February 10, 1933: Boxing’s Monster, Primo Carnera, Kills Opponent! - History and Headlines February 10, 1933: Boxing’s Monster, Primo Carnera, Kills Opponent! 94 Comments A Brief History On February 10, 1933, Primo Carnera, a heavyweight boxer called “The Monster” by Time Magazine, dealt Ernie Schaaf fatal blows during a boxing match in New York City. The hapless Schaaf died 4 days after the match. Digging Deeper Digging deeper, we find Carnera as the heaviest heavyweight boxing champion of his day (a record held until 2005) and at 6’7″ (an exaggeration by an inch and a half), also listed as the tallest (again until 2005 when Nikolay Valuev won a title). Also known as the “Ambling Alp,” Carnera was an Italian fighter who was dogged his entire career by allegations of being under mob control and fighting in fixed matches.

Fixed or not, Carnera won 89 of 103 fights and won the world heavyweight championship 4 months after the Schaaf fight, defeating the reigning champion Jack Sharkey. Unfortunately for Primo, his own reign was to last just under a year, as Max Baer took his crown on his third try after two successful defenses by Carnera. An interesting note, the son of Max Baer, Max Baer Jr., played the strapping, but not too smart character of Jethro Bodine on the 1960’s television show The Beverly Hillbillies. Boxing’s giant strongman was KO’d by diabetes and kidney disease in 1938 and had to retire from boxing when he had a kidney removed. Still active in other fields, Carnera acted in many films and became a well-known professional wrestler, serving as long-time champ.

Some of the interesting roles Carnera played on film include parts in Mighty Joe Young (1949), where he plays tug of war with the big ape, The Lady and the Prizefighter (1933), which also featured Myrna Loy and his future usurper Max Baer, and Hercules Unchained (1959), in which he played a giant, also his last role. Films and references in films were also made that resembled Carnera’s life (sometimes loosely), notably television’s Requiem for a Heavyweight (1956), Cinderella Man (2005) and Carnera: The Walking Mountain (2008). In 1956, a film adaptation of the 1947 book The Harder They Fall about a fighter whose fights were rigged was made. It was reminiscent enough of Carnera that he sued the movie company but lost. More recently, in 2010 the rock band Yeasayer released the song “Ambling Alp” on their Odd Blood album in reference to Carnera.

One of the more cracked episodes of Carnera’s career took place in 1941 when Benito Mussolini, the Italian Fascist dictator, had Carnera filmed boxing a black African prisoner of war in order to show Italian racial superiority. The 6’3” Zulu, who had no boxing experience, knocked out Carnera instead! Primo Carnera died in Italy in 1967, aged only 60 years, probably of kidney failure. Plagued by diabetes most of his life, “The Monster,” according to a press release by Jeremy Schapp, also ate like a monster, knocking down “a quart of orange juice, two quarts of milk, nineteen pieces of toast, fourteen eggs, a loaf of bread and half a pound of Virginia Ham” for breakfast! Well, they do say breakfast is the most important meal… Historical Evidence For more information, please see… [AMAZONPRODUCTS asin=”097083716X, B002W1UIUM, 0786448105″] And for more of the worst moments in boxing’s history, please see this list .

Share story Major Dan is a retired veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He served during the Cold War. MB I found this article to very interesting. I’m glad to see that after he got defeated by diabetes and getting a kidney removed he was a well known professional wrestler. I also am glad he didn’t let that stop him from doing anything. I never seen any of the movies he participated in. HLM I found this to be an interesting article. I am a little surprised he was still able to fight after dealing a fatal blow blow to an opponent, a lot of boxers are not able to continue to fight on after that. It was nice to see that he had a variety of interests and talents, not just boxing! BY Omg! This guy could eat ALOT. I am also glad that just because he had a disease he didn’t let it get him down. A very interesting article. Stephanie Hodgson The thing that stuck out the most to me was the amount that this guy could eat! 19 pieces of toast and 14 eggs and not to mention the half pound of ham is a crazy amount of food. MO I am glad to see that he did not let diabetes or his kidney issues keep him down.

89/103 matches is impressive but I find it interesting that Benito Mussolini had him fight with an African POW to show Italian superiority yet the POW won the match. Katlyn Denissoff Carnera was a huge guy, which was a huge advantage for his career in fighting. I can’t believe the amount of fights he has done throughout his career and the majority of them he had won. Even after having issues with his kidney and having diabetes he still achieved his goals. I thought this article was very inspiring to teach someone to fight for something they want and to never give up. cwank Not only is his record impressive but his diet is as well. Also interesting that a POW beat him in a boxing match. Too bad his health issues hit or who knows what else he would have accomplished. HB I didn’t know someone could eat so much and be so driven! J Green His breakfast is insane. I didn’t know someone could eat that much and then go out and workout. He is incredibly driven and that is a quality for someone to have. Jessica Savage This was an interesting article and I think that the most interesting part was the African America who KO’d Carnera with no previous boxing experience.

