72 years ago
Sugar Ray Robinson vs Carl Olson II
Date: 13th March 1952
Venue: Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CaliforniaTitle: World Middleweight Title
Promoter: Bill Kyne
Sugar Ray Robinson
(
130
-
2
-
2
)
Weight: 157½ lbs
Carl Olson
(
48
-
5
-
0
)
Weight: 159½ lbs
On March 13, 1952, Sugar Ray Robinson and Carl 'Bobo' Olson faced off in a highly anticipated rematch at the Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, California. Promoter Bill Kyne orchestrated the event that saw Robinson, originally from Harlem, New York, defend his World Middleweight Title in the first defense of his second reign. Robinson entered the fight with a formidable record of 130 wins, two losses, and two draws, while Hawaii-born Olson trailed slightly behind with a record of 48 wins and five losses.
This fight marked the second in a series of four bouts between Robinson and Olson, with Robinson having triumphed in their first encounter with a 12th-round knockout in October 1950 in Philadelphia. The rematch saw Robinson entering as a 10-1 betting favorite. A crowd of 10,033 spectators filled the Civic Auditorium, generating an impressive gate revenue of $63,053.
Despite the odds favoring Robinson, the fight proved to be hard fought. In the tenth round, Robinson missed a left hook, causing him to lose his balance and momentarily fall to one knee. Showing excellent sportsmanship, Olson respectfully stepped back, allowing his opponent to regain his footing.
The match was, by Robinson's own admission, a hard-fought contest. "As tough a battle as I ever had," he said, reflecting on the gruelling fifteen rounds that ended in his favor. The judges delivered a unanimous decision in Robinson's favor, with scores of 86½-78½ from referee Jack Downey, 85½-79½ from Frankie Brown, and 84½-80½ from Toby Irwin.
This victory for Robinson marked not only another successful title defense but also a moment of charity. In a generous move, the champion donated all but one dollar of his purse to the Damon Runyon Cancer Fund.
Post this rematch, Olson embarked on a remarkable 21-fight unbeaten streak, claiming the World Middleweight Title from Randolph Turpin and defending it three times. His victorious run ultimately ended with a loss against World Light-Heavyweight Titleholder Archie Moore in June 1955.