THE ITALIAN FIGHTERS, ARE THE BEST?

[Martin Sosa Cameron]

Dear friens,

Italy had many World Champions and others very important fighters who born in that country, but is extraordinary how many others boxers of Italian ancestry are between the greatest or very good of all time; here is a short list:


Born in Italy

Vito Antuofermo
Bruno Arcari
Nino Benvenuti
Domenico Bernasconi
Michele Bonaglia
Mario Bosisio
Carmelo Bossi
Salvatore Burruni
Primo Carnera
Franco Cavicchi
Young Corbett III (Rodolfo Capabianca Giordano)
Mario D’Agata
Joe Dundee (Samuel Lazzario)
Johnny Dundee (Giuseppe Corrara)
Vince Dundee (Vincenzo Lazzario)
Bruno Frattini
Rocky Galletari
Duilio Loi
Sandro Lopopolo
Rocky Mattioli
Sandro Mazzinghi
Tiberio Mitri
Luigi Musina
Patrizio Oliva
Giulio Rinaldi
Erminio Spalla
Aldo Spoldi
Franco Udella


In other countries

Horacio Accavallo
Lou Ambers (Louis D’Ambrosio)
Sammy Angott (Samuel Engotti)
Fred Apostoli
Mike Ballerino
Sal Bartolo
Carmen Basilio
Battling Battalino (Christopher Battalino)
Mike Belloise
Melio Bettina
Oscar Bonavena
Victorio Campolo
Tony Canzoneri
José Carattoli
Atilio Caraune
Miguel Castellini
Juan Coggi
Frankie Conley (Francesco Conte)
Eduardo Corletti
Paddy DeMarco
Tony DeMarco (Leonard Liotta)
Carl Duane (Carl Duane Iacconetti)
Frankie Genaro (Frank DiGennaro)
Joe Giardello
Bushy Graham (Angelo Geraci)
Rocky Graziano (Thomas Rocco Barbella)
Pete Herman (Peter Gulotta)
Harry Jeffra (Ignacius Pasquali Giuffi)
Rocky Kansas (Rocco Tozzi)
Fidel LaBarba
Santos Laciar
Jake LaMotta
Raúl Landini
Tippy Larkin (Tony Pilleteri)
Roland LaStarza
Alejandro Lavorante
Nicolino Locche
Sammy Mandell (Samuel Mandella)
Rocky Marciano (Rocco Marchegiano)
Eddie (Cannonball) Martin (Edward Vittorio Martino)
Walter Matteoni
Tami Mauriello
Joey Maxim (Giuseppe Berardinelli)
Rafael Merentino
Julio Mocoroa
Kid Murphy (Peter Frascella)
George Nichols
Willie Pastrano
Willie Pep (Guglielmo Papaleo)
Oscar Pita (Oscar Piettá)
Hugo Rambaldi
Mike Rossman (Michael DePiano)
Ubaldo Sacco Jr
Lou Salica
Petey Scalzo
Marty Servo
Steve (Kid) Sullivan (Stephen Tricamo)
Phil Terranova
Johnny Wilson (John Panica)
Midget Wolgast (Joseph Robert Loscalzo)


Others: Rinaldo Ansaloni, Miguel Botta, José Bruno, Alfredo Bunetta, Ricardo Calicchio, Miguel Campanino, Pedro Cobas, Juan Corradi, José Giorgetti, Tony Janiro, Francisco Magnelli, Phil Muscato, Vicente Ostuni, Donato Paduano, Eduardo Primo, Ubaldo Sacco Sr., José Smecca, and many others; excused me all I don't remember and don't know

[mattyp151]

Do we really need to list the Very Good to Great boxers of African decent? Or can we just accept the majority of great boxer's up to this point have been black?

You could make a list like yours from many countries and have it be more impressive. The thing about that list is that Italian fighters are virtually a thing of the past, and there aren't many left today.

