GREATEST ITALIAN FIGHER EVER???? Who was it?

[Kball15]

Which of the Following was the BEST ITALIAN Fighter OF ALL TIMES and ERAS, in your opinion.

[Addison]

Rock.

He was an alltime great fighter period.

He was special.

And he participated in one of my alltime favorite fights with Joe Walcott.

That fight was a thriller, and an exhibition of awe and strength of will.

Joe was a helluva fighter too - and he was lethal that night.

I'm amazed Rock could do him like that.

The way Walcott was throwing was just vicious.

[hugh grant]

I dont know any italian fighters. That are from Italy that is. I know Joe Calzage and he is italian, and Marciano, but they were welsh and american respectively.

[titoi]

I dont know any italian fighters. That are from Italy that is.

I think Hugh's right that most of the best "Italian" boxers were recent immigrants like Pep or even first or later generation guys like Marciano, Basilio, Graziano, La Starza and LaMotta.

Arguably, the biggest influence Italian-Americans have had on fighting is in the corner. When you think of the guys that just Dundee and D'Amato trained it's pretty unbelievable...

If we're talking about guys fighting out of Italy, the only really great one I can think of is Benvenuti who was awfully tough until Monzon took him apart, but I'm no boxing historian like some on this site, so it'll be interesting to hear who they come up with...

[Emon723]

there was this underrated italian boxer in the early 90s, gianfranco rosi who was the WBC jr.middleweight champion and later reign long as the IBF titlist, he lost his belt when he was already old.

[!!! Beowulf !!!]

there was this underrated italian boxer in the early 90s, gianfranco rosi who was the WBC jr.middleweight champion and later reign long as the IBF titlist, he lost his belt when he was already old.

That's the bloke who got smashed by Honeyghan, isn't it?

[medium-deek]

I think it might be worth adding modern and part Italian boxers to this list. So Calzaghe would get in and get my vote.

[dwidsid3d]

My parents came here from ITALY in 1970 .My grandmother and 2 uncles,along with numerous cousins still live there,I am the first generation born in this country and I think if I marry a girl right from Italy or 1st generation like me are kids will still be Italian american.If I marry say an Irish girl the italian thing wouldn't go for my kids.Thats why I don't consider MANFREDO italian his father wasn't born in italy and his mother isn't full blooded italian.To make a long story short unless your 1st generation or born in Italy to italian parents you are not 100% italian.

[moochi]

arturo gatti is my number 1

[Welter_Skelter]

BALBOA.. no one else even comes close