Sugar Ray Robinson's Height
5ft 11 (180.3 cm)
American boxer, a world middle and welterweight champion. In his autobiography he is listed in his stats section as 5ft 11. Sugar also said that at age 13 "I was five foot eight, a few inches shorter than I am now, but I weighed only 85 pounds. You had to look twice to see me once."
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Average Guess (15 Votes)
5ft 10.88in (180cm)
5ft 10.88in (180cm)
ArjunaKorale said on 4/Mar/21
@JosephHickey: Those books that state Robinson was 5 ft 11.5” peak height are plainly WRONG. Ray was that height wearing shoes/sandals, lol! There is a lot of inaccuracy in many books. The book that really counts is Sugar Ray’s own autobiography, SUGAR RAY: THE SUGAR RAY ROBINSON STORY (co-authored with Dave Anderson). In it, Ray plainly states that he was exactly 180 cm tall, and that’s 5 ft 11 & nothing more. I believe that Ray was more 5 ft 10-and-three-quarters tall but maybe I’m being too accurate. Even at that height, Ray towered his welterweight (& most middleweight) opponents.
@JosephHickey: Those books that state Robinson was 5 ft 11.5” peak height are plainly WRONG. Ray was that height wearing shoes/sandals, lol! There is a lot of inaccuracy in many books. The book that really counts is Sugar Ray’s own autobiography, SUGAR RAY: THE SUGAR RAY ROBINSON STORY (co-authored with Dave Anderson). In it, Ray plainly states that he was exactly 180 cm tall, and that’s 5 ft 11 & nothing more. I believe that Ray was more 5 ft 10-and-three-quarters tall but maybe I’m being too accurate. Even at that height, Ray towered his welterweight (& most middleweight) opponents.
Joseph Hickey said on 12/Jan/21
I've read 3 books on the greatest P4p boxer of all time Sugar Ray. He's listed as 5'11 1/2 in his professional fights. He looks about an inch and a half shorter than 6'1 Joe Louis.He also looks about 2 or 3 inches taller than 5'9-5'10 Randy Turpin.
I've read 3 books on the greatest P4p boxer of all time Sugar Ray. He's listed as 5'11 1/2 in his professional fights. He looks about an inch and a half shorter than 6'1 Joe Louis.He also looks about 2 or 3 inches taller than 5'9-5'10 Randy Turpin.
ArjunaKorale said on 10/Apr/20
Rob & the celebheights team have the heavyweight great Joe Louis pegged as 185 cm (a weak 6 ft 1) on their YouTube video ‘Heavyweight Boxers Height Comparison’ but I don’t believe this is true - I believe that they have underestimated Louis’s height. All you guys have got to do is go to Google Images & type in ‘Joe Louis & Sugar Ray Robinson‘ to get pix of Joe & Ray standing side by side together. One of the best pix is one with Joe & Ray standing side by side together, both dressed up in golf clothes. In this pic, Joe & Ray are wearing v similar (if not exactly the same) footwear with v similar heels. From this pic (as well as several others), it’s obvious that Joe is 7 - 8 cm (roughly 3 inches) taller than Ray. Other photos show a similar disparity (3”) in height between the two boxers. Now, if Joe was 186 to 187 cm tall (which I believe he was), this would make Ray around 179 to a weak 180 cm tall. Perhaps the best height for Sugar Ray would be 179.5 cm (5 ft 10-and-three-quarters) tall!
Rob & the celebheights team have the heavyweight great Joe Louis pegged as 185 cm (a weak 6 ft 1) on their YouTube video ‘Heavyweight Boxers Height Comparison’ but I don’t believe this is true - I believe that they have underestimated Louis’s height. All you guys have got to do is go to Google Images & type in ‘Joe Louis & Sugar Ray Robinson‘ to get pix of Joe & Ray standing side by side together. One of the best pix is one with Joe & Ray standing side by side together, both dressed up in golf clothes. In this pic, Joe & Ray are wearing v similar (if not exactly the same) footwear with v similar heels. From this pic (as well as several others), it’s obvious that Joe is 7 - 8 cm (roughly 3 inches) taller than Ray. Other photos show a similar disparity (3”) in height between the two boxers. Now, if Joe was 186 to 187 cm tall (which I believe he was), this would make Ray around 179 to a weak 180 cm tall. Perhaps the best height for Sugar Ray would be 179.5 cm (5 ft 10-and-three-quarters) tall!
