Carmen Basilio


Carmen Basilio was an American professional boxer who was the world champion in both the welterweight and middleweight divisions, beating Sugar Ray Robinson for the latter title. An iron-chinned pressure fighter, Basilio was a combination puncher who had great stamina, and eventually wore many of his opponents down with vicious attacks to the head and body.
Basilio was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. The Ring magazine named him Fighter of the Year in 1957, while the Boxing Writers Association of America named him Fighter of the Year in 1955 and 1957. In 2002, Basilio was voted by The Ring magazine as the 40th greatest fighter of the last 80 years.

Boxing career

Journeyman

Basilio began his professional boxing career by meeting Jimmy Evans on 24 November 1948 in Binghamton, New York. He knocked Evans out in the third round, and five days later, he beat Bruce Walters in only one round. By the end of 1948, he had completed four bouts.
He started 1949 with two draws, against Johnny Cunningham on January 5, and against Jay Perlin 20 days later. Basilio campaigned exclusively inside the state of New York during his first 24 bouts, going 19-3-2 during that span. His first loss was at the hands of Connie Thies, who beat him in a six-round decision on 2 May 1949. He fought Cunningham three more times during that period. Basilio won by knockout in two rounds on their second meeting, Cunningham won by a decision in eight in their third fight and Basilio won by a decision in eight rounds in their fourth.
In the middle of that 24 bout span, 1950 rolled over, and Basilio met former world champion Lew Jenkins, winning in a 10-round decision.
For fight number 25, Basilio decided that it was time to campaign out West so he went to New Orleans, where he boxed his next six fights. In his first bout there, he met Gaby Farland, who held him to a draw. He and Farland had a rematch, Basilio winning by a knockout in the first round. He also boxed Guillermo Giminez there twice, first beating him by knockout in eight, and then by knockout in nine. In his last fight before returning home, he lost by a decision in 10 to Eddie Giosa.
For his next seven bouts, Basilio only went 3-3-1, but he was able to avenge his loss to Giosa by winning a ten-round decision over him in Syracuse.
In 1952, Basilio went 6-2-1. He beat Jimmy Cousins among others that year, but he lost to Chuck Davey and Billy Graham. The draw he registered that year was against Davey in the first of the two meetings that year.

Rise in the ranks

In 1953. Basilio started winning big fights and rose in the Welterweight division's rankings. He secured his first world title fight, against Cuba's Kid Gavilán for Gavilán's world welterweight championship.
Before fighting against Gavilan, he beat former world light-weight champion Ike Williams, and had two more fights with Graham, avenging his earlier loss to Graham in the second bout between them with a 12-round decision win, and drawing in the third. Basilio lost a 15-round decision to Gavilan and went for a fourth meeting with Cunningham, this time winning by a knockout in four. Then, he and French fighter Pierre Langois began another rivalry, with a 10-round draw in the first bout between the two.
In 1954, Basilio went undefeated in eight bouts, going 7-0-1 with 2 knockouts, and defeating Langois in their rematch by decision.

World Champion

In 1955, Basilio began by beating Peter Müller by decision. After that, Basilio was once again the number one challenger, and on June 10 of that year, he received his second world title try, against world Welterweight champion Tony DeMarco. Basilio became world champion by knocking out DeMarco in the 12th round. Basilio had two non-title bouts, including a ten-round decision win over Gil Turner, before he and DeMarco met again, this time with Basilio as the defending world champion. Their second fight had exactly the same result as their first bout: Basilio won by a knockout in 12.
For his next fight, in 1956, Basilio lost the title in Chicago to Johnny Saxton by a decision in 15. Saxton's manager, mafioso Frank "Blinky" Palermo", was later jailed along with his partner Frankie Carbo for fixing fights. Basilio said of losing his title to the referees' decision, "It was like being robbed in a dark alley." In an immediate rematch that was fought in Syracuse, Basilio regained the crown with a nine-round knockout, and then, in a rubber match, Basilio kept the belt, by a knockout in two.
After that, he went up in weight and challenged ageing 36- year-old world Middleweight champion Sugar Ray Robinson, in what may have been his most famous fight. He won the Middleweight championship of the world by beating Robinson in a 15-round decision, September 23, 1957. The day after, he had to abandon the Welterweight belt, according to boxing laws. In 1957 Basilio won the Hickok Belt as top professional athlete of the year.

