Ruby Robert

 

 

Ruby Robert Fitzsimmons Turns 150, Remembering The Great Champion

RCM Historical Boxing

By Robert Brizel, Real Combat Media Correspondent

The Hall of Fame World Heavyweight champion Bob ‘Ruby Robert’ Fitzsimmons turned 150 on May 26, 2013. Bob died on October 22, 1917, at the age of 54. Bob debuted with a four round decision over Joe Riddle in 1885. The exact date of the bout is unknown. Bob won 27 of his first 28 bouts, before losing to Jim Hall in a failed attempt to win the Australian Middleweight title in 1890. ‘The Freckled Wonder, Bob Fitzsimmons went unbeaten in his next 38 bouts. He would go on to become the first three division champion in the middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight classes.

 

Bob emerged in Timaru, New Zealand, as a bare knuckles fighter discovered during an exhibition tour by former world bare knuckles champion Jem Mace.

Fitzsimmons won the World Middleweight title from Nonpareil Jack Dempsey by thirteenth round stoppage in Louisiana in 1891. Fitzsimmons would then figured into the next five World Heavyweight title bouts, in which he fought Peter Maher, Tom Sharkey, James J. ‘Gentleman Jim’ Corbett, and James Jeffries (twice) between 1896 and 1902.

 

Ruby Robert won the World Light Heavyweight title by 20 round decision in 1903. After getting stopped by Philadelphia Jack O’Brien and losing his World Light Heavyweight title in a rematch, Bob was knocked out by Jack Johnson in 1907. Bob was also unsuccessful in his 1909 attempt to win the Australian Heavyweight title from Bill Lang.

 

After five years retired, Ruby Robert won a newspaper decision over six rounds over KO Sweeney, knocking him down in each of the last three rounds. Bob, then age 46, knocked down Jersey Bellew in the second round of his final ring appearance in February 2014, settling for a no contest six.

 

In 1919, his son Young Bob Fitzsimmons fought between 1919 and 1931, fighting 90 bouts as a heavyweight, winning 26, losing 14, and drawing one, and 11 newspaper decisions, but without ever fighting for a world title like his father.

Fitzsimmons Stone

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