He also has a very impressive record both in film and in boxing. Sarah Guenther Wow! I have never heard of someone eating that much. Interesting to see how motivated and driven he was! merl1 Are all of your comments written by bots or sockpuppets? Sadie Zegarac I thought this article was very interesting. I liked how the Zulu was able to defeat him and show everyone that he was not inferior to the Italians. C Majzun I find this article extremely interesting. I love historical boxing stories and I never knew that Primo Carnera killed someone. I’ve never seen the movies about him, but his story makes me think of Raging Bull with Robert DeNiro. Morgan Wade This is a neat article – it’s cool that even when he couldn’t box anymore he went to a new career with acting. Also, like others have said, it’s insane that he could eat that much, just for one meal! Murph Dog It is understandable that he no longer fought after what had happened, that would be challenging to deal with. But he definitely lived an interesting life and was an interesting article to read.

kelseysherman The most shocking part of this article is that he actually killed one of his opponents! That is crazy. Owen It seemed like this guy lived a pretty interesting life inside the ring and outside. It sucks that he had to give up boxing so early it sounded like he had a good career a head of him. I also think the breakfast thing was impressive. Natalyn B This was pretty interesting. He had a pretty unique life. Also, is breakfast is crazy! Madison Wright I enjoyed the story. I don’t blame him for giving up boxing. Autumn Harmon I thought this article was cool because we are able to see someone accomplish there dreams and not let their problems get in the way. Even though breakfast is the most important meal of the day, they do not need to eat all that like that’s crazy. Donny G I found this article interesting. First and foremost the fact that he actually killed a man from the injuries he gave him in a sanctioned boxing match. The man was not only a monster in the ring but when it came to eating too, maybe that is why diabetes took control the demise of his life. JHanna This shows the dangers of boxing and how taxing it can be on one’s body.

He reminds me of Ivan Drago from Rocky IV. Jessie Richter I found this article interesting because he never gave up no matter what life threw at him. I also found it crazy that someone could eat that much for just one meal. AT I thought this article was very interesting. It amazed me how much he can eat! This guy seems like a good inspiration to many who want to follow their dreams. Halee Heironimus This was an interesting article. He was a crazy boxer that didn’t let his problems get in the way. Kinda inspirational. Bricker Carnera ate like a horse and was quite a fighter. It was sad that a boxer died by his hand. All of that eating probably gave him diabetes. At least, he had some kind of career after his boxing career ended. jprokay i think that it was very cool that the boxer would not let things stop him. most people do not have that kind of commitment. someone to definitely someone to look up to. Sam Knox I actually had heard of this prior to reading the article! Primo Carnera was the original beast of boxing and was someone that no one during this time would really want to fight unless the money was right.

Even then, id be scared to get killed (LITERALLY)! E DiPasquale I had no idea he was tied into the movie Cinderella Man…such a great film. His titles and accomplishments are pretty impressive, however I’ve never understood the point of this “sport” and am not surprised to hear about his health complications. Luckily he eventually stopped fighting and didn’t die from a fight, unlike his unlucky opponent. Poor guy. DDI This guy was an absolute tank- look up the science behind the force needed to kill an individual ibn the ring. Beast. Gabriel M Looks like the mob ordered a hit. NP This was pretty interesting. I wonder if he had used any type of steroid or other growth hormone. Considering the time, it probably wasn’t any safe, and it might be the reason he ended up with diabetes and kidney failures. Even with the “mob ties” he still seems like he was an incredible boxer on his own. Alex Arendec I wish I grew up in a time where boxing was as widely followed as it was back in the 1920s and 1930s. The fact that this mammoth of a man was nicknamed “The Monster” doesn’t surprise me.

It is ironic that Carnera did indeed get KO’ed by a Zulu man, foiling the attempt of Mussolini to show white Italian supremacy. It just would have been better if Mussolini would have been KO’ed instead! Cori Anter Although Primo Carnera was mighty in size and was a successful fighter, it seems as though he was not the most outstanding character. From an early point in his career there was speculation of his character, linking him to mob ties and here say of fixed fights. As the years progressed and he began his era in the film industry, there was a movie made negatively portraying his so-called “rigged fights”. One would think when individuals are so deeply focusing on the history of one man, he would not give them greater reason to look back on him in history with mainly negative words. Rather than aiding in the message of Italian supremacy that Mussolini wanted to portray, and unfortunately for himself being KO’D instead, Carnera should have ended his career with a bit of his dignity and goodwill left intact. DC When reading this it made me wonder if Carnera had a family history of tall people or if he was the first and only who was that big.

Regardless his fighting record is awesome, to win that many fights is pretty great. Ahmed Alnassar He is interesting to read about. i wouldn’t mind learning more about him Yasser Alkhayal Nowadays, athletes are well protected by creating great insurance policies + the emergency service that protect players as well. Unlike in 1930s where hospitals and these services are limited. Emmaline K What a sad way to die, participating in a sport that you, presumably, love. MB I feel like he was a very inspirational person, he never gave up through thick or thin Danielle This article should’ve contained more information about the fight. What injuries ultimately caused Schaaf’s death, etc? Major Dan The article was meant to be more about Carnera than Schaaf. Schaaf had been knocked out by Max Baer in a previous fight and probably suffered brain damage that led to his fatal injury when Carnera knocked him out. I don’t know what his actual medical cause of death was, but almost assuredly it had something to do with bleeding on the brain. Schaaf was taken to a hospital where surgery was attempted, obviously unsuccessful. Video of the fight is available at several sources online.

