RIP Luigi Minchillo

[scorpio83]

Former Super Welterweight or Junior Middleweight contender Luigi Minchillo who fought "The Hands of Stone" Roberto Duran and challenged both Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns and "The Bodysnatcher" Mike McCallum for their respective Junior Middleweight title had passed away from a heart attack at the aged of 68.

RIP

[elmersalsa]

R.I.P. Luigi Minchillo was tough as nails.

[giacomino]

Sad to hear at such a young age (68 is young when you're my age). Dude could really take a pounding against the best, but he also had some good wins at the Euro level. The fact that he lasted the distance vs. Hitman Hearns right before he blasted out Duran says something. The Hearns and McCallum fights were painful to watch but he showed amazing grit and determination when clearly outgunned. There were definately eras at 154 when he could have won an alphabet belt

[bennie]

He came here in 1982 and ended the career of Maurice Hope with a 12-round decision at Wembley. Hope had just lost his world title to Wilfred Benitez and was challenging for Minchillo's European belt. He hit the Italian with plenty of big shots but Minchillo soaked them up and kept on coming, whacking away to the body until Hope was looking ragged. The fight was won in the dying seconds of round 11 when Hope suddenly stopped fighting in a corner, tucking up and looking like a man who wanted out. The bell came to Mo's rescue and he made it through the final three minutes but Minchillo's big finish proved the difference. It stands as the biggest win of his career.
Minchillo had previously mixed it with Roberto Duran in one of those outdoor shows in Las Vegas. Duran was rebuilding after his 'no mas' debacle and had narrowly outscored Nino Gonzales a few months earlier but won clearly this time as he tied up Minchillo after thumping away in spurts. Minchillo was made for Duran but Luigi proved an outstanding European champion and possessed plenty of good old-fashioned 'bottle'.