Primo Carnera
Heavyweight
Primo Carnera
"Ambling Alp"
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- Birth Name: Contribute
- Birth Place: Contribute
- Born: October 26, 1906
- Died: Contribute
- Age: 117
- Height: Contribute
- Weight: Contribute
- Reach: Contribute
- Stance: Orthodox
- Pro Debut: Contribute
- Nationality: Italy
- Status: Contribute
- Manager: Contribute
- Promoter: Contribute
- Total Bouts: Contribute
- Total Rounds: Contribute
Primo Carnera was an Italian professional boxer and wrestler who reigned as the boxing World Heavyweight Champion from 29 June 1933 to 14 June 1934. He was known for his intimidating size, standing at 6 ft 6 in (198 cm) tall and weighing as much as 275 pounds (125 kg).
Carnera was born on October 26, 1906, in Sequals, Italy. He started his professional boxing career on September 12, 1928, against Leon Sebilo, which he won via 2nd round TKO. Carnera went on to win 5 more consecutive fights after his debut, including 4 wins via stoppage. On April 28, 1929, Carnera suffered his first loss against Franz Diener via 1 round DQ. However, he bounced back and won seven fights in a row, including a win over Young Stribling.
In 1930, Carnera moved to the United States, where he won his first 17 bouts by knockout. In Philadelphia, he faced George Godfrey, who broke Carnera's knockout streak by losing to him via disqualification in round five. The Italian boxer also faced Santa Camarão, who stood at 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) tall, and won the fight via a sixth-round knockout.
Carnera's size earned him the nickname "The Ambling Alp." He had a considerable reach advantage over most of his rivals and was much heavier than other boxers of his era. He was also considered a giant, especially in Italy, where the average height was approximately 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m).
On June 29, 1933, Carnera became the heavyweight champion of the world after defeating Jack Sharkey via a 6th round knockout. He went on to defend his title twice against Paulino Uzcudun and Tommy Loughran, both by decision, before losing his title to Max Baer on June 14, 1934. In the fight, Carnera was knocked down multiple times and was eventually stopped in the 11th round.
Carnera's first world-title fight came after 81 professional fights, while he was 26 years old, against Jack Sharkey, and won the NBA, NYSAC, and The Ring heavyweight titles. He won one world title at heavyweight, a notable achievement that involved defeating some of the best boxers of his time. He had a total of 103 fights in his professional boxing career, with a record of 89-14, which included 72 knockout wins and five losses via knockout, and one title win.
Carnera made notable strides in the boxing world, and some of his best fights and victories include wins over four Hall-of-Famers, Tommy Loughran, Jack Sharkey, George Godfrey, and Young Stribling. He also defeated Seal Harris, Walter Neusel, Paulino Uzcudun, Hans Schönrath, and Reggie Meen in his illustrious career.
Prior to his professional boxing career, Carnera worked as a manual laborer and even fought in Europe's carnival circuit. His life, especially his boxing career, was the subject of several written and filmed materials, including the 2005 film, The Ambling Alp, which was based on his life.
Carnera's personal life was also impressive; he married Giuseppina Kovačič, a post office clerk from Gorizia, on March 13, 1939. In August 1953, they received dual citizenship, and the couple settled in Los Angeles, where Carnera opened a restaurant and a liquor store. The couple had two children, Umberto and Giovanna Maria. Umberto went on to became a medical doctor.
In 1938, Carnera, who was a diabetic, had to have a kidney removed, which forced him into retirement by 1944. He died in 1967 in Sequals, Italy, at the age of 60 due to liver disease and complications from diabetes.
Carnera's impressive size and excellent boxing skills made him one of the most remarkable boxers of his time. Fans admired his winning mentality, steady nerve, and ability to take knockouts as well as deliver them. Even though his boxing career was not without controversy, Carnera remains a name to remember in boxing history.
