SWC75
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On 1/16/49, Carmen was announced for another prelim against Johnny Cunningham of Baltimore, “against whom he fought a bitterly contested draw a few weeks ago.” According to the Ring Record Book, that was on 1/5 in Binghamton. This new match was supposed to be at the Coliseum on 2/25 but no such match is listed in the RRB, although Carmen would fight Cunningham again on June 7th. Instead, Carmen boxed Jay Parlin of Harlem to a draw in Binghamton on 1/19. It was the first time the local paper had reported on one of his bouts when it took place outside of Syracuse, although no details were given.
Six days later, “A flashing left hook to the jaw, landing just as the bell ended the first round, sent Ernie Hall to the canvas….Hall was dragged to his corner and partially revived between rounds but he was still groggy as the second round started. Basilio battered him apparently helpless, Referee Jack Millcich stopped it as Hall slumped to the floor.” It was the undercard of a Cliff Hart bout at the Coliseum.
On 2/19, Basilio decisioned Luke Jordan, (“Randy” Jordan, according to the paper), in his first appearance in Rochester. The paper said that Carmen knocked out a fighter named Jimmy Drain on a Cliff Hart undercard at the Coliseum on March 18. “Clouting Carmen Basilio, now fighting as a Syracusean, punched the stuffing out of Jimmy Drain….knocked down by a long left at the beginning of the first round, Carmen went tearing back into Drain viciously. He had the Clevelander down twice before the end of the round and nearly punched his head off throughout the second and again in the third round.” The RRB has no bout on 3/18 but has Carmen knocking out ‘Jerry’ Drain in three on May 8th. I guess the paper was clairvoyant. (Boxrec.com agrees with the paper.) Later, in an article about the first Sugar Ray Robinson fight, it was noted that the only time Carmen had ever been down was against Jerry Drain, although Carmen claimed it was slip. Nevertheless, the ref had begun a count. Boxrec says “Basilio was knocked down in the first round but floored Drain twice before the end of the first.” That sounds like quite a round. It lists that as Drain’s only fight. I guess he’d had enough of boxing after taking on Carmen Basilio.
Carmen got his picture in the paper for the first time on 4/12, hyping his 4/20 bout against Elliott Throop at the Coliseum. Before taking on Throop, Basilio sparred with Joey DeJohn’s next opponent, a middleweight named Randy Brown, and left “a big impression”. He left a bigger impression on Throop, who “had the reach and lots of ambition until Basilio landed a murderous left uppercut that lifted the Detroiter inches off of his feet and deposited him back on the mat for a full count.” It was a one round KO.
There was a 6 round loss to Connie Thies, Carmen’s first professional defeat, on 5/2/49, in Rochester. The local paper had no mention of it. Youmans says Thies was “more experienced” and that the decision was a close one.
On May 18th, Jake LaMotta knocked out Joey DeJohn in 8 rounds at the Coliseum, before a crowd of nearly 5,500, in a tune-up for this title match with Marcel Cerdan. In the undercard, Basilio appeared to have knocked Johnny Clemons of Baltimore, (Carmen kept facing fighters from Baltimore), cold at the end of the second round but he was “saved by the bell” and Carmen had to do it again in the third round.
On June 7th Kid Gavilan knocked out Cliff Hart in the second round in a card staged at McArthur Stadium before a crowd of 6,000 people. Gavilan “looked like the finest piece of fighting machine to hit this town in many years.” He “barely worked up a sweat in disposing of Hart”. But “the most convincing- and surprising knockout of the night was put over by Carmen Basilio, Canastota’s gift to the paid punching industry. Basilio seemed to have met a tartar in Johnny Cunningham of Baltimore who gave Carmen all he could handle in the first round. At the bell starting the second round, Basilio raced from his corner, threw a terrific left hook and floored Cunningham. The Baltimore battler got up but Basilio caught him with a right hand from which he didn’t get up. Carmen had been announced to be fighting Joe Locash of Utica, “his toughest foe to date” but Cunningham was substituted, (was Joe low on cash?)
On July 12, Willie Pep headlined a card at McArthur Stadium, outpointing Jean Mougin of Paris in a dull non-title bout that drew the boos of the crowd. Carmen, who had been a sparing and roadwork partner of Mougin’s, scored a second round stoppage of Jesse Bradshaw, “a Toledo Negro”. He knocked him down at the start of the second and was “punching at will” when the referee stopped it, although some fans thought it was too early. Basilio’s opponent had been announced as “Charley Watkins” of Cleveland, who may have thought better of climbing into the ring with Carmen. Watkins was another “toughest foe yet”, a former Golden Gloves champ but he must have been scratched for some reason.
A July 17th filler on the front page says that Carmen will be fighting Sammy Daniels in Utica the following Thursday and “seeking his 18th victory in 19 pro bouts”. (Actually, he was 11-1-2 at that point, according to the Ring Record Book & Roxrec.com.) On July 21st, Carmen headed a card for the first time when he took on Daniels, still another Baltimore fighter, in Utica and won an 8 round decision. The bout was not described by the local paper.
