Nino Benvenuti

Last updated
Nino Benvenuti
Nino Benvenuti.jpg
Benvenuti in 2010
Born
Giovanni Benvenuti

(1938-04-26) 26 April 1938 (age 85)
Isola d'Istria, Kingdom of Italy
(now Izola, Slovenia)
NationalityItalian
Other namesNino
Statistics
Weight class
Weight(s)79.5 kg (175 lb)
Height1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Stance Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights90
Wins82
Wins by KO35
Losses7
Draws1
Medal record
Men's amateur boxing
Representing Flag of Italy.svg  Italy
Olympics
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1960 Rome Welterweight
European Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1957 Prague Light middleweight
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1959 Lucerne Light middleweight

Giovanni "Nino" Benvenuti (born 26 April 1938) is an Italian former professional boxer and actor. He held world titles in two weight classes, having held the undisputed super-welterweight championship from June 1965 to June 1966 and the undisputed middleweight championship twice, from April to September 1967, and from March 1968 to November 1970. As an amateur welterweight boxer he won the Italian title in 1956–60, the European title in 1957 and 1959, and an Olympic gold medal in 1960, receiving the Val Barker trophy for boxing style. In 1961, having an amateur record of 120-0, he turned professional and won world titles in the light-middleweight division and twice in the middleweight division. [1] Near the end of his boxing career he appeared in two Italian films, Sundance and the Kid (1969) and then in Mark Shoots First (1975). [2]

Contents

Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992. He currently ranks No.32 in BoxRec's ranking of the greatest pound for pound boxers of all time. [3] In 1968, Benvenuti was voted Fighter of the Year by The Ring magazine. In 2011, The Ring magazine ranked him as seventh on their list of the "10 best middleweight title holders of the last 50 years." [4]

Professional boxing career

Benvenuti talks to his father Fernando at the 1960 Olympics Nino Benvenuti with father 1960.jpg
Benvenuti talks to his father Fernando at the 1960 Olympics

On 20 January 1961, Benvenuti made his professional boxing debut, beating Ben Ali Allala by decision in six rounds. He then won 29 fights in a row before challenging for the Italian middleweight title, on 1 March 1963, in Rome against Tommaso Truppi. His winning streak extended to 30 when he knocked out Truppi in round eleven. His winning streak reached 46 wins in a row when he met former world junior middleweight champion Denny Moyer on 18 September 1964, beating Moyer on points in ten rounds. [5]

After reaching 55 wins in a row, including a five-round knockout of Truppi in a rematch, he met world jr. middleweight champion Sandro Mazzinghi in Milan, on 18 June 1965. This was a fight the Italian public clamored for: both men were Italian, both men claimed to be the best in their division, and they had expressed desire to fight each other. Benvenuti became the world junior middleweight champion with a sixth-round knockout win. [6] It was common, at that era, for world champions to fight for regional belts after winning the world title, so on 15 October 1965, he added the European belt at the middleweight division, with a sixth-round knockout of Luis Folledo. [7]

A rematch with Mazzinghi took place on 17 December 1965, and Benvenuti retained the world junior middleweight crown after winning a fifteen-round decision. After three non-title wins, including a twelve-round decision over Don Fullmer and a fourteen-round knockout in Germany of Jupp Elze (Benvenuti's first professional fight abroad), he travelled to South Korea, where he lost his world junior middleweight title against Ki-Soo Kim, who won by decision in fifteen rounds on 25 June 1966, breaking Benvenuti's record of 65 consecutive wins. Frustrated by what he perceived as an unjust decision to favour the local boxer, Benvenuti decided to drop the junior middleweight and concentrate on the middleweight division instead. [5]

Benvenuti beat Emile Griffith by decision in fifteen rounds at New York City's Madison Square Garden on 17 April 1967, in what was the beginning of their trilogy of fights, to win the world middleweight title. [8] On a rematch at Shea Stadium on 29 September 1967, he lost by a decision in fifteen rounds. [7]

