two ton tony galento....

I wouldn't give him much of a chance. He was not much more than the Butterbean of his day.

 

I can't say I've studied either of them close enough to compare them with enough certainity. But I can't help but feel that it does say something about the competition in those days that Galento got to challenge for the title. With the exception of Louis none of the HWs I've seen from the late 30's and early 40's have impressed me much.

 

What a joke of a statement. Galento was a Ring Magazine top 10 heavyweight contender for MANY years, he knocked out some very good contenders and NEVER hid behind the color line. Galento wasnt like butterbean at all, he was more like david tua. Both were 5'9 about 235lb, but both had devastating left hooks and were very durable.


Galento is a alpha champion today, he has a big punchers chance against wlad.

 

have you ever seen tiger jack fox? harry bobo? jack trammell? leroy haynes? how bout eddie blunt or willie reddish? lem franklin? how bout jersey joe walcott?

 

Tony Galento was more or less a product of mafia promoting during a time, when the Italian mob governed much of the sport. Galento was native to the east coastal United States, where the mafia had much of its opporational platform located, and likewise, where Galento had the vast majority of his matches. He was notorious for being a dirty fighter who used illegal tactics in the ring, and if he was fighting in his own back yard, the refs and the judges often turned a blind eye. Such was the case in his fight with Lou Nova, where Galento thumbed him in the eye repeatedly, but no disqualification was ever issued.

His style was crude, but also dangerous. He fought at a lower center of gravity, and often confused fighters who were taller. His tactics were more or less those of a street fighter, rather than a proffesional boxer. His left hand was a treacherous tool, as Joe Louis once found out. Joe was tagged on a number of occasions in his one and only meeting with Galento.

About a year ago, I did some research on Galento's training habits, which primarily went no further than a few quick google searches. Nevertheless, some of the information I found was both appauling and amusing at the same time. Galento was a tavern owner who worked late in his own establishment. upon closing the bar down, he'd begin training late at night. He followed no particular nutritional plan, but basically ate anything and everything. It was once reported that he participated in a hot dog eating contest just days before a fight. Tony was notorious for smoking cigars and drinking alcohol during training for even his biggest fights. One time, he said that he had really devoted himself for the Louis match, as he did not take a drink in nearly two days prior to the fight........Now that's dedication....

As for how Tony would do against modern contenders. Well, first of all he wouldn't get away with half the nonsense that he pulled 70 years ago, no matter what city he fought in, nor who was managing his career. Secondly, his Italian decent would not earn him a pass to the top of any heavyweight picture. Lastly, his horrific physical conditioning would surely place him in a handicapped category anytime after 1960. I don't see Tony Galento acheiving world beater status anytime outside of the era he fought in...

 

As others have said he was a bad fat man.

I think that Gallento was genuinely among the more dangerous contenders of his era. He was not in the same class as a Max Baer or even a Lou Nova in a straight fight but he was better than the likes of Al Ettore, and Nathan Mann.

I am certain that he was one of the hardest punchers of his period.

I happen to think he could have done rather well today.

Regardless of whether he could have become champion he would have been an extremely marketable fighter. He was a better trash talker pound for pound than Floyd Mayweather and a colourfull character.

An astute manager could easily direct him to a shot at one of the four major belts and if he ended up in posesion of one of them you could have a marketing goldmine.

 

this man knows his ****

 

What people need to remember about Galento was that he went past a hundred fights as a heavyweight without getting dropped, in an era of six ounce gloves. When Joe Louis finally decked him for the only time in his career, he got back up, then became the only man to ever return the favor to the Brown Bomber. He stood up to some hellacious shots from Max Baer as well. This was an extremely tough hombre.

 

Anyone ever heard of the story about Galento and Jackie Gleason?

 

No, but I'd like to.

 

Walcott was very impressive, but even if he was active before WWII I didn't count him among the contenders of that era because, as you know, his best time was during the late 40's and early 50's. For me, Walcott is in a different class than Baer, Braddock and Carnera.

 

Schmeling was definitely among the better ones. Of course, his first fight against Louis was brilliant. When it comes to Baer, he had enough punching power to hurt you badly if he hit you. But I think that his famous right was VERY telegraphed and I don't think that too many of the best fighters post WWII would have too much problem with it. I think that the fighters that ruled the roost post Louis (Charles, Walcott, Marciano) looked a lot better than those that preceded him (Carnera, Baer, Braddock).