I was a young knockout artist called the new Joe Louis...Could I hit ! Until I a 8-1 favorite ran into a hurricane...I was flattened and my career was over...Who was I ?
Bukkake, You are a mind reader, or a genius...! Yes Billy Arnold. I was at that fight in MSG, March 9,1945, with my father...I saw the exciuting Rocky Graziano from the beginning of his pro career. On Jan 5,1945 i watched the wily veteran ,32 year old Fritzie Zivic avoid the blows of the young Billy Arnold, to win a dec.over the "New Joe Louis But in the first round Billy Arnold [like Gerald Mcllelan]battered Rocky from pillar to post, but couldn't put the dead end kid Graziano away..But the 8-1 underdog Graziano landed his right hand grenade flush on Arnold's chin in the second round, and soon tough Rocky put the New jpe Louis away...That one right hand ended Arnolds career, and started Graziano to fame and fortune...b.b.
So you actually attended this fight more than 65 years ago? You are a very lucky man to have been living in New York when boxing was really booming there. I remember reading about Graziano-Arnold many, many years ago. Back in the 60s I believe - and I think it may have been in one of my first issues of Boxing Illustrated. I was pretty new to boxing then, but knew who Graziano was. However, I had never heard of Arnold - but after that article I never forgot his name.
