Carmen Basilio
| Carmen Basilio | |
|---|---|
Basilio (left) with Jack Dempsey, 1958
|
|
| Statistics | |
| Nickname(s) | The Upstate Onion Farmer |
| Rated at |
Welterweight Middleweight |
| Height | 5 ft 6 1⁄2 in (169 cm) |
| Nationality | American |
| Born |
April 2, 1927 Canastota, New York |
| Died | November 7, 2012 (aged 85) Rochester, New York |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 79 |
| Wins | 56 |
| Wins by KO | 27 |
| Losses | 16 |
| Draws | 7 |
| No contests | 0 |
Carmen Basilio (Born Carmine Basilio, April 2, 1927 – November 7, 2012) was an Italian-American professional boxer who was the world champion in both the Welterweight and Middleweight divisions, he is also famous for defeating the great Sugar Ray Robinson to take the Middleweight title. An iron chinned pressure fighter, Carmen was not known as a power puncher, but was an effective combination puncher and had great stamina, so he wore many of his opponents down as the fight went on with vicious attacks to the head and body.
Basilio began his professional boxing career by meeting Jimmy Evans on 24 November 1948 in Binghamton, New York. He knocked Evans out in the third round, and five days later, he beat Bruce Walters in only one round. By the end of 1948, he had completed four bouts.
He started 1949 with two draws, against Johnny Cunningham on January 5, and against Jay Perlin 20 days later. Basilio campaigned exclusively inside the state of New York during his first 24 bouts, going 19-3-2 during that span. His first loss was at the hands of Connie Thies, who beat him in a six-round decision on 2 May 1949. He fought Cunningham three more times during that period. Basilio won by knockout in two rounds on their second meeting, Cunningham won by a decision in eight in their third fight and Basilio won by a decision in eight rounds in their fourth.
In the middle of that 24 bout span, 1950 rolled over, and Basilio met former world champion Lew Jenkins, winning in a 10-round decision.
For fight number 25, Basilio decided that it was time to campaign out West so he went to New Orleans, where he boxed his next six fights. In his first bout there, he met Gaby Farland, who held him to a draw. He and Farland had a rematch, Basilio winning by a knockout in the first round. He also boxed Guillermo Giminez there twice, first beating him by knockout in eight, and then by knockout in nine. In his last fight before returning home, he lost by a decision in 10 to Eddie Giosa.
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