Hughes, Brian and Hughes, Damian – Peerless. The Sugar Ray Robinson Story

Description

Hughes, Brian and Hughes, Damian ‘Peerless. The Sugar Ray Robinson Story’ 2007 1st ed. 256 pages. INSCRIBED by Brian Hughes. VG+/VG+

AI Mode Conversation: Please provide a brief summary of the Brian Hughes & Damian Hughes hardcover book ‘Peerless. The Sugar Ray Robinson Story’Please provide a brief summary of the Brian Hughes & Damian Hughes hardcover book ‘Peerless. The Sugar Ray Robinson Story ‘Peerless: The Sugar Ray Robinson Story is a biography written by Manchester-based father-and-son duo Brian Hughes MBE and Damian Hughes, published in April 2007. The book provides a comprehensive look at the life and career of Sugar Ray Robinson, who is widely considered by sports aficionados and boxing legends—including Muhammad Ali—as the greatest “pound-for-pound” boxer in history.

Core Themes and Key Summary Points:
The Fight Against Poverty & Crime: The book charts Robinson’s early life (born Walker Smith Jnr in 1920) growing up in Depression-hit America. It illustrates how he chose the boxing ring as an escape from poverty and the pull of gangsterism, developing his skills at the Salem Crescent gym in New York.

Defying the Mafia: A major theme of the biography is Robinson’s integrity. The authors highlight how he risked his life and career by refusing to bow down to the Mafia fixers who heavily plagued and controlled mid-20th-century American boxing.

Legendary Ring Exploits: The text chronicles Robinson’s massive 25-year professional career consisting of over 200 fights, 5 world titles, and an iconic rivalry with Jake LaMotta. It captures his astonishing comeback where, after a two-year retirement, he returned to regain the World Middleweight title twice more through legendary bouts against Carl “Bobo” Olson, Gene Fullmer, and Carmen Basilio.