Sugar Ray Robinson, regarded by many as pound-for-pound the best boxer of all time, hardly ever discovered himself the underdog, however that’s precisely what he was heading into his return with “The Onion Farmer,” the ever powerful and tenacious Carmen Basilio. The earlier September, champion Robinson, having regained the middleweight crown in stunning style from Gene Fullmer, defended in opposition to welterweight titlist Basilio in Yankee Stadium. An epic, hard-fought, fifteen spherical warfare was the outcome with the smaller man taking a detailed choice. It had been the plain selection for 1957’s Battle of the Yr.
Now they had been set for the rematch and the sense was that the virtually 37-year-old Robinson, with 148 professional fights to his credit score, needed to be on the downslide whereas Basilio, six years youthful, a two-time welter champ with massive wins over Tony DeMarco and Johnny Saxton, was nonetheless in his prime. There appeared little cause to count on the growing older Robinson to reverse the end result of the primary battle. The boxing scribes and pundits concerning the ring in Chicago Stadium that night time ready to wave a fond farewell by the cigar smoke to the peerless Sugar Ray, with out query one of many best to ever lace up the gloves, a hoop legend now able to take his place within the pantheon subsequent to such luminaries as Joe Gans, Harry Greb, Benny Leonard, and Joe Louis.
However as a substitute of an ending, Robinson vs Basilio II proved one other thrilling chapter, to not point out a contemporary plot-twist, within the lengthy legend of the Sugarman. As an alternative of waving goodbye, the boxing tribe may solely shake their heads in surprise at each one other scintillating, fifteen spherical epic, and one other nice triumph for Ray, although it could show to be certainly one of his final.
From the opening bell Robinson vs Basilio II was a brutal firefight between highly-skilled pugilists who, good sportsmanship apart, didn’t significantly like each other. An aggressive, flat-footed Robinson began quick and labored to impose himself on the smaller man, whereas Basilio constantly evaded Ray’s jab, getting previous it to strike to the physique; the ensuing exchanges within the pocket had been extended and nothing lower than vicious. Basilio’s most potent weapon was a jolting left hook to each physique and head; Robinson’s was the proper uppercut, which he swung with abandon, like an iron clapper in an enormous bell.
Nevertheless, as early as spherical 4 the champion’s left eye started to bother him. Robinson wasted no time taking benefit, opening up and scoring closely in rounds 5 and 6, by the top of which the optic had shut as tight as a clam. This impairment, as a lot as the rest, determined the end result.
“I simply couldn’t get my distance proper after the attention closed,” Basilio later instructed reporters. “Should you can’t get distance, you end up off stability.”
Regardless of his handicap, the champion conceded nothing and fought again like a cornered wolverine. Whereas Robinson solidified his lead in rounds seven and eight, Basilio surged within the ninth, organising a pivotal battle within the subsequent two rounds, probably the most intense of the battle. The grasp boxer lacked the vitality now to keep away from fierce exchanges of energy photographs and the champion, regardless of being half blind, started hitting the goal extra steadily, at instances buckling Ray with heavy photographs from both hand.
It was a grueling and intense battle all the best way, however as they got here down the stretch it was Robinson who picked up the tempo, outworking his adversary within the remaining two rounds. Sugar Ray’s aggressiveness sealed the victory by a slim margin, although in actual fact the referee scored the match for Basilio. The 2 judges, and most ringsiders, noticed Ray getting the higher of it in a brutal, back-and-forth warfare that took lots out of each males. Certainly, the brand new champion was so exhausted and hurting that his handlers wanted a stretcher to move him again to his dressing room the place he refused entry to the press.
Regardless of the historic win, it was clear Ray was nearing the top. And but he refused to give up, happening to compete for an additional eight years and battling such powerful prospects as Gene Fullmer, Denny Moyer, Paul Pender and Joey Giardello, amongst many others. He clearly by no means needed to retire and didn’t till he was 44 years of age and taking losses to B-level competitors.
Basilio would later obtain three possibilities to regain the middleweight belt, dropping two losses to Fullmer and one to Pender. Maybe displaying extra sense than Robinson, he retired instantly following that third defeat, on the comparatively younger age of 34.
No opponent was extra vital to Basilio than the good Robinson and, regardless of dropping, his efficiency of their second battle stands amongst his bravest. Displaying astonishing coronary heart and toughness, he by no means stopped pressuring Robinson, by no means stopped slinging leather-based, regardless of a major measurement drawback and a critical damage. Robinson’s efficiency that night time additionally stands as certainly one of his most interesting achievements as he regained the middleweight crown for a record-setting fifth time. Each Robinson vs Basilio clashes had been magnificently savage wars, contested on the highest degree between now legendary champions, and clearly deserve their standing as two of the best fifteen spherical struggles in middleweight historical past. — Michael Carbert
