RARE Sugar Ray Robinson 12th Annual Intercity Golden Gloves amateur 10 page programme, 29th March 1939, Chicago Stadium, Chicago.

Inside the programme there is a small image of Ray Robinson in the 126lb division with his personal bio which reads:-
"Ray Robinson, New York's Golden Gloves Champion and victor in the Tournament Of Champions, is fast on his feet, a splendid boxer. He is 19 years of age and was born in virginia. Ray is employed as a Grocery Clerk. He stars in basketball but he has had little time for the sport. His record was 2 knockouts and 4 decisions".


Condition good (realistically priced due to the back of the programme having black paper and glue marks from a period when it was displayed however, the back of the programme was plain so the marks do not jeopardise any of the programme content).


Sugar Ray Robinson Amateur Achievements:

Amateur Record: 85-0 with 69 KOs (40 in the first round).

Amateur Titles won in 1939:
* New York Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions (126 lbs)
* Intercity Golden Gloves Tournament (126 lbs)
* New York Daily News Golden Gloves Tournament (126 lbs)


Amateur Titles won in 1940:
* New York Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions (135 lbs)
* Intercity Golden Gloves Tournament (135 lbs)
*New York Daily News Golden Gloves Tournament (135 lbs)



Intercity Golden Gloves
The Intercity Golden Gloves were designed to engage bouts between regional New York and Chicago fighters or with fighters that had fared well in the Chicago and New York tournaments.

The Intercity tournaments were fought in eight weight divisions: 112 lb., 118 lb., 125 lb., 135.lb., 147 lb., 160 lb., 175 lb. and heavyweight.

The matches from 1928 to 1934 were fought in first and second divisions. In 1935 the bouts were changed to championships and alternates. Both the victorious champions and alternates received rings and recognition for their achievement. Sometimes team coaches chose participants who had been involved in controversial or close decisions in previous tournaments. The alternate bouts were not fought in 1954 through 1957. The Intercity Golden Gloves were publized as and were team competions with the team with the most wins the victor. Occasionally they had ties. This format ended after the 1961 tournament.

Some felt the bouts were more politicized, others felt that they were the national championships, regardless the matches are held in eminent esteem. Overall the Intercity Golden Gloves along with the Chicago and New York tournaments were the most prestigious tournaments of their era.

The Intercity matches resumed from 1977 through 1981, being fought in eleven different weight divisions, 106 lb., 112 lb., 119 lb., 125 lb,. 132 lb., 139 lb., 147 lb., 156 lb., 165 lb., 178 lb. and heavyweight.

Price: £695

"Sugar" Ray Robinson Highlights

In a career that spanned three decades, Sugar Ray Robinson embodied the essence of the sweet science. He was a world welterweight champion and held the middleweight title five times. Robinson combined an athlete's grace and excellent power and was nearly unbeatable in his prime. He is considered by many to be the best fighter in history, pound-for-pound. He earned the nickname "Sugar" Ray when a newspaper reporter described him as "sweet as sugar."

Among the fellow Hall of Famers Robinson beat are Henry Armstrong, Kid Gavilan, Carmen Basilio, Jake LaMotta, Rocky Graziano, Gene Fullmer and Fritzie Zivic. Robinson was so efficient for so long that he won his first Fighter of the Year award in 1942 and his second in 1951.

Robinson, whose real name was Walker Smith, turned pro in 1940 and won his first 40 fights before losing to LaMotta. After that defeat, Robinson wouldn't lose for another eight years. In 1942, he decisioned former champion Zivic and future champion Marty Servo. Then in 1946, in his 76th fight, he decisioned Tommy Bell for the vacant welterweight.

During his reign as a welterweight, Robinson defended his crown with wins over Jimmy Doyle, Chuck Taylor, Bernard Docusen, Gavilan, and Charlie Fusari. In 1951, he challenged LaMotta for the middleweight title in a fight that is remebered as the St. Valentine Day Massacre. Robinson overwhelmed LaMotta with a speed and power and finally stopped him in the 13th round. It was the sixth and final time the Hall of Famers met. Robinson won five of those contests.

In 1951, he was upset by British champion Randy Turpin. In the rematch two months later, Robinson knocked Turpin out in the 10th round. He followed with successful defenses against Graziano and Carl "Bobo" Olson before challenging light heavyweight king Joey Maxim.

Robinson and Maxim met at Yankee Stadium in the summer of 1952. The temperature in the ring that night was estimated at 100 degrees. It was the heat, and not Maxim, that overcame Sugar Ray. After the 13th round, he led on all three scorecards but remained on his stool when the bell sounded to begin the 14th.

Robinson retired after the Maxim fight only to return in 1955. He would win and lose the middleweight title three more times in a series of bouts with Olson, Fullmer and Basillio. He finally retired for good in 1965 at the age of 44. Of Robinson's 19 career defeats, 16 occurred after 1955. Five of them came in his final 15 fights. He fought 18 world champions during his career.