Amber Moore As soon as I opened the article, I just thought of Apollo Creed and the Russian Drago from one of the Rocky movies, since Drago ended up killing Apollo in the match. Boxing is a very menacing sport. Carnera might have received kidney damage from his fights. It’s like they have an addiction and even though it beats them up, they can’t stop. Meghan R I expected more about the fight of the fatal blows, not as much background. Sarah G I was interesting to learn about Carnera, however, I would have like to learn more about the fight and the death of Schaaf. KC This was informative and interesting, but I would have liked to know more about the fight and the injuries. Diana N Reading the headline, I expected the article to be more about the actual fight than Carnera’s background. It was interesting nonetheless. Raquel F It is interesting that Carnera acted in many movies. Brett Nagy I have heard about this before. It is amazing that now with fighting such as the UFC there have not been more instances of death. Austin Miko This was an interesting read, but I would have liked to learn a little more about the fight.

Nicole Z This was a sad way to die. I think there should have been more information about the fight. I thought the background was interesting but I wanted more than that. Erika Grumbach It’s insane to hear someone died in one of these fights! I have seen a lot of UFC fights working at a sports bar, but I have never seen anyone get that hurt. Colton M Sometimes freak accidents happen and other times referees need to stop the fight before it gets out of hand. Sabrina Peelman I have never liked boxing and this article defiantly makes me hate it more Melody Ortiz i never knew much about any boxers, i do not watch it at all. it was cool to learn of how much films this boxer was in. which there was more on the fight though pw I have never heard of this man. I think his story is interesting and would be cool to watch a movie about him AM As a fan of boxing I found this interesting. My ex-boyfriend was a boxer and now boxes at a university here in Ohio so I definitely understand the risks that come with this sport.

Allison Lester I question whether the officials/refs within the match could have helped prevent Schaaf’s death, but at the same time stress the fact that one must understand the consequences and pain within a boxing career. I have mixed feelings about this topic but Schaaf ultimately made the decision to become a boxer in the first place so he had to have personally knew what he was getting himself into. -ACL MM I would’ve never imagined that there was someone aside from Ali that would go down in History. This man was a beast winning 89 out of his 103 fights. I felt bad for whoever didn’t beat him! MT I have never heard about this man. It is really interesting to learn about him. EK I cannot believe this actually happened! I knew people were injured in boxing but I had no idea it could be taken to this extent. Jordin Vidmar A lot of my family is really into boxing. I have never heard of this man before, so I think that they would enjoy this story as much as I did. Diana Minich I am not a fan of boxing. Getting hit in the head or gut can not be good for your health. I wonder how many suffer with brain injuries.

Kayla Fox I do not think that the risks of boxing are as well advertised as they should be. It is dangerous and to each their own, but I do not see the enjoyment in hurting each other until someone taps out! Lydia Ott Primo is not a boxer that I have ever heard of, but to kill you opponent would make me fearful to ever fight someone again. Boxing is such a brutal sport that you would have to be very aggressive, competitive, and fearless to participate. Jennifer Maurer I’ve never heard of Carnera. My grandfather loved boxing and learned to box when he was in the Navy. I would love to have the chance to ask him if he ever knew of him. Lessie Parish I have never heard of Carnera before. I find it interesting that someone could eat nineteen pieces of toast and fourteen eggs! I also find it funny that he ended up getting knocked out by someone who had no boxing experience in an attempt to show he was superior. Dakota Zimmerman This fight and character of Carnera reminds me of the character in pulp fiction.

i wonder if this is where the inspiration comes from to the boxing character Natalie antonio The fight of Carnera was something that I’ve never heard of before, so I found this article quite interesting. I also found his killer appetite interesting as well, I can’t imagine eating 14 pieces of toast, as well as 14 eggs! Taylor Young I have never heard of the fight of Carnera until I have read this article. His appetite is quite surprising but for what he did I can imagine why he ate as much as he did! Elizabeth Bon This was an interesting article. I have never heard of this man but sounds like he was very large, especially for that day and age. Ben McClay I have never watched any of the the movies that Carnera starred in. One thing that struck out to me is that this boxer was 6’7″. I am around 6’7″ and understand that I have limited upper body strength but would have “swinging,” advantage as a boxer. Alyssa Hanes Usually when I think of a boxer, I think of someone that is short and very muscular. It would be cool to see someone as tall as Carnera at 6’7″!

It’s crazy that a man was killed in a boxing match, I feel like the risks of boxing are never really looked at, mainly just the intensity. Kala Strong I have always seen boxing as an entertaining sport. It is cool to see a boxer that does not fix the stereotypical build of a boxer. I would be interested to watch one of his movies. Brandon Wagner I thought I ate a lot, but apparently not compared to the quart of orange juice, two quarts of milk, nineteen pieces of toast, fourteen eggs, a loaf of bread and half a pound of Virginia Ham Carnera ate for breakfast. Audrey Manahan Boxing is such a dangerous sport, and takes a lot of wear and tear on the body. I am always curious as to what these guys feel like after a match, and obviously his opponent was not feeling well as he died four days after their match. Shannon Read Boxing has been known as being very dangerous, and it did not surprise me that someone was killed. It is surprising that they did not notice that he was not feeling well after the match. Interesting article. Shuling He I am curious about why people would like to join this dangerous sport. for money or for honor?

Jingshan Jiang Boxing is a stirring sport game. In addition, it is a very dangerous as Shannon mentioned. Primo Carnera as a boxing monster killed others on the boxing range. From here, we can prove that it is so dangerous. Lori Caudill The sport of boxing puzzles me. Many sporting associations have implemented regulations for the participants safety. How is it that boxing matches still occur? Rose Jepson 6’7 seems very tall for a boxer! Boxing, although entertaining, is one of the most dangerous sports and can be life-threatening unfortunately. Does anyone believe boxing should be ridded of because of the harm it can cause? Daina Thomas Boxing is a very dangerous sport that I would never want to be in or watch. I’m not sure why anyone would want to do it. Breanna Beckley I thought this article was an interesting read, but I would have liked to learn a little more about the fight. Travis Tarnowski I enjoy boxing and watching it. It is a dangerous sport and for someone to be as tall as he was could be good, but also bad!

AA I enjoyed learning about Carnera and how much he ate along with losing to an African prisoner of war who had no boxing experience! Michaela Ping Boxing as a sport intimidates me because it seems so violent. William D’Emilio my cousin told me..primo once held me in one hand.. I was about 2 or 3 so it was not a great effort..he was a friend of my uncle’s..my grandma used to watch him wrestle on tv and cheer while cooking in kitchen..it was my job to run back and forth to the living room and report on the struggle as she labored LF Wow…glad that there are limitations and better rules today to make this sport more safe. Kristin Fellure Some sports used to be pretty brutal, almost similar to games in a roman Colosseum,football was played with no protection besides a leather cap. I’m glad the government is there to protect us.

ES Primo Carnera, Boxer • Biography & Facts Primo Carnera Boxer Primo Carnera (Italian pronunciation: [ˈprimo karˈnɛra]; October 26, 1906 – June 29, 1967), nicknamed the Ambling Alp, was an Italian professional boxer and the World Heavyweight Champion from June 29, 1933 to June 14, 1934. Primo Carnera - famous Heavyweight boxing star born in Italy Primo Carnera Height : 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in) Weighted At : Heavyweight Stance : Orthodox Reach : 216 cm (85 in) Primo Carnera, nicknamed the Ambling Alp, was an Italian professional boxer and the World Heavyweight Champion from June 29, 1933 to June 14, 1934. Primo Carnera won 120 straight wrestling matches (119-0-1) before suffering his first defeat to Yvon Robert in Montreal, Canada, on August 20, 1947.

Carnera's biggest victory was on December 7, 1947 when he defeated former world heavyweight champion Ed "Strangler" Lewis. RELATED BOXERS Primo Carnera | Boxing Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit Born in Sequals , then in the Province of Udine , now in the Province of Pordenone , Friuli-Venezia Giulia ( Italy ), Carnera was touted in America as being 6' 7" tall and thus the tallest heavyweight in history (up until that time), but he was actually 6′ 5½″ tall (197 cm). [1] He fought at as much as 275 pounds (Bad rounding hereScript error kg),. [2] Until December 19, 2005, when the 7' 1", 147 kg Nikolay Valuev won the WBA title, Jess Willard who stood 6' 6½" was the tallest champion in boxing history.

At a time when the average height in Italy was approximately 5 ft 5 in (Script error m) and in the United States 5 ft 8 in (Script error m), [3] Carnera was considered a giant. Though an inch shorter than Willard, he was around 40 lbs heavier and was the heaviest champion before Valuev in boxing history. He enjoyed a sizable reach advantage over most rivals, and when seen on fight footage, he seems like a towering giant compared to many heavyweights of his era, who were usually at least 60 pounds (27 kg) lighter and 7 inches (18 cm) shorter. One publicity release about him read in part: "For breakfast, Primo has a quart of orange juice, two quarts of milk, nineteen pieces of toast, fourteen eggs, a loaf of bread and half a pound of Virginia ham ." [4] His size earned him the nickname "The Ambling Alp." Time Magazine called him "The Monster".

Boxing career File:Primo Carnera silent newsreel 1933.ogv September 12, 1928 was the date of Carnera's first professional fight, against Leon Sebilo , in Paris . Carnera won by knockout in round two. He won his first six bouts, then lost to Franz Diener by disqualification in round one at Leipzig . Then, he won seven more bouts in a row before meeting Young Stribling . He and Stribling exchanged disqualification wins, Carnera winning the first in four rounds, and Stribling winning the rematch in round seven. In Carnera's next bout he avenged his defeat to Diener with a knockout in round six. In 1930, he moved to the United States, where he toured extensively, winning his first seventeen bouts there by knockout. George Godfrey broke the streak in Philadelphia by disqualification in the fifth round. Carnera lost a decision to Jim Maloney in Boston to finish 1930.

In 1932, Carnera faced the tallest heavyweight in history up to that point, Santa Camarão , a 6' 9" Portuguese fighter who was 31⁄2" taller. Carnera won the fight in a 6th-round decision 1933 was one of the most important years in Carnera's life. On February 10, he knocked out Ernie Schaaf in thirteen rounds in New York City . Schaaf died two days later. For his next fight, Carnera faced the world heavyweight champion Jack Sharkey . The championship date was June 29, at the Madison Square Garden Bowl at Long Island . Carnera became world champion by knocking out Sharkey in round six. The fight came under the eye of fans and sportswriters alike when the uppercut that KO'd Sharkey was believed not to have landed. Rumours of a mob fix were brought up causing some to maintain Sharkey threw the fight.

