Simply a fantastic fighter.
Quick and slick yet tough and aggressive, the stocky, rugged-looking Loi lacked a big punch but enjoyed backing up opponents and unloading. He varied his attacks superbly and was never easy to tag. And his stamina was immense. Hugely popular in Italy, Duilio turned pro in 1948 and went unbeaten in his first 37, before Denmark's Jorgen Johansen outscored him over 15 rounds in Denmark in a challenge for the European lightweight title in 1952. Loi avenged the setback two years later in Italy and went on to defend the European title eight times as he kicked his heels in the sport's golden era.
During that time, Loi put together an astonishing 72-fight unbeaten streak but never got a sniff of a world title shot and even won the European welterweight title as a diversion. He was 31 when the newly-created light-welterweight division offered a rare world title opportunity but the brilliant 23-year-old Ortiz nicked a split 15-round decision over him in San Francisco in 1960. They met again three months later at the San Siro in Milan in front of 65,000 and this time Loi got home on a majority. In the rubber in May 1961, Loi floored Ortiz in the sixth on the way to a unanimous 15-round decision, also at the San Siro. Ortiz went on to win the world lightweight title from Joe "Old Bones" Brown in 1962 and essentially dominate the lightweight division for the rest of the decade.
So Loi won two out of three from a legend. Yes, he won them in Italy but there was very little between them in 'Frisco, either, and in London in 1958 Ortiz had virtually outclassed one of the greatest fighters this country has ever produced in Dartford's Dave Charnley. But the 45-round trilogy took a lot of an aging Loi and he scraped home with a draw in defence of his world title against canny Eddie Perkins, who came back to beat him in a title rematch. But Loi produced one last great fight to win back the belt in December 1962 and then walked away at the very top.
Loi also licked the likes of Ray Famechon, Orlando Zueta (who would have today's elite screaming for mercy from his clever use of the head), Wallace "Bud" Smith, Joe Lucy, Tommy Molloy and Billy Collins, father of the ill-fated Billy Collins Jnr.
He went the full 15 rounds 21 times in his career. He was never floored.