Boxing fan 07 said on 18/Jun/19
I say 5’11”. Definitely had an advantage against the short Lightweights when he competed in that division.
Rob how tall do you think Jake LaMotta was ?
I say 5’11”. Definitely had an advantage against the short Lightweights when he competed in that division.
Rob how tall do you think Jake LaMotta was ?
ArjunaKorale said on 6/Oct/18
Rob, I think that Ray was a fraction shorter than this (5 ft 11”/180.3 cm). I’ve read Sugar Ray’s biography by Dave Anderson & Ray’s height is quoted at 5 ft 11 (180cm). In reality, could Ray’s height have been, more accurately, 5 ft 10.75 inches (179.7 cm)? Ray seems this height compared to some of the boxers he fought during the 40’s, 50’s & early 60’s. I think a very slight downgrade to 5 ft 10 and three quarters would be a better fit for your site.
Editor Rob
Rob, I think that Ray was a fraction shorter than this (5 ft 11”/180.3 cm). I’ve read Sugar Ray’s biography by Dave Anderson & Ray’s height is quoted at 5 ft 11 (180cm). In reality, could Ray’s height have been, more accurately, 5 ft 10.75 inches (179.7 cm)? Ray seems this height compared to some of the boxers he fought during the 40’s, 50’s & early 60’s. I think a very slight downgrade to 5 ft 10 and three quarters would be a better fit for your site.
Editor RobIt's arguable he could have been a weak 5ft 11, certainly taller than 5ft 10 though.
ArjunaKorale said on 10/Jul/18
I recently found a pic on Google images of the great Cuban boxer Kid Gavilan standing together with Sugar Ray Robinson (it is captioned on the bottom right hand side as ‘Boxing Hall of Fame, Las Vegas’). Gavilan has often been billed as being 5 ft 10 (178 cm) or 5 ft 10 and a half (179 cm) in height (I believe that the Hawk was around 178 cm/5 ft 10 tall & nothing more) and Ray looks AT LEAST 2 cm taller than the Kid! Try to check it out if you have time, Rob. Unfortunately, the pic does not show footwear. If it is an accurate photo, this would amazingly make Ray the full 5 ft 11 inches tall. How the hell did a man who was 180 cm tall fight pro as a lightweight & then win the undisputed world welterweight crown & hold it till he was 29 yrs old!?!? And he beat Gavilan convincingly twice....AMAZING FIGHTER.
I recently found a pic on Google images of the great Cuban boxer Kid Gavilan standing together with Sugar Ray Robinson (it is captioned on the bottom right hand side as ‘Boxing Hall of Fame, Las Vegas’). Gavilan has often been billed as being 5 ft 10 (178 cm) or 5 ft 10 and a half (179 cm) in height (I believe that the Hawk was around 178 cm/5 ft 10 tall & nothing more) and Ray looks AT LEAST 2 cm taller than the Kid! Try to check it out if you have time, Rob. Unfortunately, the pic does not show footwear. If it is an accurate photo, this would amazingly make Ray the full 5 ft 11 inches tall. How the hell did a man who was 180 cm tall fight pro as a lightweight & then win the undisputed world welterweight crown & hold it till he was 29 yrs old!?!? And he beat Gavilan convincingly twice....AMAZING FIGHTER.
