Antuofermo's chin?

When thinking about it, the only physical attribute Vito was born with that was suitable for boxing was his chin. He wasn't tall, didn't have long arms, probably didn't have a fast twitch muscle fiber in his body, didn't have quick arms and feet, bled easily, didn't throw straight punches, and had little punching power. He was not a handsome or glamourous looking pretty boy, like Ali or DLH. Nor did he project the boyish charm and charisma, or represent the compelling media story of a Matthew Saad Muhammad, Ray Mancini, or Bobby Chacon. Yet, in June 1979, this transplant from Italy to Brooklyn brought the Undisputed World MW Championship back to the United States for the first time since Emile Griffith lost it to Nino Benvenuti in March 1968, a triumph which resounded in both Italy and the United States.

Vito did it with toughness, heart, sheer grit and determination, along with dedicated hard work and discipline. Except for a great chin, Vito's qualities of bravery, tremendous physical strength, muscular endurance and stamina, along with the principle that the harder one works, the harder it is to surrender, are qualities within the abilities of most of us to develop for ourselves.

While the monarchist boxing press may not have cared much for somebody who was a solidly unspectacular family man (rather than a scandalously flamboyant playboy, and ultimately sordid dramatic tragedy like Carlos Monzon), rank and file boxing fans developed a strong attachment to somebody they regarded as having proved that such an achievement was within the reach of any common individual ready willing and able to put the time and effort needed into realizing such an ambitious dream. It's why the audiences at his matches usually chanted Vito's name, whenever he wasn't fighting in his opponent's back yard. (When Antuofermo made his comeback against Aldana in Chicago after his rematch loss to Minter in London, the chants of "Vito!, Vito!, Vito!" were deafening, even through the television speakers.)

Vito Antuofermo really did make the most of what athletic ability he was born with. Like Marciano and Frazier, he will always be appreciated by fight fans for having become a champion in doing so. He did his best, and his best was good enough.

 

Duodenum, completely agree with your assessment on Vito except for the part of his speed of hand. I feel Vito's hand speed was vastly underrated. If you can beg borrow or steal a copy of his fight with Danny McAloon it may change your opinion. Even in the Hagler fight, when in close those hands moved well. Although I laughed when you mentioned he never threw a straight punch because you are right there. Vito never threw a straight punch in his life. As for his chin, I recall his fight with Cyclone Hart so well. I think it was in the 4th where Hart let loose a ripping left hook and Vito hardly blinked, but then Hart repeated the shot and Vito quivered a little before ripping into Hart. I never thought I would see someone take two full-blooded left hooks from Cyclone Hart and still stand vertical.

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I never really focused on Vito's hand speed, so much as I did his subtle defensive head movements. It's very well known that after his first match with Hagler, veteran boxing writer Bob Waters reviewed that bout on videotape and claimed that Antuofermo won 11 of the 15 rounds. While viewing a match on videotape can be vastly different from watching the live action from ringside, I did take a very close look at a replay of that war, and could see how Vito would swivel his chin from side to side, preventing Marv from hitting him flush on the head.

Judging a match accurately requires a recognition of the subtlties and discernment of the finer intricacies involved in ring generalship. As judges only seem attracted to the most obvious apparencies in this lamentable era, perhaps it's time to restore the no decision mandate for boxing contests, and get rid of points scoring. Then, the triumph of substance over style will once again be truly restored, and boxing will once again be a genuine competition, where the best have mastered the authentic art of self defense, rather than subjective showmanship for a prejudiced panel of three.