On August 17th, Carmen again took on Johnny Cunningham in a “semi-wind-up” to a Joey DeJohn card. In those days, when certain fighters seemed to have styles that made of exciting fights, promoters would match them repeatedly: you didn’t have the “one and done” concept that prevails now, where if you beat someone, why should you have to do it again? The two men had fought to a split decision, (won by Johnny), in Utica over 8 rounds on 8/2 and both agreed to an immediate rematch, in which Carmen won the decision with two knockdowns in the third round. Cunningham stands as the first real rival Carmen Basilio had in his professional career and he wound up going 2-1-1 with a knockout against the “Baltimore Battler”.
DeJohn was fighting the popular Lou Sala of Stan Musial’s home town of Donora, Pa, who would bring 1,000 fans with him, Gerry McNamara-style. This one was held at the ballpark with an expected crowd of 15,000, “the largest crowd to watch any sporting event in Upstate New York, with the exception of a few annual football classics.” Carmen was described as “an up and coming Syracuse welterweight and one of the best prospects upstate”.
One September 7th, Carmen rated a picture in the paper for the second time, (one that would be used repeatedly, a full shot of a determined looking Basilio squaring off against the cameraman), as his manager announced he was ready for main event fighters like Ross Virgo and Cliff Hart and that his hand had healed from the fourth Cunningham fight. However, he was again on the undercard that night in Rochester as he beat Tony DiPelino in an 8 round decision. The paper said it was his 19th win but the RRB & Boxrec say it was #14.
Carmen ended the year by beating Jackie Parker via a 3rd round knockout at the Coliseum. It was another undercard fight, the main event seeing Omelio Agramonte, a Cuban “stablemate” of Gavilian’s beating Johnny Flynn, a Rochester heavyweight, (not a Buffalo point guard).Carmen had a “surprisingly tough battle” and Parker “held him even in the first round and got in some lusty punches”. But the “Canastota Walloper” did some “sharpshooting” in the second round and soon had Parker bleeding from both eyes and his mouth. Parker didn’t come out for the third round.
Finding opponents for Carmen became tougher. Fights were announced for Sammy Angott and Jimmy Sanders but never came off, the former because Angott lost his license and the later because Carmen got hurt. If it had come off, the Angott fight would have been Carmen’s first against a world champion, as Sammy had been the lightweight champ in the early 40’s. But that had been a long time ago….
Carmen was considered for a fight in Miami vs. Tony Pellone or a fight against local “Golden Boy” Cliff Hart for the “welterweight championship of the district”, but both bouts fell through, Hart’s because he’d decided to retire. Bill Reddy commented that this was a probably a break for Carmen for, although “Carmen is a comer, Cliff’s experience might have been too much for the Canastota clouter”. According to the RRB & Boxrec, Carmen’s career record heading in the 1950’s stood at 15-2-2 with 10 knockouts. Basilio later told Bud Poliquin that for his 15 bouts in 1949, he earned a total of $1,305.00.
Six days later, “A flashing left hook to the jaw, landing just as the bell ended the first round, sent Ernie Hall to the canvas….Hall was dragged to his corner and partially revived between rounds but he was still groggy as the second round started. Basilio battered him apparently helpless, Referee Jack Millcich stopped it as Hall slumped to the floor.” It was the undercard of a Cliff Hart bout at the Coliseum.
On 2/19, Basilio decisioned Luke Jordan, (“Randy” Jordan, according to the paper), in his first appearance in Rochester. The paper said that Carmen knocked out a fighter named Jimmy Drain on a Cliff Hart undercard at the Coliseum on March 18. “Clouting Carmen Basilio, now fighting as a Syracusean, punched the stuffing out of Jimmy Drain….knocked down by a long left at the beginning of the first round, Carmen went tearing back into Drain viciously. He had the Clevelander down twice before the end of the round and nearly punched his head off throughout the second and again in the third round.” The RRB has no bout on 3/18 but has Carmen knocking out ‘Jerry’ Drain in three on May 8th. I guess the paper was clairvoyant. (Boxrec.com agrees with the paper.) Later, in an article about the first Sugar Ray Robinson fight, it was noted that the only time Carmen had ever been down was against Jerry Drain, although Carmen claimed it was slip. Nevertheless, the ref had begun a count. Boxrec says “Basilio was knocked down in the first round but floored Drain twice before the end of the first.” That sounds like quite a round. It lists that as Drain’s only fight. I guess he’d had enough of boxing after taking on Carmen Basilio.
Carmen got his picture in the paper for the first time on 4/12, hyping his 4/20 bout against Elliott Throop at the Coliseum. Before taking on Throop, Basilio sparred with Joey DeJohn’s next opponent, a middleweight named Randy Brown, and left “a big impression”. He left a bigger impression on Throop, who “had the reach and lots of ambition until Basilio landed a murderous left uppercut that lifted the Detroiter inches off of his feet and deposited him back on the mat for a full count.” It was a one round KO.
There was a 6 round loss to Connie Thies, Carmen’s first professional defeat, on 5/2/49, in Rochester. The local paper had no mention of it. Youmans says Thies was “more experienced” and that the decision was a close one.