He retained the title against Paulino Uzcudun (who was attempting to become the first Basque world heavyweight champion) and Tommy Loughran , both by decision in 15 rounds, but in his next fight on June 14, 1934 against Max Baer , Carnera was knocked down 11 times and was defeated in 11 rounds. After that, Carnera won his next four fights, three of them as part of a South American tour that took him to Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, as well as two exhibitions in the southern American continent. But then, in his next fight of importance, on June 25, 1935, he was knocked out in six rounds by Joe Louis , who would become world heavyweight champion in 1937. For the next two and a half years, he had a rather ordinary record, winning 5 and losing 3 of 8 total fights. But in 1938, Carnera, a diabetic , had to have a kidney removed, which forced him into retirement until 1944.

In 1941, Carnera was hand-picked by Mussolini to take part in a propaganda film in North Africa. In order "to prove the inferiority of Negro race" a boxing match was set up between Carnera and a 6 foot 3 inch Zulu POW by the name of Kay Masaki. Even though Masaki had no boxing experience, he went on to knock Carnera unconscious with one punch. [5] Alleged mob influence Edit Carnera's manager, Lou Soresi , stole much of Carnera's money and left him nearly broke. Because of Soresi's connection to mobster Owney Madden , it has always been speculated across the boxing world that most of Carnera's fights were fixed. The book East Side, West Side: Tales of New York Sporting Life 1910-1960 took the rumors a step further, stating that "Most of the Italian giant's opponents were pushovers, paid to take a dive or too frightened to stand up for three minutes in a row". Jack Sharkey himself had to deny rumors about him taking a dive in his world championship fight with Carnera, swearing that he had not.

The rumors dogging Carnera started early in his career, after he arrived in the United States. Underworld figures began to exert control over boxing in New York in the period after the 1927 defeat of longtime champ Jack Dempsey by Gene Tunney , who retired from prizefighting after beating Dempsey in a 1928 rematch. From 1930 to 1933, the world heavyweight title was held by Max Schmeling and Jack Sharkey . Madden's lieutenants, by manipulating Carnera's early fights, were able to manufacture a sterling record that gave him a shot at the heavyweight title. According to boxing historian Herbert Goldman, Carnera was "very much mob controlled." [6] Carnera met his first serious heavyweight contender, Young Stribling , in 1929, and won when Stribling fouled him. In a rematch, he fouled Stribling. His 1930 fight against California club fighter Bombo Chevalier in Emeryville was considered fixed, and Carnera was banned from fighting in California.

[7] His 1930 match against George Godfrey was controversial as Godfrey was disqualified in the sixth round when he was clearly getting the better of Carnera. [8] Time Magazine , in an October 5, 1931 cover story on Carnera before he won the heavyweight title, commented on his odd career. "Since his arrival in the U. S., backed by a group of prosperous but shady entrepreneurs, Carnera's career has been less glorious than fantastic. His first opponents—Big Boy Peterson, Elzear Rioux, Cowboy Owens—were known to be incompetent but their feeble opposition to Carnera suggested that they had been bribed to lose. Suspicion concerning the Monster's abilities became almost universal when another adversary, Bombo Chevalier, stated that one of his own seconds had threatened to kill him unless he lost to Carnera. Against the huge, lazy, amiable Negro George Godfrey (249 lb.), he won on a foul. But only one of 33 U. S. opponents has defeated Monster Carnera—fat, slovenly Jimmy Maloney, whom Sharkey beat five years ago.

In a return fight, at Miami last March, Carnera managed to outpoint Maloney." Movie career Edit Carnera appeared in a short film in 1931 and had a role as himself in 1933 movie The Prizefighter and the Lady , which starred Max Baer and Myrna Loy . (Baer took the heavyweight crown from Carnera the year after the movie's release.) He appeared in many Italian films in the period of 1939 to 1942 and returned to Hollywood for a bit part as himself in Mighty Joe Young (1949). Back in the city of the stars, he acted in a number of movies. His later role in the 1955 British film A Kid for Two Farthings was critically acclaimed. Attempted comeback and wrestling career Edit In 1945, he attempted a comeback to boxing, and he won his first 2 fights. But after losing to Luigi Musina 3 times in a row, he quit boxing for good. Carnera's record was 89 wins and 14 losses.

His 72 wins by knockout made him a member of the exclusive club of boxers that won 50 or more bouts by knockout. In 1946, he became a professional wrestler and was immediately a huge success at the box office. For a few years he was one of the top draws in wrestling. Carnera continued to be an attraction into the 1960s. Max Baer refereed at least one of his wrestling matches. [9] Carnera wrestled from 1946 to 1962. He won his debut on August 22, 1946 when he defeated Tommy O'Toole in California. On October 23, 1946, Carnera won his 41st consecutive wrestling match by defeating Jules Strongbow . On November 19, 1946, Carnera beat Harry Kruskamp to remain undefeated at 65-0-0. Primo Carnera won 120 straight wrestling matches (119-0-1) before suffering his first defeat to Yvon Robert in Montreal, Canada on August 20, 1947.

Carnera's biggest victory was on December 7, 1947 when he defeated former world heavyweight champion Ed "Strangler" Lewis . In May 1948, Carnera took a 143-1-1 record against world heavyweight champion Lou Thesz . Thesz defeated Carnera in a world title defense. In Ring Magazine , August 1962, page 38, Carnera "flattened" Ox Anderson in a heavyweight wrestling match in Los Angeles, California. Carnera's wrestling career came to an end in October 1962. On October 17, he lost to Jess Ortega in Los Angeles, and on October 25 Carnera lost to The Destroyer. Following these losses Carnera retired from wrestling. Personal life Edit On March 13, 1939, Carnera married Giuseppina Kovacic (whose surname was changed to "Cavazzi" due to the Fascist regime). In 1953 they became American citizens. They settled in Los Angeles , where Carnera opened a restaurant and a liquor store. They had two children, one of whom became a medical doctor.

