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Sgt.U.S. Army · Joe Louis boxing troupe

Boxing · Welterweight & 5× Middleweight Champion

b. 3 May 1921 · Ailey, Georgia · d. 12 Apr 1989

Pound for pound the greatest — and, for fifteen months of the war, a soldier boxing exhibitions beside Joe Louis.

WORLD WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION [VERIFY]FIVE-TIME WORLD MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPION [VERIFY]U.S. ARMY, 1943–44 · JOE LOUIS BOXING TROUPE
Sugar Ray Robinson throwing a punch in the ring
Kevin Clark's HOMAGE card for Sugar Ray Robinson, U.S. Army

TWO UNIFORMS

Pound for pound · in the ring

REC · SUGAR · DOSSIER

Service record

  1. 01

    Born Walker Smith Jr. · inducted into the U.S. Army 27 February 1943

  2. 02

    Toured with Joe Louis's troupe boxing exhibitions for the troops

  3. 03

    Honorably discharged 3 June 1944 · rank at separation: sergeant [verify]

Did you know

The phrase "pound for pound the greatest" was coined for him. He won the welterweight crown in 1946 and the middleweight title five times.

BIRTHDAY

May 3

FOR RESEARCH PROJECTS

Observances

  • JAN 31Jackie Robinson born, 1919
  • APR 15Jackie Robinson Day — the debut, 1947
  • MAY 3Sugar Ray Robinson born, 1921
  • AUG 6David Robinson born, 1965
  • NOV 11Veterans Day
  • LAST MON · MAYMemorial Day

Personal timeline · birth → service → career → honors

  1. 3 May 1921

    Born Walker Smith Jr. in Ailey, Georgia.

  2. 27 Feb 1943

    Inducted into the U.S. Army, still under the name Walker Smith.

  3. 1943–44

    Tours military bases with Joe Louis's troupe, boxing exhibitions for the troops.

  4. 3 Jun 1944

    Granted an honorable discharge. Rank at separation: sergeant [verify].

  5. 1946

    Wins the world welterweight championship [verify].

  6. 1951–60

    Holds the world middleweight title five times [verify].

  7. 12 Apr 1989

    Dies in Culver City, California.

Related films · Kevin Clark's channel

Sugar Ray Robinson on film.

4:46 · 7 SEP 2026 · KEVIN CLARK

Victory by Valor — Trailer

The marquee. From segregation to celebration.

HERO · Victory by Valor — poster

11:36 · 8 MAY 2021 · KEVIN CLARK

HERO · Victory by Valor

The long-form cut.

Sources for this dossier

  1. 01Encyclopedia.com · Robinson, Walker Smith Jr. ("Sugar Ray")
  2. 02International Boxing Hall of Fame (record) — [verify]

Anything marked [verify] has not yet been confirmed against a primary source. Full ledger on the Scholars page.