[Martin Sosa Cameron]

Thanks for you point of view; I annotated this list here, because this is a forum of the past of boxing, and I don't see how it isn't good; with my best wishes for you

[jimglen]

Scotland's longest reigning Champion, 1938-1950

Britain's most "feared" fighter 1938-1948

UK's No. 1 Contender "middle & light-heavyweight" 1939-1948

Antonio Rea.

[Seamus]

Wasen't Gerry Cooney's mother Italian ?

[wsbuf]

Tommy Paul (Gaetano Papa) NBA Featherweight Champion defeated 4 on your list.

[mattyp151]

Thanks for you point of view; I annotated this list here, because this is a forum of the past of boxing, and I don't see how it isn't good; with my best wishes for you

Never said it wasn't good, you asked a question if Italian boxers are the best over the history of boxing, and I disagreed. Nothing more, nothing less.

[silkov]

Thanks for you point of view; I annotated this list here, because this is a forum of the past of boxing, and I don't see how it isn't good; with my best wishes for you

Never said it wasn't good, you asked a question if Italian boxers are the best over the history of boxing, and I disagreed. Nothing more, nothing less.

I don't think he was saying they were the greatest ever fighters, he was saying that they have many great fighters amongst them... which is a very valid and fair point... the fact that there are not as many Italian boxers about now is irrelevant... this is a boxers of the past forum, not the current scene...

[silkov]

Ofcourse its worth mentioning that a certain Joe Calzaghe has Italian heritage......

[Irishlad69]

World champions of irish decent, and in the hall of fame.

[Martin Sosa Cameron]

Tommy Paul (Gaetano Papa) NBA Featherweight Champion defeated 4 on your list.

I know, but when I did the list, it was very abundant, and I summarized it; only with this names is very much. It's a curiosity, only. Tommy Paul beat Frankie Genaro, Emil Paluso, Joe Scalfaro, Bushy Graham, Fidel LaBarba, Tony Sciolino, and many others. Thanks you very much for your interest!

[Martin Sosa Cameron]

Wasen't Gerry Cooney's mother Italian ?

Sincerely, I don't knows, but it is near of to be as you says because you knows very much of boxing; Seamus, thank you!

[Martin Sosa Cameron]

Scotland's longest reigning Champion, 1938-1950

Britain's most "feared" fighter 1938-1948

UK's No. 1 Contender "middle & light-heavyweight" 1939-1948

Antonio Rea.

This is an important fact; thank you!

[Martin Sosa Cameron]

Ofcourse its worth mentioning that a certain Joe Calzaghe has Italian heritage......

Of course, but this very good boy is active; I only put fighters of the past; Silkov, thanks!

[Martin Sosa Cameron]

Thanks for you point of view; I annotated this list here, because this is a forum of the past of boxing, and I don't see how it isn't good; with my best wishes for you

Never said it wasn't good, you asked a question if Italian boxers are the best over the history of boxing, and I disagreed. Nothing more, nothing less.

I don't think he was saying they were the greatest ever fighters, he was saying that they have many great fighters amongst them... which is a very valid and fair point... the fact that there are not as many Italian boxers about now is irrelevant... this is a boxers of the past forum, not the current scene...

Silkov, you are right: this is precisely all I wants to say. Best regards, and thanks you again!

[tonyevs]

World champions of irish decent, and in the hall of fame.

I guess its something to do with the hard times make hard men type of thing, and fighting their way out of the gutter.

Lots of immigrants of various ancestry did very well the first half of the last century, Irish,Jewish Italian and African American, but once other avenues opened to them they headed in that direction instead.

The hispanic and African American dominance of the sport may well soon end and we may get the east europeans and Africans emerging as the hungry lions of the sport.

[jimglen]

Martin do you know WHO Antonio Rea was?
He was Bert Gilroy,

Gilroy was a genuine 'middleweight' up to and including 1943(in and around 12st.), in 1944 he began competing at 'L-HW so as to fight the "big-men", he officially became a 'L-HW in 1945 and only in his last year was he fighting over 12st.7.

He was No.1 from 1939-48 and "official" title challenger to BOTH the British 'middleweight' and the British 'light-heavyweight' titles, yet never got a "title" shot!.

