On March 25, 1958, Sugar Ray Robinson defeated Carmen
Basilio to regain the middleweight championship. It was the
fifth and final title of his career. Robinson is considered by
many to be the greatest prizefighter in history. No less an
authority than heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali once
said, “My idol will always be Sugar Ray Robinson, who was,
and remains, one of the best pound-for-pound fighters to
have ever lived in this century.”

Sugar Ray Robinson was born Walker Smith, Jr. in Ailey,
Georgia, on May 3, 1921. Smith got his boxing name when
he borrowed his friend Ray Robinson’s Amateur Athletic
Union (AAU) card to enter a boxing tournament at the age
of 16. He won that tournament and, still using the assumed
name, turned professional in 1940, winning his debut bout–
the first of 40 consecutive victories. Robinson won his first championship in 1946 when he defeated Tommy Bell for the
welterweight title.

On August 12, 1973, American golfer Jack Nicklaus won the
Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) championship for his
14th major title, surpassing Bobby Jones’ record of 13 major championships. Nicklaus shot a seven-under-par 277 at
Canterbury Golf Club in Beachwood, Ohio, to win $45,000 and
his third PGA National championship. He went on to win 18
major tournaments, a record that still stands today.

Nicklaus’ victory was immortalized when son Gary,
4, unexpectedly ran onto the green and into his
father’s arms. It became one of the Golden Bear’s
favorite images.

Jack William Nicklaus turned 82 in January.

DALLAS (AP) — Muhammad Ali’s championship belt from his
1974 "Rumble in the Jungle" heavyweight title fight was sold
at auction on Sunday for $6.18 million.

The winner of the competition for the belt was Indianapolis
Colts owner Jim Irsay, according to Heritage Auctions in Dallas.

In a tweet Sunday, Irsay confirmed he acquired the belt for his
collection of rock music, American history and pop culture
memorabilia that is currently touring the country.

The belt will be displayed on Aug. 2 at Chicago’s Navy Pier and
on Sept. 9 in Indianapolis.

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay.

Referee Zack Clayton, right, steps in after challenger
Muhammad Ali, second from right, knocked down
defending heavyweight champion George Foreman,
bottom, in the eighth round of their championship
bout on Oct. 30, 1974, in Kinshasa, Zaire. (AP Photo/File)

Muhammad Ali (right) wins his third heavyweight crown by defeating Leon Spinks.

On September 15, 1978, boxer Muhammad Ali defeated Leon Spinks
at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans to win the world heavyweight boxing title for the third time in his career, the first
fighter ever to do so. Following his victory, Ali retired from boxing,
only to make a brief comeback two years later. Ali, who once
claimed he could “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee,” left the s
port permanently in 1981.

CAMILLE BOHANNON