On May 18th, Jake LaMotta knocked out Joey DeJohn in 8 rounds at the Coliseum, before a crowd of nearly 5,500, in a tune-up for this title match with Marcel Cerdan. In the undercard, Basilio appeared to have knocked Johnny Clemons of Baltimore, (Carmen kept facing fighters from Baltimore), cold at the end of the second round but he was “saved by the bell” and Carmen had to do it again in the third round.
On June 7th Kid Gavilan knocked out Cliff Hart in the second round in a card staged at McArthur Stadium before a crowd of 6,000 people. Gavilan “looked like the finest piece of fighting machine to hit this town in many years.” He “barely worked up a sweat in disposing of Hart”. But “the most convincing- and surprising knockout of the night was put over by Carmen Basilio, Canastota’s gift to the paid punching industry. Basilio seemed to have met a tartar in Johnny Cunningham of Baltimore who gave Carmen all he could handle in the first round. At the bell starting the second round, Basilio raced from his corner, threw a terrific left hook and floored Cunningham. The Baltimore battler got up but Basilio caught him with a right hand from which he didn’t get up. Carmen had been announced to be fighting Joe Locash of Utica, “his toughest foe to date” but Cunningham was substituted, (was Joe low on cash?)
On July 12, Willie Pep headlined a card at McArthur Stadium, outpointing Jean Mougin of Paris in a dull non-title bout that drew the boos of the crowd. Carmen, who had been a sparing and roadwork partner of Mougin’s, scored a second round stoppage of Jesse Bradshaw, “a Toledo Negro”. He knocked him down at the start of the second and was “punching at will” when the referee stopped it, although some fans thought it was too early. Basilio’s opponent had been announced as “Charley Watkins” of Cleveland, who may have thought better of climbing into the ring with Carmen. Watkins was another “toughest foe yet”, a former Golden Gloves champ but he must have been scratched for some reason.
A July 17th filler on the front page says that Carmen will be fighting Sammy Daniels in Utica the following Thursday and “seeking his 18th victory in 19 pro bouts”. (Actually, he was 11-1-2 at that point, according to the Ring Record Book & Roxrec.com.) On July 21st, Carmen headed a card for the first time when he took on Daniels, still another Baltimore fighter, in Utica and won an 8 round decision. The bout was not described by the local paper.
On August 17th, Carmen again took on Johnny Cunningham in a “semi-wind-up” to a Joey DeJohn card. In those days, when certain fighters seemed to have styles that made of exciting fights, promoters would match them repeatedly: you didn’t have the “one and done” concept that prevails now, where if you beat someone, why should you have to do it again? The two men had fought to a split decision, (won by Johnny), in Utica over 8 rounds on 8/2 and both agreed to an immediate rematch, in which Carmen won the decision with two knockdowns in the third round. Cunningham stands as the first real rival Carmen Basilio had in his professional career and he wound up going 2-1-1 with a knockout against the “Baltimore Battler”.
DeJohn was fighting the popular Lou Sala of Stan Musial’s home town of Donora, Pa, who would bring 1,000 fans with him, Gerry McNamara-style. This one was held at the ballpark with an expected crowd of 15,000, “the largest crowd to watch any sporting event in Upstate New York, with the exception of a few annual football classics.” Carmen was described as “an up and coming Syracuse welterweight and one of the best prospects upstate”.
One September 7th, Carmen rated a picture in the paper for the second time, (one that would be used repeatedly, a full shot of a determined looking Basilio squaring off against the cameraman), as his manager announced he was ready for main event fighters like Ross Virgo and Cliff Hart and that his hand had healed from the fourth Cunningham fight. However, he was again on the undercard that night in Rochester as he beat Tony DiPelino in an 8 round decision. The paper said it was his 19th win but the RRB & Boxrec say it was #14.
Carmen ended the year by beating Jackie Parker via a 3rd round knockout at the Coliseum. It was another undercard fight, the main event seeing Omelio Agramonte, a Cuban “stablemate” of Gavilian’s beating Johnny Flynn, a Rochester heavyweight, (not a Buffalo point guard).Carmen had a “surprisingly tough battle” and Parker “held him even in the first round and got in some lusty punches”. But the “Canastota Walloper” did some “sharpshooting” in the second round and soon had Parker bleeding from both eyes and his mouth. Parker didn’t come out for the third round.
Finding opponents for Carmen became tougher. Fights were announced for Sammy Angott and Jimmy Sanders but never came off, the former because Angott lost his license and the later because Carmen got hurt. If it had come off, the Angott fight would have been Carmen’s first against a world champion, as Sammy had been the lightweight champ in the early 40’s. But that had been a long time ago….
Carmen was considered for a fight in Miami vs. Tony Pellone or a fight against local “Golden Boy” Cliff Hart for the “welterweight championship of the district”, but both bouts fell through, Hart’s because he’d decided to retire. Bill Reddy commented that this was a probably a break for Carmen for, although “Carmen is a comer, Cliff’s experience might have been too much for the Canastota clouter”. According to the RRB & Boxrec, Carmen’s career record heading in the 1950’s stood at 15-2-2 with 10 knockouts. Basilio later told Bud Poliquin that for his 15 bouts in 1949, he earned a total of $1,305.00.
