A Boxing Memory: Joey Maxim vs Sugar Ray Robinson
In 1952 only the weather denied Sugar Ray Robinson when he tried to edge nearer to boxing immortality. Only Bob Fitzsimmons and Henry Armstrong had previously won world titles at three different weights, and Robinson tried to join that illustrious list in much simpler times when he challenged Joey Maxim for his world light-heavyweight title at the Yankee Stadium in New York. There were no meaningless baubles back then, a world title meant precisely that. You were THE world champion, not a fighter who simply had shares in that claim to be the best fighter on the planet at a specific weight.
Robinson, born Walker Smith Jr, was the former world welterweight champion and the reigning world middleweight champion he had only lost two times in over 130 fights, the defeats to Jake La Motta and Randy Turpin had been avenged. Maxim the supposed bit player in the proceedings had fought 87 times before his initial tilt at world honours, but he didn't waste his belated opportunity defying the odds and Freddie Mills in 1950 stopping the British fighter in 10 rounds to win the world light-heavyweight title. Maxim moved up to heavyweight but lost on points to Ezzard Charles in an unsuccessful challenge for the world heavyweight title, he would fight Charles multiple times over the course of his career. Born Giuseppe Antonio Berardinelli, Maxim took his boxing name from the Maxim machine gun, which was akin to his own fighting style of being able to throw rapid left jabs. The early career was littered with defeats on the road before the big win over Mills, but it is the fight with Robinson that etches his name in boxing folklore.
The smaller man conceded over a stone in weight but still edged the betting odds. Heavy rain had delayed the fight for two days, and the weather would play a major definitive role 48 hours later. The monsoon-type weather had been replaced by a savage heatwave, and the sweltering unforgiving conditions had the ringside temperature topping 100 degrees. And that was in the shade.
Five years earlier Robinson had dreamt that his Irish-American opponent Jimmy Doyle had fallen dead at his feet in the ring. And sadly that dream became a reality when Doyle, who had suffered a severe concussion in a previous fight, died seventeen hours after his with Robinson fight as a result of a blood clot and a concussive head injury resulting from the fight in 1947. Robinson didn't want to fight Doyle after his dream but was told:
'Forget it, Robinson, that's a dream, that's all. Don't have it on your mind. Nothing's gonna happen.' Tragically, it did. Before the Maxim fight, Robinson had a similar dream. This time his dreams told him that he would be the one who died in the ring. History very nearly repeated itself.
Maxim was bigger, but the perception was Robinson was better. In truth, much better. And for 10 rounds that was what played out. But Robinson wasn't winning the rounds with energy consumption in mind. He was winning with his customary class and style but draining the gas tank in the process. If Robinson had fought at a more conservative pace, the result would surely have been different. After 10 rounds the referee, Ruby Goldstein succumbed to the intense heat, and the replacement referee Ray Miller stepped in. Both fighters were now in decline, and Maxim and Robinson both had thoughts that they would soon collapse. It was that kind of night.
Robinson was a mile ahead on points, he couldn't lose if he remained standing. But his efforts had left his body unable to function to even normal standards. By round 13, Robinson was on the brink. The untouchable skills had now deserted him, Robinson had delivered a masterful performance free from any boxing shackles but the debilitating heat had handcuffed and suffocated him. It was now about survival. The legs had gone, his body out of energy. And hope. Robinson threw a right hand, it missed and he fell to the canvas first face in utter exhaustion. Make no mistake, he did well to get up. He was lost. The fight would soon be lost also. Robinson was dragged to his stool, and he never got off it. Maxim and the heat had denied him. Robinson was an extraordinary talent but even he couldn't beat the elements.
The fight took plenty out of both men, and both left that New York ring as severely diminished fighters. An ageing fight if ever there was one. Maxim carried on but was never the same fighter ever again. Archie Moore took his world title later the same year and he never got it back. Maxim ended his career with six straight defeats. He beat the legendary Sugar Ray Robinson and was the only fighter ever to stop the great man. But at what cost?
Robinson was delirious in the dressing room after and was forced to take a cold shower after the fight by his trainers. Did that save his life? Quite possibly. Robinson lived to dream again. Robinson retired soon after to a life in the showbusiness world. But when the tapdancing failed to pay enough, he returned to boxing in 1955 and extended his amazing legacy before carrying on far too long and shortening his life expectancy. Another story for another day.
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