BoxRec

Every now and then I'll post a search for memorabilia on the Muscato brother's Joe,Phil & Sam of the 1940's era. I have had some success in locating some, so I thought I'd give this another shot. In the meantime thanks for reading my post and please keep me in mind if you happen to come across anything.

My name is Dan Muscato, son of former Heavyweight Joe Muscato, nephew of former Heavyweight Phil Muscato, and former Middleweight Sam Muscato.
I'm looking for such items as filmfootage, newsarticles, photo's,fight posters, etc, on any of the three Muscato's to add to their respective scrapbooks. I am also looking for boxing pose photo's on their many opponents they exchanged leather with.
I'd also like to know if any of their opponents are still among us and their address's. I've managed to track some down, such as Jimmy Bivens, Joe Matisi and Johnny Flynn & re-acquaint the families, but would like to learn of others. Any help you can provide will be deeply appreciated.

Hi Dan,

Sorry I cannot help with your request for pics etc., but I was wondering if you could let me know what your Uncle Phils memorys were of his fight with Marciano?

How did he rate him amongst the other fighters he fought, and did he think anyone else he fought punched harder than Marciano, Archie Moore maybe?.

I know your Uncle fought Marciano when he was at the end of his career, so did he think the result would have been differant if he was in his prime?

Grateful for any response and good luck in your quest for more memorabilia.

cheers

Q.) How did he rate him amongst the other fighters he fought, and did he think anyone else he fought punched harder than Marciano, Archie Moore maybe?. I know your Uncle fought Marciano when he was at the end of his career, so did he think the result would have been differant if he was in his prime?

A.)Phil ranked TNT Tommy Gomez as his second hardest hitting opponent. He didn’t elaborate much on the Gomez fight, but the Bflo News article written by famed reporter Frank Wakefield who witnessed all of the Muscato brothers hometown fights, reports; “Muscato remembers little of the abbreviated one round battle that was scheduled for ten. Dynamite Gomez coolly set up Muscato for the “kill” with a crackling left hook to the jaw, then beat him to the canvas with overhand right smashes to Phil’s left temple. Tommy smashed his club-like right high on the head and Phil fell. He arose slowly on one knee at “9” just beating the final count, only to run into another jarring right. He was wobbling sideways on unsteady legs when another right tipped him over, this time for “7.” Between counts, referee Eddie Seres asked Phil if he was OK to go on? The fighter answered, “Sure.” But that’s the last Muscato remembers. Arising again, they squared off and Gomez whipped over another long overhand right to the temple and Phil went down hard onto his back. Even as referee Eddie Seres waved an end to the fight, in compliance with the S.A.C.’s 3 knockdown in one round rule, Muscato was gamely trying to get up again. But, so scrambled was his motor control from the heavy punching, he couldn’t raise his head more than six inches off the canvas. Time of the knockout was 1:24 of the first round.”
In a conversation I had with my Uncle years before he passed away, I asked him your same question about Marciano & with a squint in his eyes his reply was, "Dan, originally your Dad was offered the fight, but Joe had already retired a few months earlier so, I got the offer, & in-fact, Joe tried talking me out of accepting the fight, warning me about Rocky’s power. Man…I can still feel Marciano's punches. Despite that fact he dropped me rounds 2-5, I felt confident against him, but, he just kept pummeling my upper arms until I could no longer hold them up to defend myself, let alone throw punches. Between that & the headshots…he was definitely the hardest puncher I ever faced".
Visit: http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Aren ... cky11.html
Marciano as we all know, was definitely a fighter, he swarmed you with damaging blows everywhere…body and head, whereas Phil was a boxer.
In return compliments, a conversation I had with Rocky's younger brother, Peter Marciano at a local Boxing dinner banquet held here in WNY in 1998, Pete remembers Rocky commenting how he too rated Phil amongst his toughest opponent throughout his career. Don’t forget, Phil was also ranked #2 at one point of his career behind Billy Conn.
Hard to say, if things may have gone different if the Marciano fight had been held during Phil’s prime. There’s a lot of mitigating circumstances. Both Phil & my Father were very focused prizefighters. Had they managers that were more concerned about their fighter, than their pockets, perhaps things would have different.

DMuscato wrote:Q.) How did he rate him amongst the other fighters he fought, and did he think anyone else he fought punched harder than Marciano, Archie Moore maybe?. I know your Uncle fought Marciano when he was at the end of his career, so did he think the result would have been differant if he was in his prime?

A.)Phil ranked TNT Tommy Gomez as his second hardest hitting opponent. He didn’t elaborate much on the Gomez fight, but the Bflo News article written by famed reporter Frank Wakefield who witnessed all of the Muscato brothers hometown fights, reports; “Muscato remembers little of the abbreviated one round battle that was scheduled for ten. Dynamite Gomez coolly set up Muscato for the “kill” with a crackling left hook to the jaw, then beat him to the canvas with overhand right smashes to Phil’s left temple. Tommy smashed his club-like right high on the head and Phil fell. He arose slowly on one knee at “9” just beating the final count, only to run into another jarring right. He was wobbling sideways on unsteady legs when another right tipped him over, this time for “7.” Between counts, referee Eddie Seres asked Phil if he was OK to go on? The fighter answered, “Sure.” But that’s the last Muscato remembers. Arising again, they squared off and Gomez whipped over another long overhand right to the temple and Phil went down hard onto his back. Even as referee Eddie Seres waved an end to the fight, in compliance with the S.A.C.’s 3 knockdown in one round rule, Muscato was gamely trying to get up again. But, so scrambled was his motor control from the heavy punching, he couldn’t raise his head more than six inches off the canvas. Time of the knockout was 1:24 of the first round.”
In a conversation I had with my Uncle years before he passed away, I asked him your same question about Marciano & with a squint in his eyes his reply was, "Dan, originally your Dad was offered the fight, but Joe had already retired a few months earlier so, I got the offer, & in-fact, Joe tried talking me out of accepting the fight, warning me about Rocky’s power. Man…I can still feel Marciano's punches. Despite that fact he dropped me rounds 2-5, I felt confident against him, but, he just kept pummeling my upper arms until I could no longer hold them up to defend myself, let alone throw punches. Between that & the headshots…he was definitely the hardest puncher I ever faced".
Visit: http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Aren ... cky11.html
Marciano as we all know, was definitely a fighter, he swarmed you with damaging blows everywhere…body and head, whereas Phil was a boxer.
In return compliments, a conversation I had with Rocky's younger brother, Peter Marciano at a local Boxing dinner banquet held here in WNY in 1998, Pete remembers Rocky commenting how he too rated Phil amongst his toughest opponent throughout his career. Don’t forget, Phil was also ranked #2 at one point of his career behind Billy Conn.
Hard to say, if things may have gone different if the Marciano fight had been held during Phil’s prime. There’s a lot of mitigating circumstances. Both Phil & my Father were very focused prizefighters. Had they managers that were more concerned about their fighter, than their pockets, perhaps things would have different.

Cheers my friend