Carmen Basilio Classics

Basilio Changed His Christian Name From Carmine To Carmen

Carmine Basilio born 2nd of April 1927 in Canastota, New York, a place where it is better known in the boxing world as Carmen Basilio. Carmen Basilio was a boxer of Italian American origin. Some reports have it on record that Carmen Basilio changed his name from Carmine to Carmen before he took up boxing, so that his name would appear to sound more masculine that his original name of Carmine. However, the reason why he changed his name to Carmen is not really known. Carmen Basilio began his professional boxing career by meeting Jimmy Evans on 24th of November 1948 in Binghamton, New York where knocked Evans out in the third round, and five days later, beat Bruce Walters in only one round. Although he started to box late in 1948, he had completed four bouts before the year was over. Carmen Basilio began 1949 with two draws, against Johnny Cummingham on 5th of January and against Jay Perlin 20 days later.

Basilio Suffered His First Loss At The Hands Of Connie Thies

Carmen Basilio campaigned exclusively inside the state of New York during his first 24 bouts, going 19 wins 3 loses and 2 draws during that span. Carmen Basilio first loss was at the hands of Connie Thies, who won by a decision verdict on the 2nd of May 1949. Basilio and Cunningham had three more fights during that period, with Basilio winning by knockout in round two on their second meeting, and Cummingham winning by a decision in eight in their third, with Basilio winning by decision in eight in their fourth. In the middle of that 24 bout span, 1950 rolled over, and Carmen Basilio met former world champion Lew Jenkins, winning by a 10 round decision. For fight number 25, it was decided that it was time to campaign out west. hence, Carmen Basilio went to New Orleans, where he boxed his next six fights. In his first bout there, he met Gaby Ferland, who held him to a draw. Basilio and Farland had a rematch, with Basilio winning by a knockout in the first round. Basilio also boxed Guillermo Giminez twice while being in New Orleans, first beating him by knockout in round eight, and then again by a knockout in round nine.

Carmen Basilio World Title Match With Kid Galivan

Carmen Basilio in his last fight before returning home, he lost by a decision in a10 rounder match to Eddie Giosa. For his next seven bouts, Carmen Basilio only went 3 wins 3 loses and 1 draw, but he was able to avenge his loss to Giosa by winning a ten round decision in Syracuse. In 1952, Carmen Basilio went 6 wins; 2 loses 1 draw. Basilio then beat Jimmy Cousins among others that year, but he lost to Chuck Davies and Billy Graham. Hold on to your bridges, that's not the famous bible thumping preacher man. The draw he registered that year was against Chuck Davies in the first of two meetings they had that year. But then loss effects began to change in 1953. Carmen Basilio began winning big fights again and soon found his name climbing up the Welterweight division's rankings. Soon, Carmen Basilio found himself in his first world title fight, against Cuba's Kid Gavilan for his world welterweight championship. But before he fought against Kid Gavilan, Carmen Basilio beat the former world champion Ike Williams and had two more fights with Billy Graham, avenging an earlier loss to Graham in the second bout between them, winning the second fight by decision in 12 rounds, and drawing the third.

June 1955, Carmen Basilio Won the World Welterweight Boxing Title

Carmen Basilio lost a 15 round decision to Kid Gavilan and went for a fourth meeting with Johnny Cummingham, this time winning by a knockout in four. Then, Carmen Basilio and Pierre Langois began another rivalry, with a 10 round draw on the first bout between the two. In 1954, Carmen Basilio went undefeated in eight bouts, with 7 wins and 1 draw while scoring with 2 knockouts, and defeating Pierre Langois in their rematch by a decision. 1955 arrived and Basilio began by beating the likes of Peter Muller by decision. After that win, Carmen Basilio was once again the number one contender for the welterweight title. On the 10th of June that year, Basilio got his second world title chance against the new  world welterweight champion Tony DeMarco. In what has become a favourite classic fight on most sports channels, Carmen Basilio became the world champion by knocking out Tony DeMarco in the 12th. round. Carmen Basilio had two non title bouts, including a ten round decision win over Gil Turner, before he and Tony DeMarco met again, but this time with Carmen Basilio as the defending world champion.

Basilio Lost the Title To Johnny Saxton

Their second fight had exactly the same result as their first bout: Carmen 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 a 15 round bout. It has always been contended that the reason why Johnny Saxton got the nod that night was that he supposedly had ties with Chicago's underworld, which, according to  certain remarks made, the mob might have paid off the fight's judges to give Saxton the fight. This has been an unconfirmed rumour of which many sport writers including Ring Magazine, have spoken about in the past. There was an immediate rematch in Syracuse.

Carmen Basilio Classics