Did Sugar Ray Robinson really hate boxing?

[JayID]

Surely you cannot be that great at something without loving what you do. Did he really hate the sport and competing?

[Hawkins]

I think Ray really disliked fighting and he especially hated the training. However, he kept at it because he was very good at it and it paid very well. I do remember reading somewhere that he did enjoy the mental aspect of a fight, kind of like chess.

[Mr.MojoRisin']

Probably enjoyed it at least a little. I can't see anyone being the greatest of all time and absolutely hating every aspect of what they do.

[BKM-]

Probably started hating it after he accidentally killed an opponent.

[Anthony342]

And probably when he had to come back to the sport and hung around too long because he needed the money.

[JayID]

Ray is the most overrated middleweight in the history of the sport.




That's the same line every fighter uses when he gets beat up.

Actually I think most agree that Ray wasn't the best middleweight ever. Very good yes. But not the greatest. It's at welterweight where people rate him P4P Goat.

Also, touching on your other point, that is the line that every fighter uses "when they get beat up" because it's usually true. Although I never recall Ray saying that in regards to his losses. Even when he lost to Randy Turpin he said that the better fighter won on that night. Bearing in mind that Ray had fought 3(?) Times that month already.

[The Old LefHook]

Love/Hate. We have all loved a woman we hated at least sometimes. The kid who was learning boxing did not hate it. The man who got the full taste of the sport in his mouth began to hate it. Dirty promoters and gangsters to deal with. Bashing other people in the head for money (who sometimes die from it) does lack a philosophical justification when examined closely.

[McNulty]

Surely you cannot be that great at something without loving what you do. Did he really hate the sport and competing?

After he killed Jimmy Doyle, yes.

[Hawkins]

I know that someone was interviewing him and asked him if he happened to see a certain fight and his exact response was, "No. I'm not a fight fan." The he went on to say he never liked fighting.

[joeandthebums]

I know that someone was interviewing him and asked him if he happened to see a certain fight and his exact response was, "No. I'm not a fight fan." The he went on to say he never liked fighting.

Be interested to know what time period that interview was? Few boxers once they retire keep up with the sport - pattern repeated throughout history, but Robinson in the 40's attended plenty of fight cards, pro and amateur.