1938 - No.3 'mw'
1939 - No.1 "
1940 - No.1 "
1941 - No.1 "
1942 - No.1 "
1943 - ratings "frozen" (war)
1944 - ratings "frozen" (war)
1945 - No.1 'middleweight' and L-HW
1946 - No.1 L-HW
1947 - No.2 L-HW
1948 - No.1 L-HW
1949 - No.4

From 1940 - 46, Bert Gilroy was a Full classification ahead of his fellow British contenders, with only Pat O'Connor, Dave McCleave, Tommy Davies, and fellow Scotsman Jock McCusker sharing the honors a year each and then Vince Hawkins for two years.

Where as All of the other contenders came and went Bert Gilroy was the ONLY one that remaind at a constant.
His ten year reign at No.1 was actually longer than the two Champions reign as Champs.

No.1 and for 10 years, yet NEVER was given his title shot, SHUT-OUT or "FROZEN-OUT" as they say in the states.

Remember Mills didn't make not-even-one "title" defense for his L-HW crown, NOT ONE!

McAvoy likewise never again defended his 'middleweight' title after he and Bert were down for the "title" before Bert's injury in 1940 and Bert was FAVORITE to beat him...

Bert Gilroy came into his own in mid-1937 and up until the end of 1946 he had only suffered 9 defeats out of 70 contests, including a six year 41 fight winning streak up to the beginning of 1943!!!

Bert Gilroy was a "first-class" boxer a fearless fighter and a "knock-out" puncher combined, the most feared fighter in Britain, Scotland's greatest "big-man" and he may well have been Britain's greatest "middleweight".

[Martin Sosa Cameron]

World champions of irish decent, and in the hall of fame.

Yes, you're correct, and when I see the impressive list of Irish and other Celtic very important boxers, I observed and remember with amazement and admiration how many great fighters are Italians (born or not in that country); as I'm from Argentina, you can to verify this names in our best boxing history, as it looks in Italy and the United States of America. Remaining only the names of Rocky Marciano, Vince Dundee or Willie Pep (and Locche, Accavallo, Merentino, Carattoli, in my country) the list --like the Irish--, is fabulous

[Martin Sosa Cameron]

Jimglen,

Thanks you very much for your facts: There are many times when a great fighter is only knows in his country and no much in others lands, here are two I always mention, José Carattoli and Rafael Merentino, in example. In this moment, I remember, of that times, as the greatest British in that weights Randy Turpin and Freddie Mills. I'm happy this occasion put the good name of Bert Gilroy (winning almost 90 of his near of 120 fights) in the readers of today. Thanks you again!

[robert.snell1]

check out the record of Dom Volante from liverpool I think you may find it of interest. bio details our on our website - the link is on the wiki.

[TheRiverCityHippy]

check out the record of Dom Volante from liverpool I think you may find it of interest. bio details our on our website - the link is on the wiki.

the `little italy` district of liverpool was a hotbed of boxing activity in the first half of the last century.

[robert.snell1]

it sure was mate and some great guys also. I am very lucky to be touch with a relative of Dom, who lives in Canada and also attended one of our meetings last year when he was over on Holiday, and that was quite something. we did not have much time but great to meet up as some of the guys knew Dom very well indeed.

since then we have been exchanging info and a lot in the last few days as it happens.just updated the pages on the site also.

if you would like any of the material email me and I will send it.

[bollox]

Rocky Mattioli (wbc 154 champ of the late 70's and a bit of a slugger ) was also Italian born and went back there to live after his fighting days ended in the early 80's in Aus. These days he's bald as a badger but with one of those whoppiing moustaches, making him look larger than life. And he still looks like he could easily fight at 154

[Martin Sosa Cameron]

The great puncher Rocky Mattioli stills living in Australia? And Rocky Gattellari and Johnny Famechon too?

[BoxBuzz]

I have nothing to add here except that this thread has been a good read. Some names I havent thought about for quite some time and some interesting history revisited.