Basilio & Greatness

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Barney, Aug 1, 2009.


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  1. Barney

    Barney Guest

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_cWl3YG73Y

    These are my feelings. Carmen Basilio was one of the finest men to put gloves on. I was thrilled to shake his hand in 97 at the IBHOF. I had two of his sausage sandwiches loaded with peppers too. They were good.

    The word 'quit' was not in his vocabulary. I doubt if you cut him up into pieces that the pieces would stop fighting.

    When a fighter quits I have doubts about him choosing the right occupation. Basilio never quit. His fights, all of those I've seen or read about, tell me he would rather have died than quit.

    Is there a fighter, a man, like that today? He stood up to a much stronger
    Fullmer and took his blows the way a man does. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B58pVoK8bE

    He represents greatness to me even when he loses.
     
    Barney, Aug 1, 2009
    Barney, Aug 1, 2009
    #1
  2. GPater11093

    GPater11093 Barry Full Member

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    brillaint post i am a huge Basilio fan.

    Look at what he has achieved and how he did it and it is great achievements.
     
    GPater11093, Aug 1, 2009
    GPater11093, Aug 1, 2009
    #2
  3. TheGreatA

    TheGreatA Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Watch him go crazy when the referee stops his second fight with Fullmer:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4BZp6AA2f8

    I'm still not sure why the fight was stopped. Basilio was hurt but not very seriously. Was it due to all the holding that Basilio did? In that case it should probably go down as a 12th round DQ.
     
    TheGreatA, Aug 1, 2009
    TheGreatA, Aug 1, 2009
    #3
  4. Barney

    Barney Guest

    Exactly. Winning and losing are not the game.
    Engaging in the game. That's it.

    I'll decide if it has been done honestly.
     
    Barney, Aug 1, 2009
    Barney, Aug 1, 2009
    #4
  5. RockyJim

    RockyJim Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Basilio was one of the toughest SOB's to ever set foot in a boxing ring....the man was a FIGHTER!!!
     
    RockyJim, Aug 2, 2009
    RockyJim, Aug 2, 2009
    #5
  6. Barney

    Barney Guest

    Angelo Dundee has said much the same thing.
     
    Barney, Aug 2, 2009
    Barney, Aug 2, 2009
    #6
  7. brando18b4h

    brando18b4h Active Member Full Member

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    Basilio posessed an indomitable fighting spirit and toughness that is beyond words.
    one of my all time favorites.
     
    brando18b4h, Aug 2, 2009
    brando18b4h, Aug 2, 2009
    #7
  8. Bill1234

    Bill1234 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Basilio is one of the toughest men to ever live, but he's also one of the nicest and fun loving you'd ever want to meet. I've seen him 3 different times at the hall of fame weekend, and each time he provided an experience I'll never forget.
     
    Bill1234, Aug 2, 2009
    Bill1234, Aug 2, 2009
    #8
  9. Chinxkid

    Chinxkid Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Beautiful sentiment. Thank you.
     
    Chinxkid, Aug 2, 2009
    Chinxkid, Aug 2, 2009
    #9
  10. Barney

    Barney Guest

    They honored him at the Onondaga County War Memorial where many of his fights were held. That was a year or two ago. There was a book just published about his life in the ring 'The Onion Picker'. Syracuse loves him.
     
    Barney, Aug 2, 2009
    Barney, Aug 2, 2009
    #10
  11. janitor

    janitor VIP Member

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    Basilio is about as great as you can get from the neck up.

    We regard certain fighters today as being tough but they have nothing on Basilio.

    They often retire after a serious loss while they have a lot left physicaly.

    This guy was the ultimate hard man.
     
    janitor, Aug 2, 2009
    janitor, Aug 2, 2009
    #11
  12. GPater11093

    GPater11093 Barry Full Member

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    summed up in 1.
     
    GPater11093, Aug 3, 2009
    GPater11093, Aug 3, 2009
    #12
  13. My2Sense

    My2Sense Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Great infighter and technician, very tough and cagey, and could bang with both hands.

    Took him a relatively long time and a lot of hardship before he put all his tools together, much like Dick Tiger, Tony Zale, or Henry Armstrong. For a long time, he was thought of as just a "tough clubfighter." But once he reached the height of his powers, he was very impressive. During he peak, he put together an impressive run of wins against DeMarco (twice), Gil Turner, Saxton (twice), and ultimately winning the "impossible" fight against Ray Robinson. Also had some good late career wins, over Aragon and former champ Don Jordan.
     
    My2Sense, Aug 3, 2009
    My2Sense, Aug 3, 2009
    #13
  14. Barney

    Barney Guest

    One thing in 'The Onion Picker' which was emphasized was the influence of organized crime on the sport. Basilio did make a big deal about not co-operating with them. However in the book it is clear that his intermediaries, with his implied consent, did do business with the devil for a return contract with Robinson. (I believe it was Robinson) All my heroes have stains on their clothes.
     
    Barney, Aug 3, 2009
    Barney, Aug 3, 2009
    #14
  15. GPater11093

    GPater11093 Barry Full Member

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    he lost the first Saxton fight on points.
     
    GPater11093, Aug 3, 2009
    GPater11093, Aug 3, 2009
    #15
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