This fight was supposed to happen in around '54 or '55 I believe, but Joey suffered an injury in a car crash. He was replaced by Pierre Langlois (who had beaten Joey earlier that year), and Bobo stopped him on cuts I believe. Hard fight to call. Joey could be a very clever and classy boxer when he wanted to be (and when he was in top shape), but he also could become flustered and caught up in messy slugfests - and Bobo was an expert at following through on that. I think Joey with his combined power and skill could get Bobo's respect early and possibly box his way to a win, but Bobo would be a real threat to him down the stretch.
I`m almost certain that Joey was locked up for assaulting a gas station attendant which is why the fight never materialised. As for the fight itself Joey was the better mover and boxer from long-range by far, but Bobo was the better and busier in-fighter and he knew how to get inside on slicksters to get his own work done in close. Both men were also very strong physically and used their strenght to good effect in clinches, but Bobo was very strong moreso than Joey even and he would have tried to use that strenght to wear and slow him down the stretch I think Joey`s legs would have seen him one step ahead of Bobo in the early going and would have allowed him to jump to an early lead behind his jab and some occasional right hands down the middle to stun Bobo, but as the fight progresses into the second half I think Bobo`s pressure and roughhousing tactics in close would start to slow Joey down and make him more stationary thus allowing him to get back in the fight. But I don`t think that it would have been enough to overcome Joey`s early lead and knowing how badly Joey wanted that title he would have fought back furiously even if he was tired and Bobo was coming on. I see Joey surviving some hairy moments in the last 5-6 rounds but doing just enough during those rounds to secure a close but clear decision victory.
That happened to him too, and prevented him from fighting for about a year, but I believe that was after the Olson fight initially fell through.
Assuming that we're talking about an in-shape, "on" Giardello, I'd pick him over Olson ANY day, by points, of course, over 15 rounds.
Joey, as champion, was in his late years, and still beat Tiger and Carter. A couple of years earlier, he was robbed against the ultimate tough guy, (a favorite slugger of mine) Gene Fullmer. This says that he could beat the much chinnier Bobo Olson (but not by a knockout). There is no underestimating Giardello at his best. He was a wizard, and was tough on top of that. There were a lot of guys that Olson could beat, but not Giardello.
Gotta go with Bobo Olson on this one. I really like both fighters, but Bobo was so consistently on and Joey was almost consistently erratic, which I always put down to conditioning. It was well known he just didn't like to train and always paid the price around the 7th or 8th rounds until he would pick up his second wind. This is nail-biting close and truth be told, if they fought 10 - 10 rounders, they would end up with a record of 5-5. But over 15 I'll go Bobo on conditioning alone. Scartissue
Dont you THINK Carl BoBo Olson very UNDERATED?? Thoughts ?? He beatTurpin,Langlois,UNDERATED tough tough Paddy Young,The KEED when he was beating EVERYONE?? Joey seemed tobe in&outer??Thoughts???A good workman under Tiger on par Fullmer Over Hurricane???atsch
Bobo has a very good resume and could be very effective against top quality opponents - provided they weren't big punchers. His record against punchers was so-so at best and featured some very embarrassing losses - which is the reason he is so "underrated" today. Giardello wasn't as consistent as Bobo in his wins, but was tougher and equipped to handle a wider variety of opponents.
Other posters have about covered these two. Olson was very hard to beat if you could not knock him out. I don't think Giardello would, so I will take Olson by close decision.
You know my friend who said BoBo had a hard time with big PUNCHERS was right on!! Torres,Moore,Robbie, but Giardello doesnt fit that mold BIG PUNCHER.In fact reading a OLD boxing &wrestling by Stanley Weston (I love those 50-60 mags) Carl BOBO Olson was favorite over Sugar Man in both 55 &56 fights where Robbie kod bobo in 4 (a classic ko)at ol Wrigley field LA,man those were the days PCL ,baseball.. Steve Bilko(the TV show SGT. Bilko got its name from him,one of the greatest mgr. all time Gene Mauch 2b Angels Hollywood Stars Bobby Bragan those were the days..God Bless you all!!!!:happy:happy..:hi:
