Factors in Primo Carnera's Success

Yes, probably.
I think Gene Tunney, Jimmy Braddock and Jersey Joe Walcott certainly benefitted from being "connected" to the right men (some in the underworld).

 

A) Size/Strength 55-60%
B) Boxing Ability 30-35%
C) Mob Connections 10%

I don't think he would have accomplished what he did if he had the same skills but was 6' 1"190 lbs

 

According to Lamotta, a few champs in his era...

 

So being 6'6 250lb in the 1930's makes you 70% as good as Primo?
Why weren't they rounding up all the big men in the world? Seems like easy pickings if that were correct.

 

Nobody has mentioned luck so far.

Even the best connected management can't control who stands in their fighters way, and I think that Carnera was lucky with the draw.

He drew Ernie Schaff for his final title eliminator, and an unfocused Jack Sharkey who was ready to be taken, for his title fight.

He could have got his title shot against Max Schmeling, or a focused Max Baer, or he could have come up against one of them before he even got to fight for the title.

Even so, he was a very consistent performer, and beat guys who were not quite on that level with mechanical certainty.

The main reasons for his success, are that he was big and technically sound.

He was not a dynamite puncher like Willard or Lewis, but he was a good technician, and knew how to use his size to frustrate a smaller opponent.

Given the draw that he got in his run to the title, that was all that he needed to be.

 

Mob connections and opponents willing to take $$$

 

If I'm going to speculate:

1. 50%
2. 10%
3. 40%

With the Luck variable added in:

1. 40%
2. 10%
3. 25%
4. 25% (Luck)

 

Size and strength- the man was freakishly big for his era. Fighters were just not used to facing someone with those dimensions. That will give fighters a big edge against C and D level fighters. We've seen it from everyone from Tye Fields to Deontay Wilder.
50 percent.

Boxing ability- Carnera possessed just enough ability to use his size to outbox good boxers with little power. Guys like Sharkey in one fight and Loughran.
30 percent

Mob connections 20 percent. It's important to get your fighter the right opponents and to build the right hype for him. Make sure he isn't picked off or exposed to early.

 

Campolo was never ranked ,who is his best win?
Santa never ranked, ditto?
Uzcudun unranked.Hadn't been ranked since the 20's!
Gastanaga was stopped 19times!Who says Louis avoided him? What about his resume suggests this is even a possibility? He lost to Birkie.Lewis,Barry all ko victims of Louis!

Impelletiere was 7-3-0! He had won 1 of his last 4 fights and would win just 3 of his next 6 and retire!
Levinsky had won 4 of his last 8 when he fought Carnera in 1931 and1 of his last 6 when they re-matched in32! Loughran was outweighed by 84lbs and not even floored!
COMMON SENSE AIN'T THAT COMMON!!!!

How many of the other SHvy's were owned by the mob???

 

A.40%
B.10%
C.50%