How good was 1950's welterweight contender Chuck Davey? I have read he was a popular fighter, in his day. But there was also talk that he was a protected fighter and that some of his opponents including Rocky Graziano were paid to 'put the cuffs on' when fighting Davey. Has anyone one else heard this?
I have also read that in 1953 Kid Gavilan gave him a real beating at the Chicago Stadium.
The only fight I've seen on him was against Gavilan, and the Keed just picked him apart. He showed a lot of courage and ability to sustain punishment, but that was about it.
I have seen the Davey-Graziano fight (It was on ESPN Classic) and don't think there is any way that the fight wasn't on the level. Graziano seemed to be going all out trying to win; he just had trouble catching Davey.
Davey was very fast on his feet, and was difficult to hit. Graaziano wasn't good defensively and Davey was able to hit him often enough to win a failry easy decision.
Davey (who also beat Basilio) wasn't a great fighter, but he was pretty good.
...chuck davey was a feather-fisted southpaw who looked a little lilke britney spears. he was built up for the tv audiences...there was a choice between which fighter would get the build-up...him or chico vejar. davey was selected because he was something different.....educated..didn't look like a fighter.....so when he and vejar "fought" davey kayoed him with a body blow. the tv audiences loved him and before the gavilan fight i told all within earshot that it a was a mistmatch...that gavilan would make him look foolish..which he did.
the graziano fight....the "secret" that graziano was wearing handcuffs was as well known and liberace's being gay. rocky made it look good to some, apparently. actually he did clout davey with a couple ...by mistake...and of course was embarrassed at breaking a promise. when i brought this up to him years later he almost fell off his chair laughing.
Chuck Davey was a build-up t.v. daring that couldn't fight much, I seen most of his fights that were on t.v. in real time, and I seen his fight with Art Aragon live and in person, was never sold on him, he would punch up and down instead of straight out, in other words he were tap his punches.