Sugar Ray

by Sugar Ray Robinson, Dave Anderson, Sugar Ray Robinson (with Dave Anderson)

Book Overview

"The Sugar Ray Robinson story, like most true-life fables, is often incredible. But it is, withal, a very human story--a story of poverty and riches, success and failure, pride and humility, good and bad."--New York Times Book Review

Sugar Ray Robinson (1921-1989) was hailed as the finest boxer to ever enter a ring. Muhammad Ali once called him "the king, my master, my idol"--and indeed, he was the idol of everyone who had anything to do with boxing. But for African Americans, he was more than a great boxer. In an era when blacks were supposed to be humble and grateful for favors received, he was a man whose every move in and out of the ring showed what black pride and power meant.
Sugar Ray grew up during the Depression in the ghettos of Detroit and New York, rose through the amateur boxing ranks, became Golden Gloves champion at the featherweight at the age of eighteen, and become world welterweight champion in 1946 and middleweight in 1951. Robinson had it all, but later lost it all; and in this classic autobiography he tells it all with remarkable candor. Here is Sugar Ray: the dazzlingly handsome champion with a craving for fast cars and fast living; the kid who was terrified of elevators; the young GI who, together with Joe Louis, combated racial discrimination; the honest fighter who refused a million dollars to throw a fight against Rocky Graziano; the boxer who dreamed he would kill his opponent in the ring, and did so the following night.
This Da Capo edition is supplemented with a new foreword and afterword by Dave Anderson about Sugar Ray's last years in Los Angeles and the legacy he left behind, and with eight new pages of stunning photographs.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 030680574X
• ISBN13: 9780306805745
• Release Date: March 1994
• Publisher: Da Capo
• Length: 380 Pages
• Weight: 1.08 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

A Fistful of Sugar

A champion among champions. One of the greatest of all time tells you his story - he is a fighter, not a writer. Don't expect pretty prose, expect a deep, moving look into the life of Sugar Ray Robinson.

Great Book On A Great Champion

Sugar Ray Robinson was One Of THe Greatest Fighters Ever.Very Uplifting of How He Overcame SO Much.He was a Great Warrior Inside of The Ring.Muhammad Ali called Him The Greatest.A Must Have.

Tap Dancing, Boxing, Money for Sugar Ray Robinson

This book was great. It is 378 pages, or something like that, with a forword and afterword by Dave. Lots of pictures, one with Sugar Ray at his restraunt in New York. Also has a list of all his fights and what happened, if it was a knock out, win, loose, draw. At one part he is in England, and his car is causing a traffic jam on the street because so many people have heard of him and want to see his car! And the desk clerk says to him, "Mosure Robinson, the police are here to you." He goes up to them, and they tell him that his car is causing a traffic jam and to move it! No one can get through!

A far greater excuse for a screenplay than "Raging Bull"

First read "Sugar Ray" in 1970, as a student in high school and back then i read it two times. I can still recall the illustration by LeRoy Neiman on the original cover. To this present day the most influential reading in my life, along with David Halberstam's "The Reckoniing

What a knockout! A great read for anyone.

This book goes straight into the heart and mind of one of boxings greatest fighters. Sugar Ray tells the tale of a true champion, and in doing so it tells the tale of a man who came from an unfavourable begining to reach great prestige and distinction. This book was a knockout!