Even though boxing’s heavyweight division seems to get the most publicity and interest, it wasn’t always that way. For many years, the middleweight division attracted significant press coverage and capacity crowds at championship fights.
For those who follow the careers of Italian-American boxers, or just follow boxing in general, here are our picks for the top three Italian boxing champions of all time from the middleweight division…
Rocky Graziano
Born in 1922, Rocky Graziano was one of the most popular boxers during the 1940’s and 1950’s. Much of his popularity stemmed from his gregarious, straightforward nature and his equally straightforward boxing style.
His boxing career began in the early 1940’s and lasted into the mid 1950’s. During that time, he was known as one of the best knockout punchers around. Even when Graziano was overmatched, he was extremely dangerous to opponents because he had the ability to end a fight with one punch.
He is probably best known for his trilogy of bouts with the great Tony Zale. Zale won two of the three and each was a see saw battle that kept fans on the edge of their seats. Even today, the three fights are ranked as some of the most captivating and exciting in history.
Graziano was widely recognized as a brawler rather than a finesse and defensive fighter. Opponents with greater technical skill and defensive abilities often bested him, but Graziano certainly gave it his all.
Even after his retirement from boxing, Graziano maintained his profile and popularity. He was a beloved figure in Hollywood and appeared on many television shows well into the 1970’s.
Jake LaMotta
Another larger than life Italian boxing champion was Jake LaMotta, who also fought in the 1940’s and 1950’s. His life and boxing career was chronicled in the movie “Raging Bull” starring Robert DeNiro.
LaMotta, like Graziano, was a full speed ahead fighter who dominated many of his fights on sheer punching power and aggressiveness. Despite his personal flaws, he was dedicated to his craft. LaMotta is probably best known for his several fights with Sugar Ray Robinson. The two fought six times, with Robinson winning five while absorbing significant punishment from LaMotta.
After his retirement from boxing, LaMotta became a stage actor and stand up comedian. among other business ventures. He had a small role in the Paul Newman and Jackie Gleason classic film, “The Hustler”, in which he plays a bartender.
Carmen Basilio
Even though Carmen Basilio arguably had his most success as a welterweight, he stepped up in class to fight as a middleweight in the mid 1950’s. Basilio also fought Sugar Ray Robinson and defeated him to win the middleweight crown.
Basilio is well regarded as one of the toughest fighters of all time. He was an excellent defensive boxer but also had terrific punching power. He lost in a rematch to Robinson held at the Chicago Stadium in 1958. The fight is one of the all time classic matches and is shown frequently on historic boxing programming.
Carmen Basilio has long been one of boxing’s great ambassadors and for years served as a volunteer at the Boxing Hall of Fame in his native upstate New York.
Summary
Rocky Graziano, Jake LaMotta, and Carmen Basilio are three of the greatest Italian boxing champions of all time. Each left an enduring legacy on the sport which carries on to this day.