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Rocky Castellani
Attilio N. "Rocky" Castellani (May 26, 1926 – August 31, 2008) was an American middleweight boxer. He was the top rated contender for the world middleweight crown in 1954 when he fought Bobo Olson and in July 1955 when he lost to Sugar Ray Robinson. These two exceptional fights were featured on ESPN's "Classic Fights of the Century"."Attillio Castellani (Obit)", ''The Times Leader'', Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, pg. 6, 11 Sep 2008 Castellani was born in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, to Attilio Castellani (1889–1974) and Rose Isopi Castellani (1896–1938), who later moved to Margate City, formerly South Atlantic City. He began boxing as a teenager at local gyms, and at a younger age would box opponents to entertain neighborhood kids. As a young man, he fought as a Marine in the battle of Iwo Jima during World War II. He boxed in the Marine Corps and won the title of "Champion of All China and Guam". After his discharge from the Marines he embarked on his professional box ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Middleweight
Middleweight is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing Professional In professional boxing, the middleweight division is contested above and up to . Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have begun in the 1840s. In the bare-knuckle era, the first middleweight championship fight was between Tom Chandler and Dooney Harris in 1867. Chandler won, becoming known as the American middleweight champion. The first middleweight fight with gloves ''may'' have been between George Fulljames and Jack (Nonpareil) Dempsey (no relation to the more famous heavyweight Jack Dempsey). Current world champions Current world rankings =''The Ring''= As of , . Keys: : Current '' The Ring'' world champion =BoxRec= As of , . Longest reigning world middleweight champions Below is a list of longest reigning middleweight champions in boxing measured by the individual's longest reign. Career total time as champion (for multiple time champions) ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Holley Mims
Holley Mims (February 10, 1929 – January 13, 1970) was a highly regarded middleweight boxer during the 1950s and 1960s. His overall record 64-27-6 (13 KOs) meant that he spent much of his career ranked among the top ten boxers in the middleweight category. Among his notable fights was a loss to Rubin Carter in 1962, a fight that he took on one day's notice, having flown into New York City just prior the fight; Mims dropped Carter in round four. Because of the loss, Mims dropped out of '' The Ring''s list of the top-ten middleweights contenders. Holley fought Sugar Ray Robinson and lost. Some say Robinson only won by decision and that Mims was the real winner. Mims was known for fast hands and quick punches. They fought at what was Turner's Area on 14th and W sts NW DC. Mims fought with a team that met around age 16 or 17 at the YMCA 12st between S and T Sts NW. Their team, Mims, Garland Edwards (whom Mims fought twice and won, once by split decision), Rocky Farrell, Arthur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Herbie Kronowitz
Herbert "Herbie" Kronowitz, originally Theodore "Ted" Kronowitz (September, 1923 – November 9, 2012), was an American middleweight boxer who fought in the ring from 1941 to 1950. In 1947, Kronowitz was ranked among the top ten boxers in the world. Due to his height, his boxing style favored long range attacks, using his left jab and fast feet to outmaneuver his opponents, but he could box at close range as well. After his boxing career ended, Kronowitz was a highly regarded referee for nearly thirty years from 1955 to 1984. He resided in Bensonhurst, in his native Brooklyn, New York. Early life Kronowitz was only 17 years old when he began his professional boxing career in 1941. Coast Guard service Kronowitz joined the United States Coast Guard in 1943 during the World War II era. During the war, his older brother was serving in the army in the Pacific War and his younger brother Albert was killed in the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium. As a result, Herbie was ordered to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Walter Cartier
