Duilio Spagnolo
Encyclopedia
Duilio Spagnolo was an Italian
boxer
who was a Heavyweight contender during the Joe Louis
, Ezzard Charles
, Jersey Joe Walcott
and Rocky Marciano
eras.
Spagnolo fought in the United States
mostly, but he enjoyed more success in the Europe
an boxing circuit.
On February 25, 1945, he made his professional boxing debut with an eight round decision win over Luigi Musina
, in Milan. He had his first career defeat on his second bout, when he faced Enrico Bertola on August 12 of that year, in Rome, dropping a ten round decision. Ten days later, the pair would rematch, in Milan, and Spagnolo avenged the defeat with an eight round points victory over Bertola.
As soon as his fourth fight, Spagnolo challenged for the Italian Heavyweight title, winning it with a twelve round decision over Giovanni Martin, in San Remo
. His next fight resulted in his first draw (tie) when he and Gino Buonvino fought ten rounds on April 15, 1946, in Milan.
Spagnolo defended his Italian Heavyweight title with a twelve round decision over Mentore Mazzali in Piacenza
on May 19, then lost it in a rematch with Musina, when Spagnolo was disqualified in the fourth round, on July 6, in Milan.
Spagnolo and Musina had an immediate rubber match, with Spagnolo regaining the title by a twelve round decision on September 8 in Milan.
Spagnolo then adbicated the championship in order to move to the United States, where more famous opponents and the possibility of a world title shot awaited. The first indication that the latter was not going to come came on March 25, 1947, when he made his American debut, against a top ranked Heavyweight, Lee Savold
, who proceeded to give Spagnolo his first knockout
loss, in round eight at Boston
's famed Boston Garden
.
Spagnolo then won nine fights in a row. He scored his three only career knockout wins during this streak, beating Mike Fisher in five, Louis Clark
in three and Jim Lake in five. This pattern of beating almost completely unknown fighters would continue on for the rest of his career, but he managed to also fight with Roland La Starza
(who later challenged Marciano for the world Heavyweight title), losing by a ten round unanimous decision on November 16, 1950 in Brooklyn, New York, Coley Wallace
, losing to him by a ten round decision on December 11 of the same year in Washington, D.C.
, and Nick Barone
(who later challenged Charles for the world Heavyweight title), losing to him by a ten round unanimous decision on March 15, 1951, in Syracuse, New York
.
During one point in his career Spagnolo was scheduled to fight Rocky Marciano. However Marciano's camp cancelled the upcoming bout when Marciano's hand was injured in training.
His fight with Barone was his last one, and he retired with 18 wins, 10 losses and 4 draws in 32 career bouts, with 3 knockout wins.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
who was a Heavyweight contender during the Joe Louis
Joe Louis
Joseph Louis Barrow , better known as Joe Louis, was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1937 to 1949. He is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time...
, Ezzard Charles
Ezzard Charles
Ezzard Mack Charles was an African-American professional boxer and former world heavyweight champion. He holds wins over numerous Hall of Fame fighters in three different weight classes. Charles retired with a record of 93 wins, 25 losses and 1 draw.-Career:He was born in Lawrenceville, Georgia,...
, Jersey Joe Walcott
Jersey Joe Walcott
Arnold Raymond Cream , better known as Jersey Joe Walcott, was a world heavyweight boxing champion. He broke the world's record for the oldest man to win the world's Heavyweight title when he earned it at the age of , a record that would be broken on November 5, 1994, by George Foreman, who...
and Rocky Marciano
Rocky Marciano
Rocky Marciano , born Rocco Francis Marchegiano, was an American boxer and the heavyweight champion of the world from September 23, 1952, to April 27, 1956. Marciano is the only champion to hold the heavyweight title and go undefeated throughout his career. Marciano defended his title six times...
eras.
Spagnolo fought in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
mostly, but he enjoyed more success in the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an boxing circuit.
