Mario D'Agata

Mario D'Agata c. 1955
Statistics
Weight(s)	Bantamweight
Height	1.57 m (5 ft 2 in)
Nationality	Italy
Born	29 May 1926 Arezzo, Italy
Died	4 April 2009 (aged 82) Florence, Italy
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	67
Wins	54
Wins by KO	22
Losses	10
Draws	3

Mario D'Agata (29 May 1926 – 4 April 2009) was an Italian professional boxer, who was the first, and so far only, deaf world champion in boxing.

D'Agata became an example to many in his native Italy, where some boxing fans still regard him as a hero. In addition to enduring those disabilities, he also had to survive an attempt on his life before becoming a world champion, as he was shot in the chest by a business partner in Australia, on 12 February 1955. This cost him a shot at the world bantamweight title held by Raul Macias.

D'Agata had a tough childhood as a consequence of his disabilities, as many children in school would tease him. Feeling the need to prove himself equal, he resorted to street fighting as a way to demonstrate his equality. D'Agata was one of three children (out of seven) to be born deaf in his family. His parents moved him from Tuscany to Rome at an early age, hoping that they would find doctors who would cure D'Agata.

D'Agata was at a cafe sipping a drink one afternoon when he saw a poster of a boxer which adorned a door to a boxing gym. He walked in, and was enamored with how the boxers practiced their fighting in a polished, stylized way. D'Agata was drawn into boxing from that moment on.

World War II soon broke out all over Europe, however, and D'Agata had to wait until he was 20 years old to fight as an amateur. In 1946, he began an amateur career that saw him win 90 out of 110 bouts. On 14 October 1950, he turned professional, defeating Giuseppe Saladari by decision in six rounds.

D'Agata built a record of 10–0 with 1 knockout before suffering his first loss, at the hands of Romolo Re, 2 August 1951, by a decision in ten. Another loss to Re would follow, but D'Agata was able to build a 19–3–2 record with 4 knockouts before challenging for the Italian Bantamweight title. On 27 September 1953, he beat Gianni Zuddas by a disqualification in round nine to earn that belt. After five more wins, he travelled to Tunisia, where he met the future world champion Robert Cohen, losing a ten-round decision. After two more wins, he embarked on what would have been a long tour of Australia—a trip cut short after three wins when he was shot by his associate.