MJKoP said on 22/Jun/18
Arch Stanton said on 29/Aug/14
First time I realized there was actually two Sugar Rays :-)
Three, if you count Mark McGrath. :P
Arch Stanton said on 29/Aug/14
First time I realized there was actually two Sugar Rays :-)
Three, if you count Mark McGrath. :P
ArjunaKorale said on 13/Jun/18
Rob, is there any chance that Robinson might have been a fraction under 5 ft 11 inches (say, maybe like 5 ft 10.75 inches) during his fighting prime? The reason I’m a bit sceptical is that Ray fought as a lightweight (135 lb) from 18 to 20 yrs of age & then fought as a welterweight (147 lb) until he was around 28 to 29 yrs old. I find it difficult to imagine such a lengthy man of 5 ft 11 fighting at lightweight! In the past (as is today), many fighters were billed an inch (or even two) above their real height (of course, true height has to be measured barefoot). For example, the legendary world bantamweight champ, Panama Al Brown, was always billed in the past as 5 ft 11 inches (180 cm) tall. Today, Boxrec has Brown at around 5 ft 9 (175 cm) tall, which I find a much more believable height for his weight class.
Editor Rob
Rob, is there any chance that Robinson might have been a fraction under 5 ft 11 inches (say, maybe like 5 ft 10.75 inches) during his fighting prime? The reason I’m a bit sceptical is that Ray fought as a lightweight (135 lb) from 18 to 20 yrs of age & then fought as a welterweight (147 lb) until he was around 28 to 29 yrs old. I find it difficult to imagine such a lengthy man of 5 ft 11 fighting at lightweight! In the past (as is today), many fighters were billed an inch (or even two) above their real height (of course, true height has to be measured barefoot). For example, the legendary world bantamweight champ, Panama Al Brown, was always billed in the past as 5 ft 11 inches (180 cm) tall. Today, Boxrec has Brown at around 5 ft 9 (175 cm) tall, which I find a much more believable height for his weight class.
Editor RobA fraction under is a possibility, but over 5ft 10 certainly, 5ft 10.75 may well have been a good estimate for him.
ArjunaKorale said on 8/Nov/14
Junior31: I never said that Mayweather wasn't talented! But I definitely think that his fighting heart would be found wanting if he had to face guys like Robinson, Leonard, Duran, as well as several others. Hell, I'm pretty sure that even Don Curry would have taken May. It's not just my view, just look at what other boxing experts say about Mayweather in fantasy fights - just about all of them feel that May would have lost to past greats. Let's face it, Mayweather is great by today's standards but that doesn't mean that much because we certainly don't live in a golden age of boxing.
Junior31: I never said that Mayweather wasn't talented! But I definitely think that his fighting heart would be found wanting if he had to face guys like Robinson, Leonard, Duran, as well as several others. Hell, I'm pretty sure that even Don Curry would have taken May. It's not just my view, just look at what other boxing experts say about Mayweather in fantasy fights - just about all of them feel that May would have lost to past greats. Let's face it, Mayweather is great by today's standards but that doesn't mean that much because we certainly don't live in a golden age of boxing.
Junior31 said on 24/Sep/14
ArjunaKorale says on 19/Sep/14
Junior31: You say that you have met Mayweather Jnr & say that he is above 5 ft 7, but he's not quite 5 ft 8! So, then what I say is right - he's more like 5 ft 7.5 inches (171cm), right! Besides, who really cares about Mayweather? I for one, don't - the guy just wants to make money & his fighting heart would have been found v wanting against fighters like Robinson.
As a boxer myself I'm not big on comparing fighters from 60 years ago to today simply because there's been so many advancements in training and nutrition and aspects of the sport. I think sugar Ray Robinson is easily the best ever lb for lb but to say a man who has made a half a billion dollars from the sport isn't talented is ridiculous Skill wise floyd is up there and if you know him personally as I do a lot what of what he does is for the cameras. Nobody works harder then he does who has been fighting for 30 years. He will go down as one of the best ever easily.
I was at the maidana fight this past weekend and went to Floyd's moms house the day after to watch the replay with him. He admitted he was getting hit with punches he shouldn't have. He could of just had an off night or Father Time is catching up with his reflexes.