Decline

In 1958, he and Robinson met in a rematch on March 25 and Robinson barely regained the title with a 15-round controversial decision. Basilio's left eye was totally swelled shut from the 6th round on and still many of the ringside press thought Basilio won this second fight. This too was a split decision just as their first fight was.
From that moment, and until his retirement in 1961, he fought only sporadically, but 3 of his last fights were attempts to recover the world's Middleweight title, losing twice to Gene Fullmer; by a TKO knockout in 14 at San Francisco; and by a TKO knockout in 12, in Fullmer's home state of Utah, and then also later, when he lost a 10-round decision to defending world champion Paul Pender.
In between those fights, he was able to beat Art Aragon, by knockout in eight, and former world Welterweight champion Don Jordan, by decision in ten. His fight with Pender for the title, was also his last fight as a professional boxer.
Basilio retired with a ring record of 56 wins, 16 losses and 7 draws, with 27 wins by knockout.

Post-boxing life

After his retirement, Basilio worked for a time at the Genesee Brewery in Rochester, NY. Later Carmen, a high-school dropout, taught physical education at Le Moyne College in Syracuse. Basilio, who was also a member of the United States Marine Corps at one point of his life, was able to enjoy his retirement. Carmen was associated with a sausage company,, for which he was a salesman.
During the 1970s, his nephew Billy Backus became world's welterweight champion after having a shaky start to his own boxing career, and Basilio declared on the day that Backus became champion, that to him, Billy winning the title was better than when he won it himself.
In 1990, Ed Brophy decided to build the International Boxing Hall Of Fame in Canastota, New York to honor the two world champions who were born there: Basilio and his nephew. Although Backus isn't a member of the Hall Of Fame, Basilio is, along with many of the fighters he met inside the ring.
In the late 1990s, Basilio became seriously ill, and he required triple bypass heart surgery. Doctors were able to repair his heart.
Basilio was interviewed for an HBO documentary on Sugar Ray Robinson called "The Bright Lights and Dark Shadows of a Champion". He mentioned that although he respected Robinson's talents in the ring, he did not like him as a person.
In 2010, "Title Town USA, Boxing in Upstate New York" by historian Mark Allen Baker was published by The History Press in 2010 and identifies Canastota as the epicenter of Upstate New York's rich boxing heritage. The book includes chapters on both Carmen Basilio and Billy Backus. The introduction was written by Edward P. Brophy Executive Director of the International Boxing Hall of Fame. He died aged 85 in 2012, and is survived by his wife Josephine Basillio.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
79Loss56–16–7 Paul PenderUD15Apr 22, 1961 Boston Garden, Boston For The Ring and lineal middleweight titles
78Win56–15–7 Don JordanUD10Mar 11, 1961 War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse
77Win55–15–7 Gaspar OrtegaUD10Jan 07, 1961 Madison Square Garden, New York