Carnera died in 1967 in his native town of a combination of liver disease and complications from diabetes. Movies Edit Carnera during his championship reign played a fictional version of himself in the 1933 film The Prizefighter and the Lady starring Max Baer and Myrna Loy . In the film, he plays the heavyweight champion who barely holds onto his title with a draw decision after a wild fight with Baer. The film, ironically, was made just the year before Carnera fought Baer for real, in a bout that was as wild as the film version, but ended with a KO loss for Carnera. The movie Carnera: The Walking Mountain , directed by Italian director Renzo Martinelli , is the story of Primo Carnera's life, with Carnera's role played by Andrea Iaia . The world premiere of the movie [1] took place on April 22, 2008 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Carnera had a non-speaking bit part in the 1949 movie Mighty Joe Young . He played himself in the tug-of-war scene with the giant gorilla.

After being pulled by the ape into a pool of water, Carnera throws a couple of futile punches to Joe's chin. He also played a bully boy wrestler in Carol Reed's film A Kid for Two Farthings (1955) based around London's Petticoat Lane Market where he has a match against a local bodybuilder who is getting married to Diana Dors . Primo also appeared in at least 10 Italian films between 1939 and 1943, [10] as well as several in the 1950s, like Prince Valiant , [11] in the role of Sligon. His last screen role was as the giant Antaeus alongside Steve Reeves in Hercules Unchained (USA Title, filmed in Italy, 1959, original title Ercole e la regina di Lidia). [10] Primo features in the 2005 film Cinderella Man , a film about the life of fellow boxer James J. Braddock .

Depictions in popular culture Edit Requiem for a Heavyweight , Rod Serling 's 1956 Emmy Award -winning teleplay for Playhouse 90 directed by Ralph Nelson (who also won an Emmy), focused on down-and-out former heavyweight boxer Harlan "Mountain" McClintock. The travails of McClintock, who was played by Jack Palance ( Sean Connery played the part on British television and Anthony Quinn assayed the role in the 1962 film), was thought by many boxing fans to resemble Carnera's life. In 1947, fighting aficionado Budd Schulberg wrote his novel, The Harder They Fall , a story about a boxer whose fights are fixed. In 1956 a movie with the same name, and based on the novel, was released by Columbia Pictures . In response, Carnera unsuccessfully sued the movie company. Music The Yeasayer song, "Ambling Alp," from their 2010 album Odd Blood references Carnera by his nickname in the title and second verse. Both Carnera and German boxer Max Schmeling are referenced for their bouts with American Joe Louis .

Professional boxing record Primo Carnera: The Life and Career of the Heavyweight Boxing Champion - Joseph S. Page - Google Books Primo Carnera: The Life and Career of the Heavyweight Boxing Champion 1 Review At over six and a half feet tall and nearly 300 pounds, heavyweight champion Primo Carnera was a giant for his times, but today "the Ambling Alp" is too often written off as an unskilled oaf and a product of the mob dealings that plagued boxing during the 1930s. He may not have been a natural in the ring, but he worked as hard as any boxer to learn his craft, to be in top condition, and he repeatedly showed that he was tougher than nails. This biography details Carnera's early life and boxing career, his success as a fighter as well as accusations of fight fixing, his strengths and limitations in the ring, and his later career as a wrestler. User Review - Flag as inappropriate Maybe not a natural fighter, but as courageous as they come, and a very good man. As a young boy, I remember him at his liquor store, and he would give me a free candy bar!

This is a great book who captures the real Primo, the abused fighter who blamed no one, and the man.

Selected pages 2 Early Boxing Days in Europe 19281929 8 3 To the United States 1930 25 4 The Battle of the Cracked Rib and Other Tales 1931 64 5 Making His Case 1932 79 6 The Death of Ernie Schaaf 1933 100 10 After the Title 19341935 148 11 The Joe Louis Fight 1935 157 No preview available - 2010 Common terms and phrases Arena Arthur Donovan Athletic Commission began bell Billy Billy Duffy blows bout boxer boxing Braddock Campolo canvas career Chicago Christner City contest corner count crowd December decision defeated Diener dropped Duffy Ebbets Field entered the ring Ernie Schaaf fans Fantuz February fight fighter final former champion fought giant Godfrey Haynes head heavyweight champion heavyweight title Impelletiere Italian Italy Jack Dempsey Jack Sharkey January Jersey Jimmy Joe Louis Johnny Journee June knocked knockout landed Lasky left hook left jab Madison Square Garden main event Maloney manager March Max Baer Max Schmeling Nashville Banner Nashville Tennessean Neus

el night October opponent Paolino Uzcudun Paris Pina Poreda Primo Carnera professional PTS PTS PTS punches record rematch right uppercut Rioux ropes scheduled second round Sequals shots sixth round Soresi sparring Sports Stadium Tommy Loughran took Tunney undercard victory wrestling York State Athletic Young Stribling About the author (2010) Joseph S.