On 4 March 1968, Benvenuti and Griffith completed their trilogy, once again at Madison Square Garden, with Benvenuti knocking Griffith down in round nine and winning a fifteen-round decision to regain the world middleweight title. [7] On 14 December 1968, in San Remo, he and Fullmer met once again, and Benvenuti retained the world middleweight title with a fifteen-round decision. On 26 May 1969, Benvenuti lost a ten round decision to former world light heavyweight champion Dick Tiger in a light heavyweight, non-title match. Benvenuti broke his right hand while landing a head punch in the first round, [9] but chose to continue fighting "like a cripple" rather than quit. [10]

The most curious defense of Benvenuti's active reign, took place on 4 October 1969, when he retained the world middleweight title with a seven-round disqualification win over American Fraser Scott at the Stadio S. Paolo in Naples. From the first round, Scott was warned repeatedly, and with increasing intensity from the referee, about attempted butting. Scott, a young fighter unschooled in the European insistence on what his trainer referred to as "that...Olympic stand-up style", knowing only the battle plan he went in with and speaking no Italian, did not understand the warnings at first, then was unable to alter his approach; to the American, he was merely "ducking" Benvenuti's shots. The bout was foul-filled even without this added controversy; Scott would later accuse Benvenuti of having tried to thumb him, and during the sixth round, the fighters' legs became entangled as they wrestled, causing both to crash to the canvas. Round seven saw the stoppage, the referee asserting "attempted butting", Fraser Scott and corner forever insisting he had "ducked". [11]

On 22 November 1969, he beat former world welterweight champion Luis Rodriguez by knockout in 11 rounds to, once again, retain his world middleweight title. [12]

On 13 March 1970, in a non-title bout, Benvenuti was knocked out in the eighth round by unknown American Tom Bethea in Australia. The upset defeat caused Bethea to earn a world title shot at Benvenuti's title. Benvenuti avenged the defeat when the two met again in Umag with an eighth-round knockout.

On 7 November 1970 Benvenuti lost his title in Rome after being knocked out in round twelve by rising star Carlos Monzón. [13]

In 1971, after losing a ten-round decision to José Chirino, a fighter he had picked due to his fighting style's similarities with Monzón, Benvenuti got a rematch with Monzón for the world middleweight title in Monte Carlo on 8 May 1971. Monzón won again in round three when Benvenuti‘s corner threw in the towel. Realizing that he no longer had the stamina to compete with champions of a new generation like Monzón, Benvenuti announced his retirement.

Benvenuti had a record of 82 wins, 7 losses and 1 draw (tie) in 90 professional boxing bouts, with 35 wins by knockout. In 1992 he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. [1] [14]

Post-boxing

After retiring from boxing Benvenuti became a successful businessman, TV pundit and city counselor for sport in Trieste. He opened a high-class restaurant [15] and maintained a strong friendship with his former rivals Monzón and Griffith. In 1980 Benvenuti asked Griffith to be the godfather of one of his sons, and later helped him financially when Griffith was in trouble. [16] Monzón was a guest at Benvenuti's television show several times, and, when he was accused of murdering his wife in 1988, Benvenuti became one of his most loyal supporters, visiting him in jail in Argentina. Benvenuti was a pallbearer at Monzón’s funeral in 1995. [5]

Retirement and personal life

Benvenuti with wife Giuliana Fonzari and two sons in the 1960s Nino Benvenuti with family.jpg
Benvenuti with wife Giuliana Fonzari and two sons in the 1960s

Nino Benvenuti was born in Isola d'Istria, at that time in Italy (now in Slovenia). After the war his family fled to Italy due to the consequences of the war treaty and the hostilities created by the Yugoslav government. [17]

In 1961 Benvenuti married Giuliana Fonzari; they had four sons and adopted a Tunisian girl. They later divorced, and Benvenuti married Nadia Bertorello, with whom he had one daughter. [18]

