Clue me in on Duilio Loi. Most underrated boxer in history ?

Loi was a great fighter, a true champion, European lightweight and welterweight champion, and for the European crown he defeated very good fighters like his compatriots Visintin (with whom he fought two very close fights) and Manca, both European champions. Then Loi lost a very close fight to Carlos Ortiz, against whom he won twice. Then a draw and a loss to Perkins (eight years younger than Loi), against whom Loi won in the last fight of his career, at 33, regaining the world super lightweight title. Perkins later stated "I fought Loi three times and each time I felt like I was fighting a different fighter," which gives a good idea of Loi's Ring IQ and versatility. He was a solid and tenacious fighter with very good stamina, who gave his best in the championship rounds. Loi and Nino Benvenuti are the only two italian fighters inducted into the IBHOF. They, along with Bruno Arcari, are usually considered the best Italian boxers of all time. If I had to name one of the three as the best, I'd say Duilio Loi.

 

From what I remember reading a few years ago, it sounds like he was really, really lucky to have come away from the series with Ortiz as the winner. My memory isn't great and it's hard to find the sources, but I recall him being lucky to have a win at all, let alone two.

 

It's time we stop arguing about him being a southpaw and start arguing about whether he was one of Frank Zappa's children.