I just watched an excellent video on YouTube by Rich the Fight Historian about heavyweight contender Dan Bucceroni (rated #3 in 1953). Rich got ahold of first-rate footage of Bucceroni vs Roland LaStarza and Danny Nardico. I got interested in the fighter; he had a good record and was managed by Blinky Palermo. Rich tells us that Bucceroni had a title shot with Marciano lined up -- contingent on Bob Satterfield defeating Ezzard Charles. Alas, Ezzard stiffened Satterfield and got the two fateful meetings with Rocky that consumed all of 1954. Bucceroni got stopped by then-unknown Tommy Jackson and lost his opportunity. After watching this, I searched YouTube for the Bucceroni bouts with LaStarza and Nardico but came up empty. What's the explanation? How did Rich get access? How many troves of films are out there that we're not able to study and enjoy? I remember about 10-15 years ago seeing on YouTube the infamous "poisoned orange" fight in Philadelphia between Harold Johnson and Julio Mederos in which Johnson collapsed without being hit and then claimed he'd been given poisoned fruit before the bout. That film vanished from YouTube. Why do these films appear and disappear? Who owns the Jim Jacobs/Bill Clayton collection now? I have lots of questions on this general subject.
Old Boxing films are unlike old films of any other sport, they seem to be guarded as if some are the holy grail. Viewed only at certain moments, mysterious clips whose authenticity are some times questioned. Being a boxing fan can be tough....
Somebody who claims to own the rights to those fights probably complained to youtube and had them pulled. Disney via ESPN claims to own the rights to most of the boxing films out there (they dont) and so they often get stuff pulled. As a side note Id be surprised if you saw the Harold Johnson-Mederos fight I dont believe this fight exists on film. Off the top of my head I cant think of a single NBC FNF kinescope from 1955 surviving and Ive never heard of a film of it having existed.
I watch my extensive Harry Greb collection for the entirety of the third week of every month except in leap years.
What I remember specifically was Johnson sinking to the ring floor. I don't remember any action footage. It looked like an amateur home movie. However, the Bucceroni fights in Rich the Historian's footage was televised action with Jimmy Powers' voice.
That was probably Johnson vs Oakland Billy Smith. The Bucceroni fights Rich used were not television broadcasts. The LaStarza footage comes from the "Famous Fights" series. Jimmy Powers sometimes did voiceover for those which is why his voice can be heard on that one. Some of the closeup shots were taken from the 3 minute newsreel Madison Square Garden put out of it. The footage from the Nardico fight comes from the silent complete film that was shot for to be edited down for newsreels like Tel Ra. I only know of three Bucceroni telecasts that still exist: Bucceroni-Beshore, Bucceroni-Harrison, and Bucceroni-Slade. All of the other films of him were shot for various newsreels and vary in length and completeness.
Nope, Klompton, I just watched Oakland Billy Smith kayo Johnson. That video doesn't resemble the short "poisoned orange" footage I remember seeing a long time ago.
If you want old fight films, you need to make contact with boxing film collectors. You can buy old boxing films from sweetfights.com, but beware they put a watermark on them. Or you can find a forum dedicated to boxing videos. It helps if you have something to offer.
@Saintpat ’s post made me laugh because I know he’s joking; @klompton2 ‘s made me laugh because I don’t know if he’s joking or not.
I have the complete Monday Night Fights kinetoscope collection that NBC aired from 1907-08. Quite a few gems there.