76Loss54–15–7 Gene FullmerTKO12 Jun 29, 1960 Derks Field, Salt Lake City For NBA middleweight title
75Loss54–14–7 Gene FullmerTKO14 Aug 28, 1959 Cow Palace, Daly City For vacant NBA middleweight title
74Win54–13–7 Arley SeiferTKO3 Apr 01, 1959 Bell Auditorium, Augusta
73Win53–13–7 Art AragonTKO8 Sep 05, 1958 Wrigley Field, Los Angeles
72Loss52–13–7 Sugar Ray RobinsonSD15Mar 25, 1958 Chicago Stadium, Chicago Lost The Ring and lineal middleweight titles
71Win52–12–7 Sugar Ray RobinsonSD15Sep 23, 1957 Yankee Stadium, Bronx Won The Ring and lineal middleweight titles
70Win51–12–7 Harold JonesTKO4 May 16, 1957 Auditorium, Portland
69Win50–12–7 Johnny SaxtonTKO2 Feb 22, 1957 Arena, Cleveland Retained The Ring and lineal welterweight titles
68Win49–12–7 Johnny SaxtonTKO9 Sep 12, 1956 War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse Won The Ring and lineal welterweight titles
67Loss48–12–7 Johnny SaxtonUD15Mar 14, 1956 Chicago Stadium, Chicago Lost The Ring and lineal welterweight titles
66Win48–11–7 Tony DeMarcoTKO12 Nov 30, 1955 Boston Garden, Boston Retained The Ring and lineal welterweight titles
65Win47–11–7 Gil TurnerMD10Sep 07, 1955 War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse
64Win46–11–7 Italo ScortichiniUD10Aug 10, 1955 Madison Square Garden, New York
63Win45–11–7 Tony DeMarcoTKO12 Jun 10, 1955 War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse Won The Ring and lineal welterweight titles
62Win44–11–7 Peter MüllerUD10Jan 21, 1955 War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse
61Win43–11–7 Ronnie HarperRTD3 Dec 16, 1954 Armory, Akron
60Win42–11–7 Allie GronikUD10Oct 15, 1954 War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse
59Win41–11–7 Carmine FioreUD10Sep 10, 1954 Madison Square Garden, New York
58Win40–11–7 Ronnie HarperTKO2 Aug 17, 1954 Fort Wayne
57Win39–11–7 Al AndrewsUD10Jun 26, 1954 War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse
56Win38–11–7 Italo ScortichiniUD10May 15, 1954 War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse
55Win37–11–7 Pierre LangloisUD10Apr 17, 1954 War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse
54Draw36–11–7 Italo ScortichiniPTS10Jan 16, 1954 Dinner Key Auditorium, Coconut Grove
53Draw36–11–6 Pierre LangloisPTS10Dec 19, 1953 War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse
52Win36–11–5 Johnny CunninghamKO4 Nov 28, 1953 Civic Auditorium, Toledo
51Loss35–11–5 Kid GavilanSD15Sep 18, 1953 War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse For The Ring and lineal welterweight titles
50Draw35–10–5 Billy GrahamPTS12Jul 25, 1953 War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse
49Win35–10–4 Billy GrahamUD12Jun 06, 1953 Memorial Stadium, Syracuse
48Win34–10–4 Carmine FioreTKO9 Apr 11, 1953 War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse
47Win33–10–4 Vic CardellUD10Feb 28, 1953 Sports Arena, Toledo
46Win32–10–4 Ike WilliamsUD10Jan 12, 1953 War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse
45Win31–10–4 Chuck FosterTKO5 Nov 18, 1952 Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo
44Win30–10–4 Sammy GiulianiKO3 Oct 20, 1952 War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse
