Sugar Ray Robinson's contract stipulated that in the event of a loss, in sixty-four days he would get a re-match in New York. Randolph Turpin had defeated Sugar Ray in London's Earl Court to capture the middleweight title of the world, and now was in the States to defend his title. The venue was the old Polo Grounds New York; the attendance was 61,370; the money at the ticket office totaled $767 626 $200 000 of which went straight to Turpin, while Sugar Ray, even as the challenger received slightly more.

In the first nine rounds, very little had changed from the first bout, but in the tenth round Turpin managed to reopen the same cut above the left eye of Sugar Ray. This time the blood flowed into the eye rendering him completely blind. Seeing the concern in the referee's face made Sugar Ray wonder if he would allow the fight to continue.

In pure desperation Ray let go with a left jab to the temple followed with a swift left hook to the midsection, and a tremendous right to the jaw dropping Turpin to the canvas. Turpin was on his knees by three, arose to his feet by seven,and still a bit dazed, was able to continue. Sugar Ray backed Turpin up on to the ropes clubbing him with both hands. Turpin tried bobbing and weaving himself out of trouble but the referee stopped the fight with eight seconds left in the round. Turpin's corner protested but the referee's decision was final. Ten days early another boxer had died in the ring and this probably influenced the referee's decision to stop the fight.

Sometime later someone had counted the amount of punches thrown while Turpin was trapped on the ropes towards the end of the fight: in twenty five seconds, Sugar Ray threw thirty one punches.