[Rocco Del Sesto]

01/16/67 Monday
Washington, DC, USA
Bob Foster – LHW (22-4-0) vs. Jim Robinson – LHW (23-7-1)

Jim Robinson - USA Rating 3
Light Heavyweight 1953-62,66-67
23 wins / 8 losses / 1 draw / 15 KO

Hometown: Philadelphia, PA

Rating by: Rocco Del Sesto

From Sept 1953 thru Feb. 1958, Robinson put together a 17-2-1 record with 12 KO's with a 14-0-1 in the last 15 fights. He'd KO'd his opponent in 8 of the last 9 fights with one, 10 round UD over Milo Savage mixed in. Some other fights of note in that span were victories over Cortez Stewart, Frankie Anselm, Phil Saxton, Clinton Bacon and Joe Shaw. His 2 losses were a 3rd round DQ to Phil Rizzo and an 8 round decision to Lino Armenteros.

Then in June 1958 he was KO'd in the 4th round in a fight against middleweight George Benton. That was the start to a 5-5-0 skid you could say over the next 4 years. He managed wins over Ernie Knox, and Floyd McCoy as far as guys with records of any note, but lost fights to Von Clay by 4th round KO, Kid Alfonso by 1st round KO, a 4 round decision loss to a Willie Taylor and then in October 1962 he was knockout in the 9th round by Ernie Knox. Robinson at that point then did not step back into the ring for almost 4 years.

In August 1966 Robinson started out on a comeback attempt. He won a small 4 round affair against Billy Wynter in a fight staged in Gothenburg, Sweden of all places after having fought his previous entire career in the states, much of it around Philadelphia. Then on January 16, 1967 Robinson got his one big chance in the ring, up against LHW great Bob Foster in Washington DC. Well, Bob didn't let Robinson's comeback continue on any further as he KO'd Robinson in the 1st round sending him into permanent retirement.

The fight.....

In December 1965, the great Light heavyweight, Bob Foster had taken on his latest attempt to venture up into the Heavyweight division by taking on Zora Folley in 10 round heavyweight bout in New Orleans. Foster and Folley battled it out for 10 rounds before Foster left the arena with a loss. Even though at this time Foster was the 3rd ranked LHW by Ring Magazine, he had yet to attain his true stardom in the fight arena and this latest attempt for success in the top paying, glamour division of boxing left Foster deciding to take some time off and rethink his career. Over the next year after his defeat to Folley, Foster decided to rededicate himself to the Light Heavyweight division. He spent time training around the Washington DC area and finally on December 6th, 1966, fully 1 year after the Folley fight Foster climbed back into the ring against LeRoy Green (20-21-3) a LHW who was at the end of his career. Foster KO’d Green in the 2nd round. This set up Foster’s next fight a little more then a month later against another veteran LHW, Jim Robinson. Robinson, was trying to stage a comeback of his own having been out of the ring for about 4 years before climbing back in in August 1966 to win a 4 round affair. Robinson was then given the chance to take a shot at the rising star of the Light Heavies, Bob Foster.
The fight in January 1967 did not last long. Robinson was apparently just totally overmatched and most likely should have not taken the Foster fight if he’d wanted to try and keep his career going longer. Foster KO’d Robinson in the 1st round and sent him into permanent retirement. For Foster it was the 2nd of 7 straight winning fights in 1967, 6 by knockout that would lead up to his WBA/WBC LHW Title Fight in May 1968 against Dick Tiger. Our replay for this 1967 bout between Foster and Robinson, I wasn’t too sure how many rounds to schedule it. I decided I’d go with 8 rounds. Would this kind of fight deserved to go 8 rounds?! It didn’t really matter though as the out come of our replay was pretty much like what the real thing must have been like. About 20 seconds into round 1, Foster lands with a quick, short uppercut. Then about 1 minute into the round, Foster throws a wild overhand right that lands flush and drops Robinson onto one knee taking a short 5 count. With Robinson looking hurt, Foster closes in landed another short uppercut and then works Robinson’s body with a solid hook. Then at about the 2 minute mark, Foster lands another solid hook that stuns Robinson, but Jim somehow manages to stay up. Foster continues to press connecting a cross and then a hard jab. Then at 2:47 of the 1st, Foster drops Robinson to the canvas for a 2nd time in the round with a crushing body punch! 1…2…3…It’s over! At 2:57 of the 1st round, Jim Robinson is counted out. KO victory for Bob Foster!