dagosd2000 wrote:
Carmen Basilio
The Onion Farmer . . .
The date was June 4, 1971. I was nineteen, and had been fighting professionally for exactly one year to the day.
On this warm evening I would have my 13th pro fight, a six-rounder on the undercard of a major world title card at the Forum.
This would be my first fight for legendary promoter George Parnassus, but I'd just be an opening act.
The main event was a big one, fifteen rounds for the world Welterweight championship, a rematch of an upset.
One of the greatest welterweights to ever hold the crown, Jose "Mantequilla" Napoles was once again the challenger.
The great Napoles had lost his crown just a few months previous to a heavy underdog, Billy Backus, in upstate New York.
The most noteable thing about Billy Backus was his trainer, who was also his uncle, former world champ, Carmen Basilio.
Carmen Basilio knew a thing or two about great welterweights, having held the 147 pound title himself.
He also knew about great champions, having stepped up and whipped Sugar Ray Robinson for the middleweight title.
He would bring into his nephew's corner a lot of experience, but unfortunatly he couldn't do the fighting for him.
Like the great Sugar Ray, Jose Napoles was more than just a champion, he was marked for all-time legend status himself.
The weigh-in was held in the ballroom of the Elks Building where Parnassus' office was located.
In those days, weigh-ins were held at 11am on the morning of a match, not the day before like today.
As usual, my friend Karl Nelson drove me to the weigh-in. The Elks building was located across the street from MacArthur Park.
As Karl and I enetered the Elks building, he looked across the lobby and spotted a very unique face.
Karl tapped me on the shoulder. "Look over there, that's Carmen Basilio."
I turned around and sure enough, there was the onion farmer from Canestota, one of the roughest men in boxing history.
Now with Basilio in my sights, I forgot about everything else. I'd grown up reading stories about Carmen Basilio.
This was the man who had beaten the great Sugar Ray, and had ended the ring career of L.A. "Golden Boy", Art Aragon.
The Onion Farmer wasn't the best looking man on the planet, that's for sure, but man could he fight.
Too bad he couldn't have done some of the fighting for his nephew that night.
Billy Backus was no match for the great Napoles, who stopped Billy, regaining his title.
I'd scored a close decision win in the opener that night. Later, after the title fight, I'd introduce myself to Carmen Basilio.
"You had a good fight kid, but you gotta stay off the ropes, or you'll end up looking like me."
I smiled, but he was serious. I was honored just to be talking to him.
When I became involved with the World Boxing Hall of Fame, I was hoping Dan Hanley and I could interview him.
Carmen Basilio would make the trip to California each year to attend the WBHOF banquet.
Dan and I planned to interview both Basilio and Gene Fullmer, who had fought each other back in the day.
Sadly, poor health has kept both Carmen Basilio and Fullmer from attending the last few WBHOF events.
Another great portrait by the "Painter of Champions", Roger Esty.
-Rick Farris
, I tell her, you have because you love me... 
