Ivan Robinson, former PHILADELPHIA lightweight athlete, is now 51 years old and is taking on his responsibility to ensure the Philadelphia way is passed on to future generations.
To many, Philly is a battle town first and the City of Brothers second with the Liberty Bell and Rocky Stairs in third.
Robinson was an honored amateur athlete who won and lost several competitions with the young Oscar De La Hoya, ultimately failing to qualify for the 1992 Olympics, but hopeful Philly also did. Fight future pro celebrities including Thomas Damgaard, Michael Clark and Julian Wheeler, boxing in tournaments across the globe including Australia, Italy, Russia and Puerto Rico.
But Robinson’s real foundation came from the gyms in Philadelphia, where personality was born and discipline was formed.
Robinson not only studied the play Philly, he also studied history. He knows what is expected of him as he fights in the ring in front of savvy Philly fans who demand competitive matches to split their money at Blue Horizon and at the National Guard Armory.
“We had that courage, we had that will, it was like a tractor pulling cars,” says Robinson, cheerfully recalling how hard it was to get it when still a hungry man. “We’re going to turn to whatever device we have to make it happen, and that’s where I’m at. That’s where [Charles] Brewer was, that’s where Bennie Briscoe was. It’s just different now. You have Stephen Fulton, you have Jaron Ennis, they’re a different breed now. Those guys aren’t trying to get hit, those guys are trying not to get into wars. Now, I’m not saying they need to, but speaking of that… It’s like being in the military. They teach you how to prepare for war. If war breaks out, you have to be ready, whether it’s your life or someone else’s.”
Robinson was not easy. On his way to promotion, he fought 20-4, 12-2-2, 20-4, 14-4-1 and 7-1 opponents. There were no free passes, and Ivan beat Panamanian Demetrio Ceballos 14-0 to win the USBA lightweight title in October 1995. Robinson also beat an upstart Emanuel Augustus, then lost to the Australian veteran. Philip Holiday to win the IBF belt. The second defeat in a row, to a decent Israel Cardona, probably means that Arturo Gatti’s trust feels Robinson has peaked and could go quietly. They got it wrong.
Robinson and Gatti fought two wars within four months in Atlantic City in 1998, and Robinson was again a hot asset. He climbed off the floor after a fourth-round knock to beat Gatti by split in Battle of the Year and Hard Match of the Year, and Ivan won the points rematch.
While Robinson boasts the special honor of being involved in the first brawl in that history, he sees himself as more of a boxer than a bloodied soldier.
Robinson emphasized: “I am practically a boxer. “I tried not to get into fights when it wasn’t necessary. But as you can see in Gatti’s games, he got me there. The first Gatti fight was like a respect war. I love Gatti. I knew him before we fought and I never thought we would fight each other, but the first game… At the press conference, he told me he was going to knock me out and then he said to me, ‘I don’t bring knives to the game. gunfight.’ It really drove me crazy, and he said he was going to hit me and all that. I think, in Gatti’s mind, he knows he can’t beat me. There’s no way he can beat me. The only way he can beat me is if he knocks me down, which he almost did in the 10th round.order round… which never worked. But I have to have that respect, that’s why in that first game there were so many obstacles. He hit me, I hit him and got into a fight, I don’t care. I want to beat him so much that it doesn’t matter what I do or how.”
Robinson could have seen and done a lot at the time. He may have been tortured in the gym in Philly, and he may have done some roughing on his own, but there’s no way to know if you have the courage needed to live. Survive the Battle of the Year with someone like Gatti or not. who lived for such wars.
“Not everyone can do it,” explains Robinson. “Not everyone has the guts to do that. No one has the heart to do, no one has the will. That’s what I love about Gatti – when I’m not fighting him! – is that his heart is too big, and he always says he will die in the ring. I understand that. I just think I’m so skillful that I know that if I’m really tired, really injured and I can’t get up or throw a punch, I know how to hold out, give the referee time. to knock me down. I am always in a state, [and] My will is something. I’m from Philly. We do not care. We come hard.
