Who do you think are the 10 best Italian fighters of all time

For the sake of endless threads and snarky debate...Let's say Rocky Marciano is 1-10 the greatest Italian of all time.

 

Magoo said any Italians -British - Australian -Welch-so Calzage -Benvenuti-Mazzinghi -Arcari-Rocky Mattioli are all good for the list as well as the Argentinians

 

I will go with Italians only


duilio loi
cleto locatelli
nino benvenuti
bruno arcari
enrico venturi
bruno visintin
sandro mazzinghi
salvatore burruni
carmelo bossi
primo carnera

honorable mentions in casual order:giulio rinaldi,salvo lopopolo, erminio spalla, domenico bernasconi, saverio turiello, tiberio mitri, vittorio tamagnini, Carlo Orlandi, giovanni parisi, mario d'agata (first and only deaf boxer to become world champion),fortunato manca, gino bondavalli ...
My untouchable positions are the first 4, the other could well be swapped/changed, it's very hard judging eras so distant in time to each other. I feel like Duilio Loi would only end up behind Willie Pep if Italian-americans (argentinians, english, welsh, etc...) would have been included, the guy was that great.

 

1st I heard that about Sharkey...Sicilians are Italic people

 

Ha Ha New York Fuhgetta aboutit, its fugazzi

 

Both his parents were lithuanian, what does that mean via Sicily?
I don't believe he has nothing to do with Italy, probably only left Europe on a ship from Sicily. Where do you read that?

 

Johnny Wilson was not one of the greatest Italian fighters of all time.

 

Youre getting Jack Sharkey the HW confused with the original Jack Sharkey the BW. The BW Jack Sharkey was Italian and his name was Cervati. The HW Jack Sharkey was Lithuanian and his name was Zukuaskus.

Sicilians are considered Italians (although dont tell my grandma, mainlanders and Sicilians dont get along and shes from the mainland).

 

He was ethnically a full Itallian from Italian Harlem wasn't he?

 

Good list.:good Where would you put Francesco Damiani?

 

Hagler??

He lived among Italian Americans then moved to Rome. I didn't realise he was actually related to any Italians?

 

I think he's referring more to the fact that Wilson wasn't very good.

Hagler was said in jest. He does reside in Italy, is married to an Italian and speaks the language, which tbf probably makes him more Italian than some of those being named here!

 

Do you know anything about Franco Zurlo?

 

Damiani is probably the best HW Italy had in the last 60 years: great amateur career, technically sound, with good jaw unlikely many other italians hw, just missed a bit of power.
That being said, i feel he missed that bit of strive, will and heart and was a bit too lazy and never fullfilled his potential. The way he gave up with mercier is just one eample. I also don't understand why he turned down that holyfield fight in 1991, i mean, even with that ankle injury, it's still the biggest purse of your career! He could have fought anyway, even with those slim chances of winning. I also didn't like the way he left his promoter Umberto Branchini for Don King, he (Branchini) always let him eat good purses even for italian's and european's defenses with embarassing opponents and he fought hard to take Ruddock to Italy, but those big american name needed too much money. Branchini was even almost successfull to take Foreman to Italy for a huge purse, but at the end bob arum and george's managers felt it wasn't worth it (not saying that Damiani was favourite at all, mind you, just that at the time it was a big risk: Damiani was still an undefeated prospect with good names - Biggs, broad, gregg- , a terrific amateur career and whose limits were still unknown).
After falling under Don's wings he was left with terrible earnings from his purses and, disappointed, decided to quit and return to Italy after mccall's fight, for which he trained very bad and small.
I just feel like Branchini himself when, at the end of the 80', he said that Damiani could had have his chances (which doesn't mean being favourite, again) with anyone, Tyson and probably Tucker apart (with Evander still being a cruiser).

Sorry for my poor english guys.

 

Thanks for the insight, Damiani was a very good fighter, I think he would have benefited had he been more dedicated and had the right training.