On February 25, 1945, he made his professional boxing debut with an eight round decision win over Luigi Musina
Luigi Musina
Luigi Musina was an Italian boxer.He won twice the gold medal in the 1937 European Amateur Boxing Championships in Milan and the 1939 European Amateur Boxing Championships in Dublin, winning twice his final fights against Franciszek Szymura. Musina played in several duals: ITA vs. HUN , Europe vs...
, in Milan. He had his first career defeat on his second bout, when he faced Enrico Bertola on August 12 of that year, in Rome, dropping a ten round decision. Ten days later, the pair would rematch, in Milan, and Spagnolo avenged the defeat with an eight round points victory over Bertola.
As soon as his fourth fight, Spagnolo challenged for the Italian Heavyweight title, winning it with a twelve round decision over Giovanni Martin, in San Remo
Sanremo
Sanremo or San Remo is a city with about 57,000 inhabitants on the Mediterranean coast of western Liguria in north-western Italy. Founded in Roman times, the city is best known as a tourist destination on the Italian Riviera. It hosts numerous cultural events, such as the Sanremo Music Festival...
. His next fight resulted in his first draw (tie) when he and Gino Buonvino fought ten rounds on April 15, 1946, in Milan.
Spagnolo defended his Italian Heavyweight title with a twelve round decision over Mentore Mazzali in Piacenza
Piacenza
Piacenza is a city and comune in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Piacenza...
on May 19, then lost it in a rematch with Musina, when Spagnolo was disqualified in the fourth round, on July 6, in Milan.
Spagnolo and Musina had an immediate rubber match, with Spagnolo regaining the title by a twelve round decision on September 8 in Milan.
Spagnolo then adbicated the championship in order to move to the United States, where more famous opponents and the possibility of a world title shot awaited. The first indication that the latter was not going to come came on March 25, 1947, when he made his American debut, against a top ranked Heavyweight, Lee Savold
Lee Savold
Lee Savold was a heavyweight boxer who held the British and European version of the World Heavyweight championship between 1950 and 1951 and was a leading contender in the forties and early fifties....
, who proceeded to give Spagnolo his first knockout
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
loss, in round eight at Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
's famed Boston Garden
Boston Garden
The Boston Garden was an arena in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, who also built the third iteration of New York's Madison Square Garden, it opened on November 17, 1928 as "Boston Madison Square Garden" and outlived its original namesake by some 30 years...
.
Spagnolo then won nine fights in a row. He scored his three only career knockout wins during this streak, beating Mike Fisher in five, Louis Clark
Louis Clark
Louis Clark is a British musical arranger and keyboard player.He trained at Leeds College of Music. He was the conductor of the orchestra and choir hired to back Electric Light Orchestra's sound, introduced on their album Eldorado in 1974...
in three and Jim Lake in five. This pattern of beating almost completely unknown fighters would continue on for the rest of his career, but he managed to also fight with Roland La Starza
Roland La Starza
Roland La Starza was a retired American boxer and actor. Originally from the Van Nest section of the Bronx, La Starza fought 66 professional bouts from July 7, 1947 to May 8, 1961...
(who later challenged Marciano for the world Heavyweight title), losing by a ten round unanimous decision on November 16, 1950 in Brooklyn, New York, Coley Wallace
Coley Wallace
Coley Wallace was an American actor and heavyweight boxer who outpointed by Rocky Marciano in a three-round amateur fight....
, losing to him by a ten round decision on December 11 of the same year in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and Nick Barone
Nick Barone
Carmine "Nick" Barone was an American boxer, a ranked contender in the light heavyweight division and heavyweight divisions during the late 1940s and 1950s. He was known as the "Fighting Marine." He is best known for his 1950 title fight against the world heavyweight champion Ezzard Charles...
(who later challenged Charles for the world Heavyweight title), losing to him by a ten round unanimous decision on March 15, 1951, in Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
.
During one point in his career Spagnolo was scheduled to fight Rocky Marciano. However Marciano's camp cancelled the upcoming bout when Marciano's hand was injured in training.
His fight with Barone was his last one, and he retired with 18 wins, 10 losses and 4 draws in 32 career bouts, with 3 knockout wins.