77 years ago

Date: 24th June 1947

Venue: Arena, Cleveland, Ohio

Title: World Welterweight Title

Promoter: Bob Brickman

Sugar Ray Robinson
( 78 - 1 - 1 )
Weight: 146 lbs

Jimmy Doyle
( 42 - 6 - 3 )
Weight: 147 lbs

On the evening of 24th June 1947, at Arena, Cleveland, Ohio, a crowd of 11,275 gathered to witness a dramatic and ultimately tragic boxing match between Ray Robinson, hailing from Harlem, New York, and Jimmy Doyle of Los Angeles, California. Robinson, whose record stood at an impressive 78-1-1 and weighed in at 146 lbs, was making his first defense of his World Welterweight Title against Doyle, a 22-year-old contender with a 42-6-3 record and weighing 147 lbs. Entering the fight as a 3-1 favorite, Robinson said he had woken up the morning of the fight having dreamt that he killed someone in the ring with a left hook and didn't want to go ahead with the Doyle fight. A catholic priest was brought in to tell "Sugar Ray" that it was only a dream and that he should go ahead with the fight

From the outset, Robinson dominated the majority of the match. He utilized his superior technique and sharp punches to control the fight, gaining the upper hand in every round save the sixth. It was in this round that Doyle staged a surprising rally, staggering Robinson twice and inflicting a cut over his right eye. This momentarily shifted the momentum in favor of Doyle, but the resilience of Robinson soon came to the fore.

The tide of the fight shifted definitively in the eighth round. Doyle, pushing forward in a bid to repeat his earlier success, launched a right hook towards Robinson. Swiftly responding, Robinson landed a crushing left hook that sent Doyle sprawling backwards onto the canvas. The referee, Jackie Davis, began the count as Doyle struggled to rise, propped up on his elbows and attempting to use the ropes for support.

The bell to signal the end of the round rang just as Davis was counting 'nine', which spared Doyle from an outright knockout. Nevertheless, it was clear that Doyle was severely incapacitated and unable to continue the match. His handlers subsequently beseeched Davis to end the fight, a request to which the referee acceded, declaring Robinson the victor by TKO.

However, the victory was tainted by a tragic aftermath. Doyle, who had entered the ring driven by the aspiration to "buy his mother a house", tragically lost his life due to injuries sustained during the fight. This marked the first time that a professional boxer had died during a world championship match, casting a dark shadow over the sport.

In a show of magnanimity, Robinson decided to donate the earnings from his next four fights to Doyle's mother to fulfill her son's dream. Despite receiving a purse of $25,000 from the fight, a victory over Doyle, it was clear that the triumph was a hollow one for Robinson, etching an unfortunate and somber chapter into his illustrious boxing career.