Carmen Basilio(1927-2012)
Born Carmine Basilio in Canastota, New York, in 1927, Carmen Basilio
began boxing at age 22, winning 19 of his first 24 bouts. In 1950 he
defeated former world welterweight champion Lew Jenkins, and Basilio's
management decided it was time to broaden his horizons and leave the
New York area, where he had been boxing exclusively, and head west. His
next six fights took place in New Orleans, and he won four, all by
knockouts. He went into somewhat of a slump when he returned home, with
a 3-3-1 record, but in 1953 he hit a winning streak and began climbing
up the welterweight rankings. He soon had a world title fight with
reigning champ Kid Gavilan, but lost in a 15-round decision. In 1954 he
went undefeated (seven wins, one draw) and in 1955 he got another
chance at the world title again, against Tony DeMarco, and this time he
took it with a 12th-round knockout. Although he successfully defended
his title against DeMarco in a return match in 1955, he lost it to
Johnny Saxton in Chicago in 1956, in a very controversial decision
fueled by Saxton's known ties to the Chicago underworld, leading to
much speculation about the judges having been paid off, as many
observers agreed that Basilio won the match easily. In many minds these
suspicions were confirmed when Basilio knocked out Saxton in the ninth
round in a rematch held in Syracuse, New York, and in another rematch
Basilio knocked him out again, this time in the second round.
For his next bout Basilio graduated to Welterweight and went up against champion Sugar Ray Robinson on September 23, 1957, and beat him. However, the next year Robinson took back the championship in a rematch by a 15-round decision. After that match, Basilio only fought occasionally, and retired in 1961. He has a career record of 56 wins - 27 by knockout - 16 losses and seven draws.
For his next bout Basilio graduated to Welterweight and went up against champion Sugar Ray Robinson on September 23, 1957, and beat him. However, the next year Robinson took back the championship in a rematch by a 15-round decision. After that match, Basilio only fought occasionally, and retired in 1961. He has a career record of 56 wins - 27 by knockout - 16 losses and seven draws.