Sugar Ray Robinson's Top Five Matches - Part 3

Sugar Ray Robinson's Top Five Matches - Part 3

The knockout victory against Frizi Zivic - one of the most experienced in his category

Very soon after the start of his professional career, Sugar Ray Robinson began to win big matches that catapulted him to the heights. It is no coincidence that he won 174 fights, 109 of them by knockout out of a total of 201 fights in the professional ring. Competing in a total of four categories, he dominated two of them and it is no coincidence that he is considered the greatest of all time, although too little is said about his achievements. It is for this reason that we decided to make a series of materials in which we recall his best five matches. Aside from the best knockout of all time in the win over Gene Fulmer and the victory over Jake La Motta in the sixth match between them, Ray Robinson has had some quality matches early in his career as well.

After only two years in the professional ring, but without a single defeat, it is time for Sugar to face the veteran Fritzi Zivic, who is still undefeated by knockout. Heavier by 3 kilos and taller, the former world welterweight champion looks like the man to finally stop the onrushing youngster.

The date is January 16, 1942, and the venue is Madison Square Garden in New York. After 26 wins in the professional ring, 20 of them by knockout, Robinson is determined to achieve his most significant success against the stronger but significantly slower Freezee. It's the speed that makes Ray stand out in the first two rounds and he even hits his opponent hard. The Croatian-American is shocked. However, Zivic is aware that there is no way his opponent can go 12 rounds at this pace.

That's exactly what happens, and in the third part, Robinson reduces his aggression, and as a result, an open wound above his right eye, and then takes a few more heavy blows. However, in the last 45 seconds of the round, he counterattacked successfully and leveled the forces. In this way the parts between the fourth and the eighth are developed. The fight went smoothly for Sugar, and in the ninth round he once again found a way to Freeze's head, who was dropped with a powerful right. Still, the skilled boxer gets to his feet, but it's only a matter of time before he gets knocked down again.

The tenth part turned out to be a victory for Ray Robinson, after the second knockdown turned into a knockout for Živić. Early in this round, after just 31 seconds, a powerful combination from Sugar led to one of the most significant victories of his career. Trailing only in the third round to his bigger opponent, the young boxer achieved his 21st knockout success out of 27 in the professional ring, where he is still unbeaten.