BoxRec

These guys guys remind me of Big Cowboy type of White Hope fighters. Little Defense a big swing and somewhat unnatural fighters. All of these guy's fit the bill of a kinda genetic freak type of individual. All of these guy's are Joe Louis opponent's.

Abe Simon 6'4" 260
Tony Gallento 5'9' 250
Primo Carnera 6'5" 265


Who would prevail of these to face Jess Willard (a giant also) for the white hope title?

I'd Imagine it's Simon vs Gallento then winner goes against Carnera. Gallento did not face Abe Simon.

Interesting trivia,
Tony Galento and Abe Simon (along with Tami Maurello)
all were in the film ON THE WATERFRONT together.
i think Primo Carnera was supposed to be too, but he had gotten "black-balled"
around that time and actor Fred Gwynne took his place in the film.

Caractacus wrote: ↑24 Sep 2025, 14:53 Interesting trivia,
Tony Galento and Abe Simon (along with Tami Maurello)
all were in the film ON THE WATERFRONT together.
i think Primo Carnera was supposed to be too, but he had gotten "black-balled"
around that time and actor Fred Gwynne took his place in the film.

Wow crazy so basically they had frankenstein play Carnera. Seems about right...

I'll have to watch it & look for them!

The Humphrey Bogart movie "The Harder they Fall" is loosely based on the career of Carnera. I forget who they have playing him, but it's pretty clearly supposed to be him.

I believe Max Baer plays himself in the film

Max Baer played "Buddy Brannon' in it
(who they (Ron Howard)should have just called Max Baer in CINDERELLA MAN if u were to arsk me)

Abe simon would of been a perfect white hope. He obviously had a dynamite chin....

Can you imagine The hulking Simon fighting Jack Johnson for the title? Johnson would have a very difficult time taking him out...with that chin.

Or Abe Simon vs Fred Fulton.

Would not go as far as saying Simon had a dynamite chin. He got stopped 4 times. He did have some ability. Johnson would have beaten him though. Simon probably would have beat Fred Fulton.

I've wondered if Jersey Joe Walcott tanked the Abe Simon bout. I need to research the bout in the old newspapers.

I just checked. Newspapers said Simon was completely out boxed for the first five rounds before laying out Walcott in round 6. Walcott barely moved while being counted out. Papers had Simon at different weights. Simon at 248 and Simon at 256 were reported. Bout was postponed a week due to a stomach disorder suffered by Walcott. Walcott wanted revenge because his stablemate, Willie Reddish, was defeated by Simon.

Interesting. Did the newspaper mention the part about Reddish and Walcott being "stable mates" ?
Had always heard that it wasn't until late in his career that Walcott got a good trainer. Wonder who was training them.
Maybe they just worked out at the guy together?

Also, Reddish did lose to Simon, but beat Simon in the rematch. These fights were right before Simon fought Walcott. Odd that Walcott thought he needed to avenge Reddish's loss when Reddish already did it himself.

Also ironic that Reddish and Walcott seemed to be friends. Reddish was Liston's trainer and Walcott was the referee for the 2nd Ali-Liston fight.

Exact words used were that Walcott and Reddish were "old Friends" and Walcott attended the bout in which Simon defeated Reddish . Also, Walcott and Reddish "sparred together all week" in preparing Walcott for the Simon bout. Walcott vowed to avenge Reddish's defeat to Simon.

gilgamesh wrote: ↑24 Sep 2025, 21:15 The Humphrey Bogart movie "The Harder they Fall" is loosely based on the career of Carnera. I forget who they have playing him, but it's pretty clearly supposed to be him.

I believe Max Baer plays himself in the film

Mike Lane played the Primo character. He was a former wrestler

I remember watching this several years ago. It was pretty good. Jersey Joe Walcott was in the movie as well. I looked it up and Baer played a boxer named Buddy Brannen.

Ambling Alp II wrote: ↑27 Sep 2025, 18:01 Would not go as far as saying Simon had a dynamite chin. He got stopped 4 times. He did have some ability. Johnson would have beaten him though. Simon probably would have beat Fred Fulton.

Wasn't it that Simon could not feel pain, not that he had a granite chin?