07.07.2022
This morning’s “Learn from the Fight” covered highlights the middleweight contendership battle of Gene Fullmer and Rocky Castellani before we analysed Johnny Saxton’s attempt to rest the World Welterweight Championship from Carmen Basilio. No introductions to any of these fighters were necessary. We just picked up their stories from where we left off.
Gene Fullmer versus Rocky Castellani 04.01.1956
After losing his contender position to Sugar Ray Robinson, Rocky Castellani fought one last match in 1955. He won a technical knockout over journeyman Pedro Gonzales before immediately re-joining the race proper in a match up with Gene Fullmer whose last fight had been his loss to Eduardo Lausse. This would be a technical slugger versus a spoiler out-boxer match with the weight advantage awkwardly tipped in favour of Castellani at 159 lbs. to Fullmer’s 157 lbs. Castellani was the favourite to win the fight. This was the first live coast to coast radio and TV broadcast of 1956. The fight took place at The Arena, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
This fight led me to revise my opinion of Fullmer’s style. Whilst I viewed his performance against the technical slugger, Eduardo Lausse, to have been more leaning towards a slugger, I think it is fair to say he is more of a swarmer. His reverse cross-arm guard, which isn’t as prominent in this fight, should have been the give away. In this fight he is undeniably a swarmer from start to finish.
Round 1 – Fullmer and Castellani went in true to their form. Castellani went to the outside relying on footwork and his fast hands whilst Fullmer brought the fight to him using swarming tactics. Later Fullmer twice deftly used his own counter-punching in response to Castellani’s combinations, the second time was especially effective.
Round 6 – Fullmer had continued to press the fight very effectively. This round he showed no signs of letting up. Castellani worked well to keep outside and began moving out of the corners more often. Castellani kept his guard low displaying his more relaxed style of counter-punching and sniping shots. By contrast, Fullmer’s higher guard demonstrated his level of intensity. Both fighters now exhibited cuts over their right eyes, Castellani’s being markedly longer.
Round 7 – Fullmer bull-rushed his opponent resulting in Castellani’s becoming more pronounced. Castellani used his grappling strategies but Fullmer didn’t seem to show any signs of tiring yet. Fullmer’s left hooks were coming through and, again, it was his counter-punching that seemed to be more obvious.
Round 8 – Castellani moved into intercept his opponent this time. He was still very much on the back-foot once the clinches were broken but he seemed intent on stopping Fullmer from swarming.
Round 9 – Fullmer’s swarming showed no signs of letting up. Castellani worked hard to pick his shots, landing a decent right cross within the first minute. However, the fight was still very much Fullmer’s who pummelled into the body and seemed relentless. Castellani still did his best to rally back, demonstrating his bravery. Fullmer was now sporting a scalp cut probably from a clash of heads he initiated. With 15 minutes to go Castellani appeared to pull out one of his surprise rebounds and fought Fullmer across the ring.
Round 10 – Castellani was keen not to be pushed back anymore. He kept the centre of the ring this time and landed a beautiful left hook. At the two-minute mark both men were pretty much toe-to-toe. They traded shots and wrestled. Castellani was now batting Fullmer back from the centre whilst Fullmer just kept bouncing back in. At the one-minute mark it was now to and fro with both men landing heavy shots.
Gene Fullmer won by a split decision.
The United Press reported:
“The one judge who voted against him may cost young Gene Fullmer a chance for a rematch with Eduardo Lausse of Argentina. While Fullmer seemed to be breezing to a bruising 10 round victory Wednesday night over Rocky Castellani, judge Charlie Bill saw the fight as a Castellani victory. His score was at odds with those of the other judge and referee, both of whom had Fullmer on top by a comfortable margin. The winner of the bout was supposed to get a shot at Lausse. Because Fullmer gained only a split verdict, and because he brought out the tiger in Castellani in a rousing finish, a rematch between those same two seemed more probable. Fullmer, a wildcat who threw punches from everywhere, was at his best when he worked on Castellani’s stomach. The Clevelander tried his usual style of grabbing for his opponent, but soon changed the tactic when Fullmer sailed in with the left, then followed with rights over the back.”
Ring Magazine would declare it to be the second best fight of the year.
Fullmer said he was keen to set his record straight before fighting Sugar Ray Robinson for the title: “I just don’t like to have someone running around who has beaten me, that’s all. I’ll get to Robinson in time.”
Of course, this fight would never happen as a badly treated number 3 ranked contender, Lausse would return to fight in his native Argentina after getting another bad decision in his match with Bobby Boyd and would descend into obscurity within a year.
Fullmer would now stay on course, seemingly going from strength to strength on his path to Sugar Ray Robinson and the World Middleweight Championship.
