Does anyone have any knowledge or info on this guy ? Was tipped to be "another Ray Robinson" at one point, was a precocious talent at 18 or 19 years of age. Went unbeaten, then fought the experienced Fritzie Zivic and dropped a very close decision .......... was then put in with Graziano, and was heavily favoured to beat Rocky ...... he ended up getting KO'd and he never regrouped his career much after that. I dare say John Garfield or burt bienstock might have some memory of this fighters. Boxrec's entry for Arnold : [url]http://boxrec.com/media/index.php/Billy_Arnold[/url] Billy Arnold was a highly touted welterweight/middleweight prospect of the 1940s. Arnold turned pro November 1, 1943, while still in high school. He became an overnight sensation by racking up an impressive string of 16 straight knockout victories. Arnold's style was similar to This content is protected ; he was a slick boxer with lightning-fast combinations, and a knockout punch. This content is protected Magazine and various newspapers across the United States touted Arnold as the next This content is protected or This content is protected . Arnold was a heavy favorite to defeat This content is protected , and then to go on to fight for the world title. In a brutal battle, Arnold battered the rough and tough Graziano for the first few rounds. It seemed only a matter of moments when the fight would be stopped. However, Graziano absorbed the beating and went on to batter and knockout Arnold in one of the major upsets in boxing. Following his defeat to Graziano, Billy Arnold was never the same. He managed to put together a modest winning streak, but that didn't last long. In the end, Billy Arnold was nothing but a stepping stone for other prospects. He ended his career on a dismal losing streak, and was washed-up by age 22. And his record : [url]http://boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=011203&cat=boxer[/url]
There's some talk of Arnold-Graziano, and some footage, at about 18:00 of this documentary - [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMXlSP4KyG0[/ame]
U, what memories Billy Arnold's name brings to me ! Billy Arnold of Philly was a great knockout prospect who was called the "new Joe Louis". He kod just about everyone he met,and was touted as a coming welterweight champion. He hit like Joe Louis ! I saw him first when they matched him with the 32 year old grizzled veteran Fritzie Zivic at MSG Jan,1945. Well wily old Fritzie avoided Arnold's bombs and won a decision over the unbeaten Arnold. But two months later on March 9,1945 I saw the most exciting fight I ever saw when Billy Arnold met Rocky Graziano who I had seen many times as a prelim fighter and up the ranks. What a night that was for the crowd at MSG. Even VP Harry Truman was in the audience, shaking the hand of a young great prospect Tony Janiro, who won his prelim fight...In the first round Billy Arnold opened up on the tough street kid Graziano with punches that would have kod most anyone. But the 8-1 underdog Rocky ,though hurt and reeling, was able somehow to survive the round. We in the audience thought the end was in sight for Graziano. But in the next round,while taking another terrible shellacking from Arnold,Graziano unleashed his right hand like a grenade againbst Arnold's chin and that one punch turned the fight around, and the badly hurt Arnold just survived the bell. In the 3rd round Rocky knocked out Arnold who was badly hurt, and was NEVER the same fighter again. He went downhill fast, while Rocky Graziano became the new sensation in boxing and was dubbed the "new Stanley Ketchell " by boxing people of the time. One other thought I recall.After the fight was over in the 3rd round, Arnold's handlers let him walk down from the ring unaided, and he fell limp on the Garden floor. Such was the beating he took from the YOUNG savage Rocky. That fight and the FOTC,March 8,1971 were the two most memorable nights I experienced at the famous MSG. Cheers U.... foor outside the ring.
Thanks burt. You were lucky enough to see those great fights. Great to hear you recounting them. :good It seems Graziano ruined Arnold, he was never the same again. He must have been a very bright prospect to be compared to Louis and Robinson at such a young age (18 oe 19) ..... but like you say, Graziano was just an animal. Did you ever see Graziano against Harold Green ?
Yes I saw Harold Green and Rocky Graziano fight twice. Harold Green was from my neighberhood, and our fathers worked together. P.S. I saw the documentary of Rocky on youtube, and what memories flood me. I loved Graziano because he was a throwback to the bare knuckle days. I even saw Rocky as a kid at Stillman's,when he was AWOL from the Army. There will never be another Rocky Graziano. The broke the mould...:hi:
Cool. :good Yeah, Graziano gets underrated a bit. He was just a wild brawling puncher, but some people underrate how devastating he would be with that style. The guy was a beast. Did you know Green claimed he was instructed to throw the third fight with Graziano and that's why he got angry and caused a riot after the fight ? I'm not sure if that was true or not, but I read somewhere that years later he claimed to have taken a dive.
A couple of years after Rocky Graziano's death, Harold Green ,in an interview with Ring Magazine, claimed to have taken a "dive" in Sept, 1945,in the 3rd round against Graziano. I remember that ending well,when Green ,after being floored for the 10 count,jumped immediately up and started throwing punches.and crying at the same time. It was a wild scene that 3rd rd ending. Who really knows the truth...? Rocky brought drama to all his fights,yessir...
Don't be silly. Hagler would have thrashed him. Arnold was good but never more than an excellent prospect. Hagler became a seasoned pro and a great champion.