Primo Carnera Fight Record
# | Date | Age | Opponent | Result | Via |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
103 | May 19, 1946 | 39 | Luigi Musina | Loss | UD |
102 | Mar 19, 1946 | 39 | Luigi Musina | Loss | PTS |
101 | Nov 21, 1945 | 39 | Luigi Musina | Loss | TKO7 |
100 | Sep 25, 1945 | 38 | Sam Gardner | Win | KO1 |
99 | Jul 22, 1945 | 38 | Michel Blevens | Win | KO3 |
98 | Dec 4, 1937 | 31 | Josip Zupan | Win | KO2 |
97 | Nov 18, 1937 | 31 | Albert Di Meglio | Loss | PTS |
96 | May 27, 1936 | 29 | Leroy Haynes | Loss | TKO9 |
95 | Mar 16, 1936 | 29 | Leroy Haynes | Loss | TKO3 |
94 | Mar 6, 1936 | 29 | Isidoro Gastanaga | Win | TKO5 |
93 | Dec 9, 1935 | 29 | Big Boy Brackey | Win | TKO4 |
92 | Nov 25, 1935 | 29 | Ford Smith | Win | UD |
91 | Nov 1, 1935 | 29 | Walter Neusel | Win | TKO4 |
90 | Jun 25, 1935 | 28 | Joe Louis | Loss | TKO6 |
89 | Mar 15, 1935 | 28 | Ray Impelletiere | Win | TKO9 |
88 | Jan 22, 1935 | 28 | Erwin Klausner | Win | KO6 |
87 | Jan 13, 1935 | 28 | Seal Harris | Win | KO7 |
86 | Dec 1, 1934 | 28 | Victorio Campolo | Win | PTS |
85 | Jun 14, 1934 | 27 | Max Baer | Loss | TKO11 |
84 | Mar 1, 1934 | 27 | Tommy Loughran | Win | UD |
83 | Oct 22, 1933 | 26 | Paulino Uzcudun | Win | UD |
82 | Jun 29, 1933 | 26 | Jack Sharkey | Win | KO6 |
81 | Feb 10, 1933 | 26 | Ernie Schaaf | Win | KO13 |
80 | Dec 30, 1932 | 26 | Young Spence | Win | KO1 |
79 | Dec 20, 1932 | 26 | James Merriott | Win | KO1 |
78 | Dec 19, 1932 | 26 | Joe Rice | Win | KO2 |
77 | Dec 15, 1932 | 26 | KO Christner | Win | KO4 |
76 | Dec 13, 1932 | 26 | Big Boy Peterson | Win | TKO2 |
75 | Dec 9, 1932 | 26 | King Levinsky | Win | SD |
74 | Dec 2, 1932 | 26 | John Schwake | Win | KO7 |
73 | Nov 18, 1932 | 26 | José Santa | Win | TKO6 |
72 | Nov 4, 1932 | 26 | Les Kennedy | Win | KO3 |
71 | Oct 17, 1932 | 25 | Jack Taylor | Win | KO2 |
70 | Oct 13, 1932 | 25 | Gene Stanton | Win | KO6 |
69 | Oct 7, 1932 | 25 | Ted Sandwina | Win | KO4 |
68 | Sep 1, 1932 | 25 | Art Lasky | Win | NWS |
67 | Aug 19, 1932 | 25 | Jack Gagnon | Win | KO1 |
66 | Aug 16, 1932 | 25 | Stanley Poreda | Loss | PTS |
65 | Aug 2, 1932 | 25 | Hans Birkie | Win | UD |
64 | Jul 28, 1932 | 25 | Jerry Pavelec | Win | TKO5 |
63 | Jul 20, 1932 | 25 | Jack Gross | Win | TKO7 |
62 | May 30, 1932 | 25 | Larry Gains | Loss | PTS |
61 | May 15, 1932 | 25 | Hans Schönrath | Win | TKO3 |
60 | Apr 30, 1932 | 25 | Maurice Griselle | Win | TKO10 |
59 | Apr 7, 1932 | 25 | Don McCorkindale | Win | PTS |
58 | Mar 23, 1932 | 25 | George Cook | Win | KO4 |
57 | Feb 29, 1932 | 25 | Pierre Charles | Win | PTS |
56 | Feb 5, 1932 | 25 | Ernst Gühring | Win | TKO5 |
55 | Jan 25, 1932 | 25 | Moise Bouquillon | Win | TKO2 |
54 | Nov 27, 1931 | 25 | Victorio Campolo | Win | KO2 |
