Tony Zale's reputation as a cherry picker

When Ray Robinson was trying to get a fight with Zale at MW. Sam Pian and Art Winch refused on the grounds that Robinson wasnt a middleweight and should restrict his activities to fighting exclusively middleweights in order to get a title shot. They stated he hadnt proven himself. An incredible statement when you consider the fact that Robinson had four times defeated Zales #1 contender. Within a few months Zale defended against Graziano who got his title shot by fighting a litany of WWs. Less than a year later Zale again refused to defend his title against Robinson.

 

Who were the top/durable fighters that Levine knocked out? I'm aware of him dropping Robinson heavily.

 

In addition to badly hurting Robinson who had an all time great chin:

He nearly killed Jimmy Doyle and was considered the reason Doyle died fighting Robinson the following year. There were calls prior to the Robinson fight to keep Doyle from fighting based solely on this one loss which was a brutal KO that left Doyle with brain damage.

Herbie Kronowicz was a very tough middleweight who had never been stopped and was beating Levine when a single right hand by Levine turned the entire fight around in his favor.

Vic Dellicurti was an extremely tough, experienced, and durable middleweight who had gone the distance with LaMotta 3x, Robinson 3x, Coley Welch 2x, Sonny Horne, George Kochan 2x, Tami Mauriello, Steve Belloise, Sammy Luftspring, Georgie Abrams 2x, etc. Levine was one of only two guys to legitimately stop him in nearly 100 fights. The other guy was another dynamite pure puncher Steve Belloise.

Levine was a puncher, no doubt about it. He had a reputation he just wasnt as skilled as some of the greats so he couldnt always get the missile to the target. When Robinson appeared on TWIW with Graziano Curt Gowdy asked him who the hardest puncher he ever faced was and if it was Graziano. Robinson said no it was Artie Levine and Graziano got this big smile on his face, repeated Levine's name, and nodded his approval. Levine was a very hard puncher.

 

Cheers for the breakdown as always.

 

My mom and Artie Levine's Aunt were close acquaintances, for what it's worth...

 

***

 

D, I'm glad someone agree's with me that a 33 year old Tony Zale, who lost 4 prime years serving in the Navy, when discharged his first priority was financial and knowing his fighting time was dwindling fast, chose
the best gate attractions like a Graziano to fight cause that is where the "moolah" lies, with the least risk as OTHER champions you posted did the very same thing...Of all the old champions, to pick out the teak tough Tony Zale as an example of no "cujones", does Tony Zale a great disservice...
Before the war Zale feared no MW, as no one could outbrawl him...cheers.

 

Difference being is that Conn was a proven heavyweight contender who'd given Louis a tough fight, and Graziano had knocked out a couple of blown up welters.

 

Bottom line was that there was greater public interest and demand in Zale fighting Graziano than anyone else at the time and that's who the powers to be preferred for him to tackle.

 

By powers that be I assume you mean organized crime.

 

No, I meant folks like Mike Jacobs and the Twentieth Century Sports Club, the parties that were offering him the largest purse to fight Graziano.

 

So unorganized crime...

 

Careful .. the Marciano Mafia will stalk you for daring to claim the 37 year old version of Louis was still not a deadly fighter ... :nono

 

Artie Levine ..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnoiG0U7SIo

 

"So unorganized crime... "

Exactly.