Walter Cartier (March 29, 1922 – August 17, 1995) was an American professional boxer and actor, born and raised in the Bronx in New York City, New York. He was of Irish ancestry, and his grandfather had changed the family surname from McCarthy. Cartier became a professional boxer after World War II and fought against four world champions, among other top fighters. In early 1949, he was featured in the first of a photo essay about prizefighters for '' Look'' magazine by Stanley Kubrick, then on staff. Two years later, Kubrick used Cartier and his twin brother Vincent in his debut film as a director, the 16-minute '' Day of the Fight'' (1951). This was a catalyst for Cartier's entry into acting in films and television. He is best known today for his role in the long-running United States sitcom ''The Phil Silvers Show'', appearing as Private Claude Dillingham. Professional boxing career As a professional middleweight boxer, Cartier fought some of the best fighters of his era, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sonny Horne
George "Sonny" Horne (January 3, 1924 – September 27, 1959) was a professional boxer in the 1940s who faced off against opponents such as Rocky Graziano, Kid Gavilán, Pete Mead, and Artie Levine. An outstanding defensive boxer, Horne lost only 10 bouts and fought one draw in 121 professional fights. Early years Horne grew up in a working-class Irish-American family in Niles, Ohio, a town located in the industrial region of the Mahoning Valley. He began his amateur boxing career in the late 1930s, under the guidance of local trainer and police chief Matt McGowan. By the time he was 17 years old, the fighter had already established an impressive amateur career.''The Girard Review'', Sept. 6, 2007. By 1941, he had won several Golden Glove titles and was considered one of the most promising amateurs in his weight class in the country. In the late 1940s, Horne relocated to New York City to establish a professional career. Professional career Horne won 24 of his first 26 p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Charley Fusari
Charley Fusari born Calogero Fusari (August 20, 1924 – November 4, 1985) was an Italian-American boxer born in Italy. Fusari was born in Alcamo, in the Province of Trapani and emigrated to the US with his family when a boy. Charlie fought 92 bouts, 8 amateur and 84 “pro”;he was the New Jersey State Champion in 1947, ’48 and ’49, becoming a professional boxer on May 8, 1944; he fought against greats boxers of his time such as Rocky Graziano, Tony Janiro, Sugar Ray Robinson. Charley was a good fighter and won all his first 45 fights: in his 45th fight, he beat the great Tippy Larkin. Fusari suffered from impaired hearing. With his ring earnings he bought a milk delivery business for his family. Fusari as a result became known as the Irvington milkman. : Fusari had two world title shots during his career. He lost a one-sided decision to defending welterweight champion Sugar Ray Robinson on August 9, 1950 and lost a split decision to Johnny Bratton for the vacant Nat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tony Janiro
Tony Janiro (born Anthony Gianiro; February 2, 1926 – February 21, 1985) was an American middleweight boxer from Youngstown, Ohio. Janiro never won a championship, although he faced many of the top fighters of his era. Despite his reputation as a playboy who avoided training, Janiro compiled a record of 83 wins (26 KOs), 11 losses, and two draws. Early life Janiro was born in Springdale, Pennsylvania. His family relocated to Youngstown when he was four years old. He left Youngstown for New York at the age of 16 to pursue a career in boxing. Boxing career Janiro received advice and assistance from fellow Youngstown native Lenny "Boom Boom" Mancini (father of Ray Mancini), who introduced Janiro to his manager, Frankie Jacobs, and boxing trainer Ray Arcel. In the 1940s, Janiro was ranked among the top 10 middleweights and fought such Hall of Famers as Rocky Graziano, Jake LaMotta, and Kid Gavilan. During one bout at Madison Square Garden, the young boxer was introduced t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kid Gavilán
Gerardo González (January 6, 1926 – February 13, 2003), better known in the boxing world as Kid Gavilan, was a Cuban boxer. Gavilán was the former undisputed welterweight champion from 1951 to 1954 having simultaneously held the NYSAC, WBA, and ''The Ring'' welterweight titles. The Boxing Writers Association of America named him Fighter of the Year in 1953. Gavilán was voted by ''The Ring'' magazine as the 26th greatest fighter of the last 80 years. Gavilán was a 1966 inductee to '' The Ring'' magazine's Boxing Hall of Fame (disbanded in 1987), and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in the inaugural class of 1990. Early career Gavilan was managed by Yamil Chade, a boxing manager (based in Puerto Rico) who directed the careers of Wilfredo Gómez, Wilfred Benítez, Carlos De León and Félix Trinidad . He started as a professional boxer on the evening of June 5, 1943, when he beat Antonio Diaz by a decision in four rounds in Havana. His first 10 bo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eugene Hairston