ArjunaKorale says on 19/Sep/14
Junior31: You say that you have met Mayweather Jnr & say that he is above 5 ft 7, but he's not quite 5 ft 8! So, then what I say is right - he's more like 5 ft 7.5 inches (171cm), right! Besides, who really cares about Mayweather? I for one, don't - the guy just wants to make money & his fighting heart would have been found v wanting against fighters like Robinson.
As a boxer myself I'm not big on comparing fighters from 60 years ago to today simply because there's been so many advancements in training and nutrition and aspects of the sport. I think sugar Ray Robinson is easily the best ever lb for lb but to say a man who has made a half a billion dollars from the sport isn't talented is ridiculous Skill wise floyd is up there and if you know him personally as I do a lot what of what he does is for the cameras. Nobody works harder then he does who has been fighting for 30 years. He will go down as one of the best ever easily.
I was at the maidana fight this past weekend and went to Floyd's moms house the day after to watch the replay with him. He admitted he was getting hit with punches he shouldn't have. He could of just had an off night or Father Time is catching up with his reflexes.
Voiceless Dental Fricative said on 21/Sep/14
Ace: interesting. thanks for the info
Ace: interesting. thanks for the info
ArjunaKorale said on 19/Sep/14
Junior31: You say that you have met Mayweather Jnr & say that he is above 5 ft 7, but he's not quite 5 ft 8! So, then what I say is right - he's more like 5 ft 7.5 inches (171cm), right! Besides, who really cares about Mayweather? I for one, don't - the guy just wants to make money & his fighting heart would have been found v wanting against fighters like Robinson.
Junior31: You say that you have met Mayweather Jnr & say that he is above 5 ft 7, but he's not quite 5 ft 8! So, then what I say is right - he's more like 5 ft 7.5 inches (171cm), right! Besides, who really cares about Mayweather? I for one, don't - the guy just wants to make money & his fighting heart would have been found v wanting against fighters like Robinson.
ArjunaKorale said on 19/Sep/14
Junior31: You say that you have met Mayweather Jnr & say that he is above 5 ft 7, but he's not quite 5 ft 8! So, then what I say is right - he's more like 5 ft 7.5 inches (171cm), right!
Junior31: You say that you have met Mayweather Jnr & say that he is above 5 ft 7, but he's not quite 5 ft 8! So, then what I say is right - he's more like 5 ft 7.5 inches (171cm), right!
Ace said on 14/Sep/14
Also to Greg: Robinson showed up against Maxim at 157.5 pounds, well under the 175 pound limit for the light heavyweight division. It was the weight he usually fought at at middleweight, and he felt adding more muscle might make him slower and sluggish.
Also to Greg: Robinson showed up against Maxim at 157.5 pounds, well under the 175 pound limit for the light heavyweight division. It was the weight he usually fought at at middleweight, and he felt adding more muscle might make him slower and sluggish.
Ace said on 14/Sep/14
Voiceless: Robinson's usual fighting weight at welterweight was in the mid 150's. So yes he did cut some weight, but not as much as some modern fighters.
Voiceless: Robinson's usual fighting weight at welterweight was in the mid 150's. So yes he did cut some weight, but not as much as some modern fighters.
Voiceless Dental Fricative said on 4/Sep/14
Did Robinson cut weight when we was fighting at 147?
Most modern fighters at 147 have functional weights of about 160 (e.g. Amir Khan). I don't know if in Robinson's day they cut to the same extent.
Did Robinson cut weight when we was fighting at 147?
Most modern fighters at 147 have functional weights of about 160 (e.g. Amir Khan). I don't know if in Robinson's day they cut to the same extent.
Junior31 said on 4/Sep/14
ArjunaKorale says on 2/Sep/14
@Mid190s: Mayweather has never in his life been 5 ft 8 (173 cm) barefoot! More likely a full inch below i.e. 170 cm, though I can even see 171 cm for him.