Page is a corporate learning and development professional currently residing in Nashville, Tennessee. A New Jersey native, Joe holds both his bachelors and Masters degrees from Vanderbilt University. While at Vanderbilt, Joe was a member of the Commodore football squad. Joe also played baseball and boxed throughout high school and college. Bibliographic information Primo Carnera World Heavyweight Champion 1933 By James Slater: Born in Sequals, Italy on October 26th, 1906, the man known as ï¿½The Ambling Alp,ï¿½ Primo Carnera, remains one of the best known and most fascinating off all heavyweight kings. And not always due to reasons that could be called flattering. With many of his fights now pretty much accepted as having been set-ups, due to the huge influence the American mob had over the naï¿½ve and unsuspecting Carnera, the huge Italianï¿½s place in history is that of a curiosity, more so than as a great and legendary champion. This is not to suggest that Primo was without courage though, for he very definitely had guts.

His merits and accomplishments as a boxer, however, are fully deserving of the questionable way in which they are looked upon by historians. Quite simply, no-one can be sure which of Primoï¿½s fights were on the level and which were not. Due to his freakish height and overall size, Primo was instantly seen to be a potential money spinner by the less than scrupulous characters that were orbiting around the boxing world in The United States at the time of his 1930 arrival - namely the Mob. Whether he could fight or not, they knew Primo would make them vast amounts of cash. With his gigantic size and perceived strength, Carnera was a dead-cert to fill the arenas. He was snapped up on this premise almost as soon as he stepped off the boat. Primo never had a chance. With the man who had first discovered him in Paris, Leon See, in the official role of manager, the giant was entirely in the hands of selfish and uncaring individuals. With no concern whatsoever for his health, Carnera was eventually thrown into brutal beating after brutal beating. After all his value had been used up, that is.

Firstly though, they wanted ï¿½The Ambling Alpï¿½ to win as many fights as possible and then fight for the world title. Sure enough, the big crowds came to see the gigantic boxer from overseas (Primo stood six feet, five and one quarter inches tall), and sure enough the team behind him saw to it that he came through his first twenty-odd fights in the U.S without a loss. Some of the bouts were outright farces, while others looked to be legitimate. For example, Primoï¿½s fight with one Elzear Riouz was subject to an investigation afterwards, the action had looked so suspicious. Indeed, Riouzï¿½z licence was revoked and he was also fined. Another fight that looked decidedly bogus was Carneraï¿½s match with Leon Chevalier. The crowd were extremely unhappy when the action was halted in round six, with Chevalier seemingly in no worse shape than was Carnera, whoï¿½s purse was withheld afterwards.

There were more bouts that had a definite sinister feel to them, including Primoï¿½s tussle with George Godfrey, where a near riot broke out after the controversial stoppage in the fifth. There were too, however, performances by Carnera that looked to have been legit. His fourth round KO over Bearcat Wright, for instance, impressed many. Where all Carneraï¿½s early fights fixed then? Probably not. But more than a fair share of them certainly were. What is also certain is the fact that his handlers were wasting no time in reaping the rewards their fighter could earn them. Twenty-six times in the year 1930 alone Primo boxed. With this breakneck pace, the money was rolling in. Not that the man fighting saw much of it. There were early setbacks in the form of points defeats, to guys like Jim Maloney and Jack Sharkey (who Primo would meet again, soon after his fifteen round points loss) but mostly, aside from the negative press that followed some of his more obviously less than genuine encounters, the plan was working out fine. Carnera was soon a household name in America.

It wasnï¿½t too long, however, before tragedy struck. After a short time spent back fighting in countries in Europe, including his native Italy, Carnera was deemed ready to make his move on the world title. Upon totting up yet more early KO wins, some visually impressive, others not, Primo was matched with a fighter named Ernie Shaaf. This is where the tragedy came in to the Carnera story. Ernie shockingly passed away four days after his fight with Primo, more than likely due to injuries he had sustained in a previous contest. Nonetheless, Primo was devastated and for a time wanted to hang up his gloves. He fought on though, probably given little or no choice by his handlers, and challenged for the heavyweight title. With now genuine respect accorded his punching power due to the Shaaf incident ( an event the uncaring mobsters managing Primo probably thanked their lucky stars for, garnering more press as it did for their fighter) Carnera signed to box current ruler, Jack Sharkey. The same man who had handily out pointed him almost two years before. This time it was different.

Sharkey had been good friends with Shaaf, even working his corner at times, and had been greatly upset at his friends tragic death. His second fight with the man who Ernie had fought his last against was a strange affair as a result. Controlling the action for the first five rounds, Sharkey was suddenly taken out in the sixth with a huge right uppercut, left hand combination to the head. Jack crashed face first to the canvas and Primo was the new champion. In the years that followed, given the definite shady side to his career up until then, some questioned the validity of Carneraï¿½s win over Sharkey. The way Jack fell caused doubts in certain peopleï¿½s minds as to whether or not he had been genuinely KOï¿½d. For his part, Sharkey later said to have been affected by his friendï¿½s death going into the fight, and even went so far as to claim that he had seen a vision of the deceased Schaaf just before the KO. So, was the Carnera-Sharkey fight fixed?

