Sugar Ray Robinson Wins First World Title – December 20, 1946 (This Day In Boxing History)

Sugar Ray Robinson finally got the gold he was fighting for.

Robinson defeated Tommy Bell by unanimous decision after a 15-round slugfest. The Hall of Fame boxer claimed the vacant world welterweight champion title.

Robinson won with scorecards 10-5, 8-6 and 10-5. It took him 76 fights to reach the crown.

Bell was knocked down in Round 11 at Madison Square Garden.

For five years, Robinson was called the “uncrowned world welterweight champion.”

Robinson is regarded as the greatest pound-for-pound boxer of all time. He was inducted into the International Hall Of Fame in 1990.