Eugene "Silent" Hairston was the first American professional Black Deaf boxer.https://www.dailymoth.com/blog/black-deaf-history-eugene-silent-hairston The Daily Moth He was born in Harlem in 1929 and became deaf at 1 year old due to a case of spinal meningitis.https://liblists.wrlc.org/biographies/55553 Galludet University Growing up, he went to P.S. 47 until he was 15, when he had to drop out to help support his family. He started boxing as an amateur in 1945, winning 59 out of his 60 matches.https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/633285 The MET Archives In 1947, Hairston became a professional boxer. During his time as a boxer, his most famous fight was against Jake LaMotta which ended in a draw. He was also the Golden Glove champion in 1947. In 1953, Hairston had to retire due to injuries. After his time as a boxer, Hairston worked for UPS. Eugene Hairston is a source of pride for the Black Deaf community and it is said that he proudly claimed the nickname "Silent Hai ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Billy Graham (American Boxer)
Billy Graham (September 9, 1922 – January 22, 1992) was an American boxer from New York City who had an impressive professional record of 102 wins and 15 losses. Though a leading lightweight contender, Graham was never the recipient of a world title. Graham did however, have the remarkable distinction of never having been knocked off his feet in his long career. He was elected into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1987, and is also in the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Early life and career Graham was born on the East side of Manhattan on September 9, 1922. Graham defeated Sugar Ray Robinson as an amateur, when they were both teenagers in NYC. He was undefeated in his first 58 fights, going 52-0-6, until he fought Tony Pellone, where he lost by a split decision. Boxing career Graham was known as a welterweight with stylish and subtle moves that made him a difficult target in the ring.''New York Times'', "Obituaries, Billy Graham, 70, Welterweight Boxer", New York, New York, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Johnny Bratton
Johnny Bratton, also known as Honey Boy Bratton, (September 9, 1927 – August 15, 1993) was an American professional boxer and briefly reigned as the NBA welterweight champion in 1951. He fought many of the best fighters of his era in the division, earning nearly $400,000 in 83 fights, but ended up penniless and mentally impaired. Amateur career Bratton started boxing at age 14 and competed in several Golden Gloves events before turning pro. Professional career Bratton was a strong character, contemporaneously described as "flashy" or "egotistical", with his "brilliantined hair and a fondness for purple shirts". fight in which Fusari was down for a four-count in the 4th round and a nine-count in the 10th. He lost the belt two months later to Kid Gavilán (often written "Kid Gavilan" at the time) by decision after Bratton's jaw was broken within the first five rounds. In 1953 Bratton rematched Gavilan for the World Welterweight Title and lost a lopsided decision with ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tiger Jones
Ralph "Tiger" Jones (March 14, 1928 – August 20, 1994) was a boxer during the 1950s. Trained by Gil Clancy, Jones was a fixture of televised boxing in the 1950s, known for an aggressive style that pleased fans. His overall record was 52 victories, 32 losses and five draws. He became a professional boxer in 1950. In 1955 he scored an upset over Sugar Ray Robinson. Robinson was highly favored in the fight, which was Robinson's second during a comeback. That was only one of his wins against top-level fighters of that era. He also beat Joey Giardello and Kid Gavilán (both these fighters were world champions at one time and, in other fights, also defeated Jones). Fighters to whom he lost include world champions Gene Fullmer, Johnny Saxton, Paul Pender Paul Pender (June 20, 1930 – January 12, 2003), was an American boxer and firefighter from Massachusetts who held the World Middleweight Championship. Early life Pender was born in the Boston suburb of Brookline, Massachusetts ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |