In 1970 Carmen Basilio's Nephew, Billy Backus Became World Welterweight Champion Carmen Basilio regained the crown from Johnny Saxton with a nine round knockout, and then, in a rubber match, Carmen Basilio kept the belt, by a knockout in two. After that, he moved up in weight, and challenged the World Middleweight Champion Sugar Ray Robinson, in what perhaps might have been his most famous fight of all. Carmen Basilio liberated the Middleweight Championship Belt of the world by beating Ray Robinson by a decision verdict in 15 rounds, 23rd September 1957. The day after, Carmen Basilio had to abandon the Welterweight belt, according to boxing laws. In 1957 Basilio won the Hickok Belt as top professional athlete of the year. On the 25th of March 1958, Basilio and Sugar Ray Robinson met in a rematch This time Sugar Ray Robinson gained upper hand with a 15 round decision. From that moment on, until Basilio's retirement in 1961, he only fought sporadically, his last 3 of his fights were attempts to regained the world's Middleweight title, losing twice to Gene Fullmer by a knockout in round 14 in San Francisco and by a knockout in 12, at Gene Fullmer's home town the state of Utah, Salt Lake City, Fullmer again lost next fight in a 10 round decision to defending champion Paul Pender. Carmen Basilio Signed off After He Fought Paul Pender and LostIn between those fights, Basilio was able to beat former world champions Art Aragon, by a knockout in eight, Don Jordan, by decision in ten. His fight with Pender for the title, was also his last fight as a professional boxer. Carmen Basilio was able to enjoy his retirement. Then in the 1970s, Basilio's nephew Billy Backus became world's welterweight champion after having a shaky start to his own boxing career. Carmen Basilio declared on the day that Backus became champion, to him Billy winning the title was better than when he won it himself. Billy Backus began his career by winning only 7 of his first 19 bouts. In 1964, things looked promising when he won four bouts in a row, but then he lost a three fight on the run. At this point of his career, he had a record of 7 wins, 7 losses and 3 draws, but to To make things worse, he had lost his last fight, against Rudy Richardson, on his twenty-second birthday. Billy Backus retired from boxing after that. Rise and Fall of Welterweight Boxer, Billy BackusBackus resumed his boxing career in 1966, but probably never in his wildest dreams could he have envisioned what was in store for him. In his comeback bout, he knocked out Todd Purtell in the first round, from then on embarked up on a seven fight winning streak that included avenging an earlier loss to Dick French. Billy Backus winning streak was broken by Percy Pugh in New Orleans, but soon after his defeat at the hands Percy Pugh, Backus was on another winning streak, winning eight in a row, In those eight fights two of his wins was over Percy Pugh. But the Percy Pugh and Billy Backus fought for a fourth time, Pugh broke his winning streak once again, beating him over 15 rounds, at the same venue he had first lost to Pugh in New Orleans. Backus had two split decisions against Jerry Pellegrini and four round drawn match with Ricky Ortiz, Guess what? Billy Backus was once again on the winning trail. This time he had an eight round knockout revenge against Ricky Ortiz who had previously beaten him. Billy Backus Won The World Welterweight Boxing TitleBilly Backus was now a ranking contender for the welterweight title ranked at No. 10 in the world ratings. Jose Napoles was ruling the roost in 1970 as World Welterweight Champion and he had earned the right to pick any challenger he wants to pick. Jose Napoles management, figuring they'd have an easy pay night, picked Billy Backus as the challenger, but they were in for a big surprise! During the fight Billy Backus landed a punch that opened a cut over Jose Napoles' eye in round one, causing him to bleed profusely. The fight was stopped in round four. Since the cut had been ruled to be caused by a punch, Billy Backus was declared the winner by a TKO, Backus had at long last realised a dream that many fight fans never thought he would: Billy Backus was now the new Welterweight Boxing Champion of the World. |
The International Boxing Hall Of FameIn 1990, Ed Brophy decided to build the International Boxing Hall Of Fame in Canastota, to honour the two world champions who were born there: Carmen Basilio and his nephew. Although Backus isn't a member of the Hall of Fame, Carmen Basilio is, along with many of the fighters he met inside the ring. In the late 1990s, Carmen Basilio's had a serious heart problem, in which he required triple bypass heart surgery, but doctors were able to repair his heart. Carmen Basilio volunteered to work in the International Boxing Hall Of Fame as a volunteer. Carmen Basilio had a ring record of 56 wins, 16 losses, 7 draws, with 27 wins by way of knockouts and Billy Backus had a final record of 48 wins, 20 losses and 5 draws, with 22 wins by knockout. | |