Have met him a few times and stood next to him in boxing shoes, Mayweather is not 5'7 flat he's not quite 5'8 but close to it. 5'7.5 is his floor I'd peg him 5'7.75
ArjunaKorale says on 2/Sep/14
@Mid190s: Mayweather has never in his life been 5 ft 8 (173 cm) barefoot! More likely a full inch below i.e. 170 cm, though I can even see 171 cm for him.
Have met him a few times and stood next to him in boxing shoes, Mayweather is not 5'7 flat he's not quite 5'8 but close to it. 5'7.5 is his floor I'd peg him 5'7.75
Ace said on 3/Sep/14
5'11 sounds about right. He was several inches taller than Fullmer and Lamotta, and did look an easy five inches taller than 5'6 Carmen Bassilio. It's amazing that he started his career at featherweight.
5'11 sounds about right. He was several inches taller than Fullmer and Lamotta, and did look an easy five inches taller than 5'6 Carmen Bassilio. It's amazing that he started his career at featherweight.
Sam said on 2/Sep/14
Helluva boxer...thought he was more 5'10" range though.
Helluva boxer...thought he was more 5'10" range though.
ArjunaKorale said on 2/Sep/14
@Mid190s: Mayweather has never in his life been 5 ft 8 (173 cm) barefoot! More likely a full inch below i.e. 170 cm, though I can even see 171 cm for him.
@Mid190s: Mayweather has never in his life been 5 ft 8 (173 cm) barefoot! More likely a full inch below i.e. 170 cm, though I can even see 171 cm for him.
Mid190s said on 1/Sep/14
I cant believe he was so tall!
He fought at the same weight class(147) as Mayweather who is only 5'8!
I cant believe he was so tall!
He fought at the same weight class(147) as Mayweather who is only 5'8!
Voiceless Dental Fricative said on 1/Sep/14
Rob, are you going to create a Pacquiao page?
Rob, are you going to create a Pacquiao page?
ArjunaKorale said on 30/Aug/14
Was the ULTIMAMTE KILLER in the ring.
Was the ULTIMAMTE KILLER in the ring.
ArjunaKorale said on 30/Aug/14
THANK YOU SO MUCH Rob for putting Walker Smith Jnr up. Best ever pound for pound ever, & was one tall welterweight world champ back in the '40s. Just to get some comparison, the top guys at welterweight today, Mayweather Jnr is only 5 ft 7 & Pacquiao is only around 5 ft 5.5 or 5 ft 6! Would have knocked Pacquiao out cold & thrashed Mayweather on points. Would have beaten the more modern Sugar Ray (Leonard) too.
THANK YOU SO MUCH Rob for putting Walker Smith Jnr up. Best ever pound for pound ever, & was one tall welterweight world champ back in the '40s. Just to get some comparison, the top guys at welterweight today, Mayweather Jnr is only 5 ft 7 & Pacquiao is only around 5 ft 5.5 or 5 ft 6! Would have knocked Pacquiao out cold & thrashed Mayweather on points. Would have beaten the more modern Sugar Ray (Leonard) too.
Junior31 said on 29/Aug/14
The greatest fighter of all time period end of story.
The greatest fighter of all time period end of story.
Arch Stanton said on 29/Aug/14
First time I realized there was actually two Sugar Rays :-)
First time I realized there was actually two Sugar Rays :-)
Emil 182.5 cm said on 28/Aug/14
Arch Stanton,
That ain't Robinson but Leonard and yes he's 5'9 so your eyes function probably
Arch Stanton,
That ain't Robinson but Leonard and yes he's 5'9 so your eyes function probably
Arch Stanton said on 28/Aug/14
Amazed that this legend was missing! I saw him, was it with Hugh Jackman or somebody?, I thought he looked shorter than this actually.
Amazed that this legend was missing! I saw him, was it with Hugh Jackman or somebody?, I thought he looked shorter than this actually.
Paul said on 28/Aug/14
Sounds about right.
Sounds about right.
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