43Win29–10–4 Baby WilliamsUD10Sep 22, 1952 Auditorium, Miami Beach
42Loss28–10–4 Billy GrahamUD10Aug 20, 1952 Chicago Stadium, Chicago
41Loss28–9–4 Chuck DaveyUD10Jul 16, 1952 Chicago Stadium, Chicago
40Draw28–8–4 Chuck DaveyPTS10May 29, 1952 War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse
39Win28–8–3 Jackie O'BrienMD10Mar 31, 1952 South Main Street Armory, Wilkes-Barre
38Win27–8–3 Jimmy CousinsUD8Feb 28, 1952 Armory, Akron
37Win26–8–3 Emmett NorrisUD10Feb 04, 1952 South Main Street Armory, Wilkes-Barre
36Loss25–8–3 Ross VirgoUD10Sep 26, 1951 Municipal Auditorium, New Orleans
35Win25–7–3 Shamus McCrayPTS8Sep 17, 1951 War Memorial Auditorium, Syracuse
34Loss24–7–3 Johnny CesarioUD10Jun 18, 1951 McConnell Field, Utica
33Loss24–6–3 Lester FeltonUD10May 29, 1951 State Fair Coliseum, Syracuse
32Win24–5–3 Eddie GiosaUD10Apr 12, 1951 State Fair Coliseum, Syracuse
31Win23–5–3 Floro HitaPTS8Mar 09, 1951 State Fair Coliseum, Syracuse
30Loss22–5–3 Vic CardellSD10Dec 15, 1950 Madison Square Garden, New York
29Loss22–4–3 Eddie GiosaPTS10Aug 28, 1950 Municipal Auditorium, New Orleans
28Win22–3–3 Guillermo GimenezRTD8 Jul 31, 1950 Coliseum Arena, New Orleans
27Win21–3–3 Guillermo GimenezRTD7 Jun 21, 1950 Municipal Auditorium, New Orleans
26Win20–3–3 Gaby FerlandKO1 May 05, 1950 Coliseum Arena, New Orleans
25Draw19–3–3 Gaby FerlandPTS10Apr 12, 1950 Coliseum Arena, New Orleans
24Loss19–3–2 Mike KoballaUD8Mar 27, 1950 Eastern Parkway Arena, Brooklyn
23Win19–2–2 Lew JenkinsMD10Mar 06, 1950 State Fair Coliseum, Syracuse
22Win18–2–2 Adrien MourguiartTKO7 Feb 07, 1950 Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo
21Win17–2–2 Cassell TateMD8Jan 24, 1950 Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo
20Win16–2–2 Sonny Jim HamptonUD8Jan 10, 1950 Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo
19Win15–2–2 Johnny ParkerRTD2 Sep 30, 1949 State Fair Coliseum, Syracuse
18Win14–2–2 Tony DiPelinoUD8Sep 07, 1949 Red Wing Stadium, Rochester
17Win13–2–2 Johnny CunninghamPTS8Aug 17, 1949 MacArthur Stadium, Syracuse
16Loss12–2–2 Johnny CunninghamSD8Aug 02, 1949 Bennett's Field, Utica
15Win12–1–2 Sammy DanielsUD8Jul 21, 1949 Bennett's Field, Utica
14Win11–1–2 Jesse BradshawTKO2 Jul 12, 1949 MacArthur Stadium, Syracuse
13Win10–1–2 Johnny CunninghamKO2 Jun 07, 1949 MacArthur Stadium, Syracuse
12Win9–1–2 Johnny ClemonsKO3 May 18, 1949 State Fair Coliseum, Syracuse
11Loss8–1–2 Connie ThiesPTS6May 02, 1949 Sports Arena, Rochester
10Win8–0–2 Elliot ThroopKO1 Apr 20, 1949 State Fair Coliseum, Syracuse
9Win7–0–2 Jerry DrainTKO3 Mar 18, 1949 State Fair Coliseum, Syracuse
8Win6–0–2 Luke JordanPTS6Feb 17, 1949 Sports Arena, Rochester
7Win5–0–2 Ernie HallKO2 Jan 25, 1949 State Fair Coliseum, Syracuse
6Draw4–0–2 Jimmy ParlinPTS6Jan 19, 1949 Kalurah Temple, Binghamton
5Draw4–0–1 Johnny CunninghamPTS6Jan 05, 1949 Kalurah Temple, Binghamton
4Win4–0 Rolly JohnsSD6Dec 15, 1948 State Fair Coliseum, Syracuse
3Win3–0 Eddie ThomasKO2 Dec 08, 1948 Kalurah Temple, Binghamton
2Win2–0 Bruce WaltersKO1 Nov 29, 1948 State Fair Coliseum, Syracuse
1Win1–0 Jimmy EvansKO3 Nov 24, 1948 Kalurah Temple, Binghamton