / Middleweight
Stance: Orthodox
Professional Record: 174 – 19 – 6 (109 KOs)
Years Active: 1940 – 1965
Biography
Sugar Ray Robinson is widely regarded as the greatest pound-for-pound boxer of all time. Born Walker Smith Jr., he borrowed a friend’s amateur card to enter his first tournament under the name “Ray Robinson.” A reporter later described his style as “sweet as sugar,” and the name stuck.
Robinson turned professional in 1940 and quickly dominated the welterweight division, capturing the World Welterweight Title in 1946. He moved up to middleweight and won that crown in 1951, becoming the first boxer in history to win a divisional world title five times. His blend of speed, precision, and rhythm revolutionized the sport, inspiring every major boxer who followed—from Ali and Leonard to Mayweather and Tyson.
He fought 200 times in one of boxing’s most competitive eras, defeating icons such as Jake LaMotta, Kid Gavilan, Carmen Basilio, and Gene Fullmer. Robinson’s influence extended beyond the ring—his fashion, showmanship, and entrepreneurial spirit made him boxing’s first modern superstar.
Sugar Ray Robinson in the Hobby
Robinson’s trading cards represent the bridge between vintage and modern collecting. His earliest issues appear in postwar European and American sets that marked the sport’s resurgence after World War II.
Rookie & Early Issues
1948 – Leaf Boxing (USA): Widely accepted as Sugar Ray Robinson’s true rookie card. Part of the landmark 1948 Leaf set that reintroduced boxing cards to postwar America. The card’s striking red background and bold typography make it one of the hobby’s most recognizable vintage boxing cards.
1948 – Exhibit Supply Co. (USA): A large-format black-and-white issue featuring Robinson in fighting stance. These postcard-sized cards were distributed nationwide and remain an affordable early option.
1951 – Topps Ringside (USA): Robinson’s first appearance in a Topps release, featuring vivid color artwork and strong crossover appeal among sports collectors.
1956 – Hemmets Journal (Sweden): Early European appearance during his middleweight reign, often seen as an international rookie alternative.
Registry Metadata
Earliest Issue: 1948 Leaf Boxing (USA)
Rookie Year: 1948
First Mainstream U.S. Card: 1948 Leaf Boxing
Key Sets: 1948 Leaf, 1948 Exhibit, 1951 Topps Ringside, 1956 Hemmets Journal
Known Variants: Leaf cards show wide color and print quality variance; Ringside cards differ slightly in border tone across print runs
Grading Rarity:
– 1948 Leaf: PSA population ≈ 300; PSA 8 and higher examples are condition rarities due to chipping
– 1951 Ringside: PSA population ≈ 250; centering issues common, PSA 9s very scarce
Recent Notable Sales:
– 1948 Leaf (PSA 8) — $7,800 (2024)
– 1951 Ringside (PSA 9) — $4,100 (2023)
Legacy
Sugar Ray Robinson set the standard for greatness in boxing. His balance of grace and brutality, art and science, made him the prototype for every elite fighter who followed. As the sport’s first global icon, he elevated boxing into mainstream culture.
For collectors, Robinson’s 1948 Leaf rookie stands as one of the pillars of the entire boxing card hobby—a visual and historical masterpiece that marks the beginning of the postwar era. Whether as an athlete, artist, or cultural pioneer, Sugar Ray remains the measuring stick by which all others are judged.
