Forgotten 1960s heavyweight Tony Alongi

[Controversial]

I saw his name on another thread but its a name rarely mentioned. Retired with a 40-2-4 (23 KO) record but went 28-0 before losing in the 10th round to Rodolfo Diaz. in a fight he was winning. Two fights later he lost in the 5th round to Billy Daniels. He then went 15 fights without defeat, holding Jerry Quarry to two draws as well as Chuvalo before retiring aged just 27.

[Caractacus]

was scheduled to fight Joe Frazier at one point before Frazier became champ.

[Ilya Muromets]

He was a regular on the Gilette Friday night fights thst my father used to watch. Here's his bio on Boxrec. The last sentence is sad.











BoxRec

Tony Alongi

Name: Tony Alongi
Born: 1939-08-31
Birthplace: Passaic, New Jersey, USA
Died: 2003-11-27 (Age:64)
Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
Stance: Orthodox
Height: 6′ 3″ / 191cm
Reach: 80″ / 203cm
Boxing Record: click



Career Review
Tony Alongi was a highly regarded and highly touted heavyweight prospect in the early 1960s.
Standing over 6 feet 5 inches, Alongi had a keen interest in boxing as a teenager. His favorite fighter was undefeated world heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano. Alongi dreamed of not only a professional boxing career and winning the world heavyweight title, but of also retiring undefeated.
In 1955, Tony made his first amateur boxing start. Within two short years, Alongi won the 1956 New Jersey Golden Gloves Middleweight Championship, and the 1957 New Jersey Golden Glove Lightheavyweight Championship. Tony retired from amateur boxing with an undefeated record of 27-0 (12 knockouts).
Alongi came under the guidance of legendary trainer and former boxer, Charley Goldman. Goldman had trained Alongi's idol Marciano. In a storybook setting, Alongi became the protege of Rocky Marciano.
Using a stand-up boxer-puncher style, the lanky Alongi soon took the boxing world by storm. He scored impressive victories over undefeated fellow prospects, Todd Herring and Jefferson Davis. After two years in the ring, Alongi had complied an unbeaten record of 27-0 (16 knockouts). He made the cover of boxing magazines. In Miami, his adopted hometown, he became the number 1 drawing card for promoter Chris Dundee. A title shot seemed certain. Then, just like that, the Tony Alongi express-train to greatness was derailed.
On February 7, 1962, Alongi was on his way to a points victory over Argentine heavyweight Rodolfo Diaz, when the referee stopped the fight with only seconds remaining in the 10th and final round. Alongi's eye was swollen shut and the ring official felt he was in danger of serious injury. Many Alongi fans blamed the eye injury on a head-butt; Diaz's followers said it was his jab which caused the eye to swell.
Alongi's dream of remaining undefeated was ended. He seemed to lose that spark which had so inspired his career. Two fights later he lost an upset stoppage to promising Billy Daniels; it seemed Tony Alongi days as a future champion had come to an end.
Alongi surprised the experts by launching a comeback. He went 11-0-4 on his return, including draws with top-rated Jerry Quarry and George Chuvalo. Then in 1967, at age 27, Tony suddenly announced his retirement.
Once he left the fighting world, Tony lived a quiet and normal life in South Florida.
When he died at age 64 on November 27, 2003, his Miami Herald published death notice never even mentioned his professional boxing career.


Last edited 6 years ago by Michael
BoxRec

[Ilya Muromets]

Here's his fight with George Chuvalo, a draw. Chuvalo was 73-18-2. He was never off his feet in all 91 fights and he fought the best. Ali said he was the toughest man he ever fought. His tragic personal life has almost put him flat on his back, though. The great Don Dunphy is the announcer. That was when boxing announcers actually announced the ongoing fight instead of babbling on like annoying fools.