December 12, 1998: Ivan Robinson attacks Arturo Gatti at the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey (Al Bello /Allsport)
But for all the momentum of his career after two phenomenal wins against the future Hall of Famer, Robinson lost his first fight in 1999 to Angel Manfredy, who was recovering from a defeat to Floyd Mayweather.
Robinson claims that his mind is not on work. He didn’t think the match against Manfredy would happen once it was agreed, perhaps he was celebrating Gatti’s win and when he lost weight, Robinson was no longer in the same condition or condition as he was. had with Gatti, even if the scales read the same.
“Angel is a great fighter,” admitted Robinson. “He’s a great friend of mine, but I’ll tell you I’m not a tongue biter, I don’t brag. Manfredy has a gift, because I’m not the Ivan Robinson who fought Arturo Gatti. If I were that Ivan Robinson, Manfredy would never have beaten me. At that point, I felt like I was a little bit better than Floyd and Floyd wasn’t as good as I was, and Floyd beat him. Even though Floyd was lighter than me at the time [super-feather]Floyd beat him and knocked him down and at that point I threw more combinations than Floyd and I threw pretty much everything that I threw.
Manfredy beat Robinson by a broad decisive blow in 10 rounds, then called in Mayweather for a rematch that never happened and Robinson continued his own business, trying to get back on track. There were a few wins to end the year but by 2000, he had become fodder in the green corner, catering to quality fighters like Antonio Diaz, Vivian Harris (with whom Robinson held a draw). and Jesse James Leija.
Robinson’s decline is typical in that most of his losses come towards the end of his career, with his heyday over. His last 14 matches were between 2000 and 2008 and he lost 9 of them while before that he lost only 3 in his entire career.
There have been defeats against Chucky T, Michael Stewart and in 2005, against Julio Cesar Chavez. At that time, too, according to the pattern, Robinson’s matches were continuous, his career coming to a halt until his final defeat in distant Idaho.
It has been a stellar career and Robinson is pleased with its results.
“I want to fight Shane Mosley, I want to fight Floyd [Mayweather]those are the only two that I really want to fight,” Robinson said of those who escaped.
“Life after boxing has been very good to me. I have no problem. My son is a basketball player, hope he gets into the NBA, Ivan Robinson Jnr.”
Robinson also trains boxers in Philadelphia. He worked with heavyweight Dominique Mayfield and some amateurs preparing to go pro.
Ivan admits: “It was difficult not being able to do the things I used to do. “I saw some young boxers and thought, ‘Damn, I did that 30 years ago.’ And I feel itchy, want to hit the bag and everything, but after three or four rounds, I think I’ll just sit down and keep training!”
Robinson smiled. Not only does he come from a city with a rich fighting history, but he also comes from a city that has produced some excellent coaches, including George Benton and Bouie Fisher. Robinson is now one of the veterans who have devoted himself to the upcoming young generation of boxers, and he enjoys watching Philly’s top dogs like Stephen Fulton and Boots Ennis even as he admits the game has changed. compared to his time.
Robinson still doesn’t look old, has a few gray spots in his hair and a goatee, but he has boxed a few times and has a lot to pass on to the next generation.
“Everybody in the gym respects me and all the young lads call me Old Head, so I’ll sit down, continue to watch the boys pass, hopefully develop some home. champion, coach and manage some,” continued Robinson, who called it a day after 32 wins (12 stops), 12 losses and two draws. “But boxing is very good to me. People asked me if I would do it again. I would definitely do it all over again, the only thing I would do differently – and a lot of people don’t know this – my dad has been with me since I was five. I got married at 22 and me and him had an argument and I fired him, that’s the only thing I would change. I’ll keep him, because if I kept my dad, I could have had a great career. I’ve had a great career, I’ve fought some of the best people in my department. I fought Julio Cesar Chavez, I never thought I would fight that man. He fought Meldrick [Taylor] and Meldrick lived four blocks away from me, we were very close, but I never thought I would have a chance against Chavez, but it did. So my career is great. I saved my money, I’m not as rich as Floyd but I’m fine.”