Carmen Basilio versus Johnny Saxton Undisputed World Welterweight Championship 14.03.1956
After his surprise upset defeat at the hands of Tony DeMarco, where he lost the world welterweight title, the Blinky Palermo/mob-run Saxton didn’t seem to have a 90 day clause in his contract. DeMarco did when he first fought hungry contender Carmen Basilio and lost twice. Now Saxton would get his opportunity to win back the title and his reputation, which had suffered when he first won the championship in a clearly corrupt decision against the great Kid Gavilan.
Saxton had won four victories against journeymen boxers in 1955, the last of which was Tiger Jones whose moment in history would forever be remembered after he outboxed the great Sugar Ray Robinson on his comeback trail. This would be Basilio’s fight in just over four months after winning another war against Tony DeMarco. Although Basilio stopped his opponent in round 12 again, the champion had taken a lot of damage. Basilio was given
This would be a swarmer (Basilio) versus out-boxer (Saxton) bout. Basilio weighed 146 lbs. to Saxton’s 147 lbs. The fight took place at the Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, USA. According to BoxRec, “Each fighter received 30% of the net gate and 30% of Radio/TV for a total of $39,902 for each fighter.”
12,145 live spectators generated a gate of $104,288.
Round 1 – Saxton took advantage of his superior reach early on. He began driving back Basilio with some heavy punches, landing a good right. Basilio weathered the storm in the corner and the fight resumed in the centre of the ring. Just before the one minute mark, Basilio’s trademark left hook hit Saxton hard in the body. Saxton continued to his jab and a high rear hand guard. Basilio began to push in at the end of the round, taking Saxton to the ropes.
Round 2 – Both fighters circled. After missing with a big wild right hook he landed with a sharp left hook to Saxton’s jaw. Later Basilio swarmed in and drove Saxton back, hitting the challenger with some powerful shots that clearly had him in some early trouble. Giving him his due, Saxton fought back out of the corner and returned the fight to a more neutral position. Basilio was still keen to press his advantage and kept on Saxton who did well to counter-punch where he could and defend. Most agreed this was Basilio’s round.
Round 5 – The previous two rounds were apparently scored evenly (by whom the commentator doesn’t say). Saxton’s hit and run tactics were now more pronounced with Basilio pursuing him around the ring. Basilio kept pressing forward for his swarming attacks whilst Saxton tied him.
Round 10 – The interim rounds were marked by cautious boxing and the fight being very close. Saxton moved to the outside making full use of his range advantage. Nevertheless, Basilio landed a hard left.
Round 15 – Saxton continued on the outside and Basilio continued pursue. A clinch, one of many audiences were angered were separated too early, and Saxton looked very tired. Although some valiant efforts were being made by Saxton, it looked all Basilio in this round to me
The United Press reported:
“Johnny Saxton recaptured the world welterweight championship tonight with an effective hit-and-run tactic that won a unanimous 15 round decision over Carmen Basilio. Many of the fans apparently resented not only the verdict against Basilio, but also the work of referee Frankie Gilmer, who broke the fighters from clinches too often in the judgement of Basilio supporters. Although Basilio forced the fighting in every round against Saxton, it was Johnny’s left jabs, left hooks and combinations of punches in the exchanges that won the votes of the three officials. There were no knockdowns, but Saxton was knocked back onto his heels four times in the 2nd round with rights and lefts to the head. Although Saxton was less noted as a puncher, he drove Carmen onto his heels several times in the 11th, 12th and 13th rounds.”
BoxRec reported that the crowds booed the unanimous decision in a manner that was reminiscent of the last time Saxton won the welterweight title from Kid Gavilan. Many were angry the clinches were broken to early, favouring Saxton’s out-boxing tactics.
This was clearly yet another controversial win for Saxton and with Palermo’s involvement and the fact the betting odds were stacked against him again. Saxton made a good show of the final rounds and it was a tight fight, but Basilio appeared to be running the fight. The consensus of ringside reporters polled by the United Press had 11 in favour of Basilio to seven in favour of Saxton. The United Press gave it to Basilio at 145-142 whereas the Associated Press gave the exact same score to Saxton.
BoxRec added this final note on the fight: “The U.S. government immediately filed a notice of levy with Saxton and the IBC for the amount of $17,875.37 on Saxton’s purse due to back taxes owed them from Saxton’s manager Blinky Palermo. Saxton argued Palermo had nothing to do with this purse and that he was acting as his own manager because Palermo held no license in Illinois or New York.”
All of this would add up to the now ongoing investigation into criminal activities in relation to boxing that would culminate at the beginning of the ’60s and the prosecution of Blinky Palermo.
Johnny Saxton was now the undisputed world welterweight champion for the second time. Basilio would get a rematch in September (this would be his next fight) and his chance to win back the title after Saxton won three non-title fights.