Fighter Of The Year
Sugar Ray Robinson: The Year That Was
In 1994 Sugar Ray Robinson became a giant in the sport. And as unlikely as it sounds, his future is even brighter than his immediate past.
Robinson unified the lightweight division having beaten the best opposition in the 135-pound class, Orzubek Nazarov and Miguel Angel Gonzalez.
He also defended against three championship-caliber opponents in Leavander Johnson, Sharmba Mitchell and Azumah Nelson.
Looking at The's Ring's current top ten lightweight rankings, Robinson has already met and beaten half of the field.
If you include the fact that he is penciled in to face Billy Schwer in February and the big showdown with Oscar De La Hoya a few months later - providing he comes through both fights, there has not been such a dominant and active champion since the great Joe Louis.
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"I occasionally agreed to carry an opponent, almost always in what is known as a tune-up fight. I never considered it morally wrong as long as I was winning the fight. I was never a killer, like some fighters. I never enjoyed knocking out a guy who I knew had no chance to beat me." Sugar Ray Robinson
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