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It's an opinion. Consensus is always BS anyway. It's basically saying you have a group of people who all say the same thing and if you dispute that, well, you must be an idiot. It's elitist crap and they alienate themselves and eventually become the minority due to their terrible attitudes. For me, Roberto Duran is the pound-for-pound best of all time and I don't care what any one else thinks. It's my opinion and they have theirs, but by you questioning Robinson or saying that he's not your number one, you'll catch no flack from me.
When it comes down to it, Robinson was a lot of fun to watch, with excellent speed and power in both hands. He also stayed very busy and had a very high tally of wins. It's hard to knock the guy either way you look at it and I certainly believe he's one of the best in the sport's history.
However, he did fight plenty of soft touches as anyone with 200 fights did. it couldn't be helped. I think those fights kept him sharp and there's nothing wrong with that. I wish more modern fighters would do the same. He also fought the best of his era and beat most of them. But his style was like anybody else's. It had certain flaws.
Robinson was an outside fighter for the most part. His best work came from a distance. When Basilio, LaMotta and Fullmer crowded him, they had a lot of success in the losses and of course their victories over the sugar man. I think most good inside fighters would give him plenty of trouble and the great inside fighters would beat him more often than not. I'm not sold that Hopkins would beat him as I think he would be too busy and sharp for Hopkins. And a younger Hopkins would run into his shots more which would give him the advantage. Hagler would have a shot but only if he got to land like he wanted to. Personally, I think Robinson would be too quick and would frustrate Hagler way too much. You have to ask yourself 'If Sugar Ray Leonard could beat him, could not Sugar Ray Robinson?' I can't answer that question any other way than Robinson would win. Hagler was bigger and stronger, but he could be outboxed as he was against Leonard and in my opinion, Duran as well.
I'm not sure how Robinson-Monzon would play out. I think it would be a close, chess match that wouldn't be much fun with Monzon possibly edging him on points but it could really go either way. I do see Julian Jackson getting a knockdown over him. Mike McCallum might be too much for him as well, but I don't know. McCallum often got frustrated too. James Toney would lose I believe. Roy Jones would bring all kinds of athleticism in for a fun scrap, but Robinson threw a lot and had accuracy. If he managed to clip Roy, it could be all over. I think he's too much for Pavlik and Taylor. From what I've seen of GGG, I have to give the edge to Robinson due to opposition, but this is too early IMO. When GGG does get big fights, we will see.
Robinson will always be highly regarded and rightly so. But never be afraid to say he was not the best. And I don't believe Ali was the best heavyweight either. I definitely favor Joe Louis if they ever met. However, I think Joe Louis-Joe Frazier would be so much more fun.
When it comes down to it, Robinson was a lot of fun to watch, with excellent speed and power in both hands. He also stayed very busy and had a very high tally of wins. It's hard to knock the guy either way you look at it and I certainly believe he's one of the best in the sport's history.
However, he did fight plenty of soft touches as anyone with 200 fights did. it couldn't be helped. I think those fights kept him sharp and there's nothing wrong with that. I wish more modern fighters would do the same. He also fought the best of his era and beat most of them. But his style was like anybody else's. It had certain flaws.
Robinson was an outside fighter for the most part. His best work came from a distance. When Basilio, LaMotta and Fullmer crowded him, they had a lot of success in the losses and of course their victories over the sugar man. I think most good inside fighters would give him plenty of trouble and the great inside fighters would beat him more often than not. I'm not sold that Hopkins would beat him as I think he would be too busy and sharp for Hopkins. And a younger Hopkins would run into his shots more which would give him the advantage. Hagler would have a shot but only if he got to land like he wanted to. Personally, I think Robinson would be too quick and would frustrate Hagler way too much. You have to ask yourself 'If Sugar Ray Leonard could beat him, could not Sugar Ray Robinson?' I can't answer that question any other way than Robinson would win. Hagler was bigger and stronger, but he could be outboxed as he was against Leonard and in my opinion, Duran as well.
I'm not sure how Robinson-Monzon would play out. I think it would be a close, chess match that wouldn't be much fun with Monzon possibly edging him on points but it could really go either way. I do see Julian Jackson getting a knockdown over him. Mike McCallum might be too much for him as well, but I don't know. McCallum often got frustrated too. James Toney would lose I believe. Roy Jones would bring all kinds of athleticism in for a fun scrap, but Robinson threw a lot and had accuracy. If he managed to clip Roy, it could be all over. I think he's too much for Pavlik and Taylor. From what I've seen of GGG, I have to give the edge to Robinson due to opposition, but this is too early IMO. When GGG does get big fights, we will see.
Robinson will always be highly regarded and rightly so. But never be afraid to say he was not the best. And I don't believe Ali was the best heavyweight either. I definitely favor Joe Louis if they ever met. However, I think Joe Louis-Joe Frazier would be so much more fun.
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