Oscar De La Hoya was once the biggest star in the sport of boxing and has since joined legends of the sport in the Hall of Fame. He believes one man stands above the rest as the greatest of all time.
De La Hoya turned over to the paid ranks after a gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games, fighting undefeated until a loss against Felix Trinidad in ’99. He would be defeated on five more occasions to the likes of Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, but hung up the gloves with 39 wins and belts in six divisions.
As a Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year and one of the most lucrative fighters in history, De La Hoya is well placed to look back in the history books and crown someone the best ever. Speaking to ES News, ‘The Golden Boy’ had little doubt when naming Sugar Ray Robinson as exactly that.
“Sugar Ray Robinson is the greatest of all time! That’s basically it, look at this here [his shirt] all the weight divisions, hardest puncher, best footwork, he would fight multiple times a month, took on the very best, took on the toughest challenges. Sugar Ray Robinson, he’s literally the GOAT.”
Robinson is often cited as the greatest pound-for-pound boxer of all time. He possessed a captivating blend of speed, power, and artistry in the ring. As an amateur, his record is often reported as 85 wins and zero losses, with 69 stoppages.
This dominance transitioned into his professional career, starting in 1940. He captured the Welterweight World Title in ’46 and later won the middleweight title a record five times.
Robinson’s career was marked by legendary rivalries, most notably his six brutal encounters with Jake LaMotta – who said, “I fought Sugar Ray so many times, I’m surprised I’m not diabetic!”
The boxing superstar retired in 1965 with a final record of 174 wins and just 19 losses.
