Italian Boxing

[CorySchmurda]

Best Italian fighter I ever saw was Rocky...

[KidDinamita]

A great documentary, it's in Italian though. Documentary about old time boxers from Sardegna.

[QueensburyRules]

--- Did Hagler become an Italian citizen after living there for decades?

If so he'd be Italy's best...

[OctoberRed]

Best Italian fighter I ever saw was Rocky...

[Dempsey-Louis]

Can I count a first generation Italian-American as Italian?

My favorite: Rocky Kansas (Rocco Tozzo) "Little Hercules"

I feel he would be today remembered as an ATG had he not had the bad luck to play Alydar to Benny Leonard's Affirmed.

When Leonard retired (first time) in '25 Kansas got to hold the LW title for a short while but it was at the end of a 15 year career.

Made it into the HOF, so that 's cool.

If first generation Italian-Americans don't count, sorry, but I just wanted an excuse to mention his name. Has always been a favorite.

[Bundana]

Johnny Dundee was born in Italy… as was another HOFer, Young Corbett lll.

[TBear]

Lets not forget Vito Antuofermo! Though he fought primarily in America, he was born and raised in Italy.

[QueensburyRules]

--- I'm betting Vito would be great to raise a glass of vino with...

[Dempsey-Louis]

I was chaperoning students in Europe, we were in Assisi, the girls were shopping and I was wandering about the town (a very pretty medieval walled town) I noticed that the streets and shops had suddenly become absent of locals, only we tourist were about.

I walked into one shop and found the front end unattended. I peaked into a back room and there I saw some old men watching TV and drinking wine out of water glasses. I stuck my head in further and realized they were watching a prize fight.

Maybe because I am Italian-American and look it, they immediately invited me in.

It was Gianfranco Rosi, not a great fighter but born and raised in Assisi. The entire town had gone in doors to watch their native son fight. For the entire 12 rounds they had left the tourist to fend for themselves; no one was working the counters.

It was great, (not the fight) I watched the fight with the old men, on a small black-white TV and had a glass of vino with them. It was a great fight night (afternoon in Assisi.)

Fight over all the locals went back to ripping off the tourists.

[The Old LefHook]

D'egos have a great tradition. It would take too long too list them all, with Marciano at the pinnacle. Basilio would crunch today's welters where he had an exrtra day to rehydrate.