We will never know for sure, but the events that unfolded the night the two boxed for the title in 1933 do not sit right with a good many boxing people, that much is sure. Whatever, Primo was now the champ and he was back in the ring defending the title in pretty quick time. A fifteen round points win over the Spaniard, Paolino Uzcudan in Rome, Italy was his first successful defence. While his points win over the eighty-four pounds lighter man, in Tommy Laughran, in a fight staged at Madison Square Garden the following year was his last. Then Carnera ran into Max Baer. Fighting one of the hardest hitters the heavyweight division has ever produced, Primo was ruthlessly and brutally beaten up. Eleven times he was sent crashing to the canvas, in as many rounds. And while Carneraï¿½s courage was evident to all in this fight, so too were his many shortcomings in the art of pugilism. He was utterly bewildered and Max never let him off the hook, intent instead on inflicting hurt on the clumsy Italian. The fight was a huge hit with the audience, many of whom were laughing out loud at the bizarre action.

Never before had a defending heavyweight champion been made to look so foolish. Carnera would never contend for the title again. His fighting days, however, were not over yet. Used only as fodder by handlers that treat him in a way that went beyond mere cruelty, Primo was thrown in with the new star of the division - the murderous punching Joe Louis. In June of ï¿½35 Carnera was subjected to a most hideous beating over six painful rounds. Again and again Joeï¿½s lethal fists smacked into his defenceless head and jaw. Three times he hit the mat before the referee put a stop to the carnage in the sixth. Primo was very lucky not to have been seriously and permanently injured. Still he was to fight on. After four meaningless wins, Primo was battered to defeat on two occasions by the big punching Leroy Haynes, losing in three rounds the first time and in nine gruesome rounds the second. Finally, after these two humiliating and hurtful experiences, Primo escaped to his native land, by way of France and Hungary, for good. He was out from the clutches of his evil handlers at last.

After a handful of bouts in his home country, mostly losses, Primo found some happiness in the sport of wrestling. A sport where, with his huge size and strength, he was quite successful. He then retired to run an off licence in the town of his birth, Sequals. Before his death, in 1967, there was yet more heartache for the huge boxer. In his final film, Humphrey Bogart starred in a boxing movie that was clearly based on Carnera and the time he spent fighting in America. Though the characterï¿½s names were different, the similarities were so apparent a blind man could see them. With his permission not even asked for, let alone granted, Primo sued the filmmakers. Unsuccessfully. It really is somewhat ironic that a film that evokes such sympathy for a lead character, that is so obviously based on Carnera, also both insulted and failed to benefit the used and abused man who inspired its very story line. When Joe Louis knocked out Mussolini’s boy When Joe Louis knocked out Mussolini’s boy – December 1, 2011 At their pre-fight weigh-in, Primo Carnera makes Joe Louis look small.

The sports world was hungry for a great boxing champion in the mid-1930s. Detroit’s Joe Louis satisfied their hunger with a string of impressive victories that launched him to the status of Heavyweight Champion of the World. In 1935 he fought one of his most important fights, defeating a former champion and striking a blow for American democracy. After turning professional the previous year, Joe Louis had a very busy 1935 – he fought 13 times. As he dispatched opponent after opponent, Louis’ legend was growing, as was his list of nicknames. Newspapers of the day were fond of catchy monikers for sports heroes. “Chocolate Chopper,” “Mahogany Mauler,” “Coffee-Colored KO King,” and “Saffra Sandman” were a few that were set in ink. But the name that took hold was “The Brown Bomber,” the label he’s most known by to his fans. On June 25, 1935, Louis met his toughest match yet in his climb to an eventual shot at the title.

He would face Primo Carnera, a giant Italian fighter who stood nearly 6-feet, six-inches tall, or roughly a foot taller than most of his countrymen. Due to his freakish size (he was also listed at 265 pounds), Carnera was nicknamed “The Ambling Alp”. His size wasn’t the only intimidating thing about the Italian. In 1933, Carnera knocked out Ernie Schaaf in the 13th round of a bout. Schaaf was so badly beaten that he died two days later. One publicity release about Carnera read in part: “For breakfast, Primo has a quart of orange juice, two quarts of milk, nineteen pieces of toast, fourteen eggs, a loaf of bread and half a pound of Virginia ham.” Louis was giving up nine inches of reach and about 65 pounds to Carnera, who was the personal favorite of dictator Benito Mussolini, who saw the boxer’s greatness as a symbol of Italian strength and a sign that the nation would return to the glory of the Roman Empire. Louis and Carnera met at Yankee Stadium for their bout, Louis just fresh from his 21st birthday.

Both men were big punchers who liked to stalk their opponent and deliver the fatal blow. But “The Brown Bomber” displayed a lot more footwork and speed. Though Carnera staved off Louis with a jab for the first few rounds, Louis worked to the Italian’s body, realizing he couldn’t reach the much taller and bigger Carnera’s head. In the sixth round, Louis’ body work paid off, as he caught Carnera with a series of punches to the head, flooring the former champ. Louis floored him again, but Carnera got up, which resulted in Louis pummeling Primo with punches to the rubs and upper body. Carnera fell once more – the third time in the round – and when the referee waved off the fight, it was as one reporter put it “an act of humanitarianism.” Louis had dispatched Carnera after felling the giant former champ three times in the sixth, improving his own mark to 20-0, 17 by knockout.

“I thought I’d get him,” Louis said after the fight, “but I wasn’t sure when his big arms would drop and I’d get to his chin.” Two years later, Louis would win the heavyweight title, a belt he would successfully defend 25 times and hold for an amazing 140 months. Carnera moved to the United States where he and his wife became citizens. He later entered the ring as a wrestler in the 1950s.

Question: Boxer Primo Carnera was known as the ‘Ambling ‘what’?
Answer: Alp