53 | Nov 19, 1931 | 25 | King Levinsky | Win | UD |
52 | Oct 12, 1931 | 24 | Jack Sharkey | Loss | UD |
51 | Aug 6, 1931 | 24 | Armando De Carolis | Win | KO2 |
50 | Aug 4, 1931 | 24 | Roberto Roberti | Win | TKO3 |
49 | Jul 24, 1931 | 24 | Knute Hansen | Win | KO1 |
48 | Jun 30, 1931 | 24 | Bud Gorman | Win | KO2 |
47 | Jun 26, 1931 | 24 | Umberto Torriani | Win | KO2 |
46 | Jun 15, 1931 | 24 | Pat Redmond | Win | KO1 |
45 | Mar 5, 1931 | 24 | Jim Maloney | Win | PTS |
44 | Dec 18, 1930 | 24 | Reggie Meen | Win | TKO2 |
43 | Nov 30, 1930 | 24 | Paulino Uzcudun | Win | SD |
42 | Oct 7, 1930 | 23 | Jim Maloney | Loss | PTS |
41 | Sep 17, 1930 | 23 | Jack Gross | Win | KO4 |
40 | Sep 8, 1930 | 23 | Pat McCarthy | Win | TKO2 |
39 | Aug 30, 1930 | 23 | Riccardo Bertazzolo | Win | TKO3 |
38 | Jul 29, 1930 | 23 | George Cook | Win | KO2 |
37 | Jul 17, 1930 | 23 | Bearcat Wright | Win | KO4 |
36 | Jun 23, 1930 | 23 | George Godfrey | Win | DQ |
35 | Jun 5, 1930 | 23 | KO Christner | Win | KO4 |
34 | Apr 22, 1930 | 23 | Sam Baker | Win | KO1 |
33 | Apr 14, 1930 | 23 | Leon Chevalier | Win | TKO6 |
32 | Apr 8, 1930 | 23 | Neil Clisby | Win | KO2 |
31 | Mar 28, 1930 | 23 | Jack McAuliffe II | Win | KO1 |
30 | Mar 26, 1930 | 23 | George Trafton | Win | KO1 |
29 | Mar 20, 1930 | 23 | Frank Zaveta | Win | KO1 |
28 | Mar 17, 1930 | 23 | Chuck Wiggins | Win | KO2 |
27 | Mar 11, 1930 | 23 | Sully Montgomery | Win | KO2 |
26 | Mar 3, 1930 | 23 | Roy Clark | Win | KO6 |
25 | Feb 24, 1930 | 23 | Farmer Lodge | Win | KO2 |
24 | Feb 17, 1930 | 23 | Johnny Erickson | Win | KO2 |
23 | Feb 14, 1930 | 23 | Jim Sigman | Win | KO1 |
22 | Feb 11, 1930 | 23 | Buster Martin | Win | KO2 |
21 | Feb 6, 1930 | 23 | Cowboy Billy Owens | Win | KO2 |
20 | Jan 31, 1930 | 23 | Elzear Rioux | Win | KO1 |
19 | Jan 24, 1930 | 23 | Big Boy Peterson | Win | KO1 |
18 | Dec 17, 1929 | 23 | Franz Diener | Win | TKO6 |
17 | Dec 7, 1929 | 23 | Young Stribling | Loss | DQ |
16 | Nov 18, 1929 | 23 | Young Stribling | Win | DQ |
15 | Oct 17, 1929 | 22 | Jack Stanley | Win | TKO1 |
14 | Sep 18, 1929 | 22 | Hermann Jaspers | Win | KO3 |
13 | Aug 30, 1929 | 22 | Feodor Nikolaeff | Win | KO1 |
12 | Aug 25, 1929 | 22 | Joe Thomas | Win | TKO4 |
11 | Aug 14, 1929 | 22 | Jose Lete | Win | UD |
10 | Jun 26, 1929 | 22 | Jack Humbeeck | Win | TKO6 |
9 | May 30, 1929 | 22 | Marcel Nilles | Win | TKO3 |
8 | May 22, 1929 | 22 | Moise Bouquillon | Win | PTS |
7 | Apr 28, 1929 | 22 | Franz Diener | Loss | DQ |
6 | Jan 18, 1929 | 22 | Ernst Roesemann | Win | TKO5 |
5 | Dec 1, 1928 | 22 | Constant Barrick | Win | KO3 |
4 | Nov 25, 1928 | 22 | Epifanio Islas | Win | UD |
3 | Oct 30, 1928 | 22 | Salvatore Ruggirello | Win | TKO4 |
2 | Sep 25, 1928 | 21 | Joe Thomas | Win | KO3 |
1 | Sep 12, 1928 | 21 | Leon Sebilo | Win | TKO2 |