Professional boxing record

90 fights82 wins7 losses
By knockout353
By decision424
By disqualification50
Draws1
No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
90Loss82–7–1 Carlos Monzón TKO3 (15), 1:058 May 1971 Stade Louis II, Fontvieille, Monte Carlo, MonacoFor WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles
89Loss82–6–1José ChirinoMD1017 Mar 1971Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
88Loss82–5–1 Carlos Monzón TKO12 (15), 1:577 Nov 1970Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, ItalyLost WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles
87Win82–4–1Doyle BairdTKO10 (10), 2:0312 Sep 1970 Stadio della Vittoria, Bari, Apulia, Italy
86Win81–4–1Tom BetheaKO8 (15), 2:4323 May 1970Sports Stadium Arena, Umag, YugoslaviaRetained WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles
85Loss80–4–1Tom BetheaTKO8 (10)13 Mar 1970 Olympic Velodrome, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
84Win80–3–1 Luis Manuel Rodríguez KO11 (15), 1:0822 Nov 1969Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, ItalyRetained WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles
83Win79–3–1Fraser ScottDQ7 (15), 1:404 Oct 1969 Stadio San Paolo, Naples, Campania, ItalyRetained WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles
82Loss78–3–1 Dick Tiger UD1026 May 1969Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
81Win78–2–1 Don Fullmer UD1514 Dec 1968 Teatro Ariston, Sanremo, Liguria, ItalyRetained WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles
80Draw77–2–1Doyle BairdPTS1014 Oct 1968 Rubber Bowl, Akron, Ohio, U.S.
79Win77–2Art HernandezUD1017 Sep 1968 Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
78Win76–2Jimmy RamosRTD4 (10), 0:305 Jul 1968Turin, Piedmont, Italy
77Win75–2Yoshiaki AkasakaKO2 (10)7 Jun 1968Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, Italy
76Win74–2 Emile Griffith UD154 Mar 1968 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.Won WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles
75Win73–2Charley AustinPTS1019 Jan 1968Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, Italy
74Loss72–2 Emile Griffith MD1529 Sep 1967 Shea Stadium, New York City, New York, U.S.Lost WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles
73Win72–1 Emile Griffith UD1517 Apr 1967 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.Won WBA, WBC, and The Ring middleweight titles
72Win71–1 Milo Calhoun PTS103 Mar 1967Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, Italy
71Win70–1Manfred GrausKO2 (10), 2:4019 Jan 1967Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, Italy
70Win69–1Renato MoraesKO9 (10)23 Dec 1966Rome, Lazio, Italy
69Win68–1Ferd HernandezPTS102 Dec 1966Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, Italy
68Win67–1Pascal Di BenedettoRTD11 (15)21 Oct 1966Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, ItalyRetained European middleweight title
67Win66–1 Harry Scott PTS1023 Sep 1966Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, Italy
66Loss65–1 Kim Ki-Soo SD1525 Jun 1966 Jangchung Gymnasium, Seoul, South KoreaLost WBA and WBC junior middleweight titles
65Win65–0Jupp ElzeTKO14 (15), 1:2714 May 1966 Deutschlandhalle, Berlin, GermanyRetained European middleweight title
64Win64–0Clarence JamesPTS1011 Mar 1966Turin, Piedmont, Italy
63Win63–0 Don Fullmer UD124 Feb 1966Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, Italy
62Win62–0 Sandro Mazzinghi UD1517 Dec 1965Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, ItalyRetained WBA and WBC junior middleweight titles
61Win61–0James SheltonPTS1015 Nov 1965Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
60Win60–0Johnny TorresDQ7 (10)5 Nov 1965Turin, Piedmont, Italy
59Win59–0Luis FolledoKO6 (15)15 Oct 1965Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, ItalyWon vacant European middleweight title
58Win58–0Daniel LeullierTKO7 (10)16 Aug 1965Senigallia, Marche, Italy
57Win57–0 Sandro Mazzinghi KO6 (15), 2:4018 Jun 1965 San Siro, Milan, Lombardy, ItalyWon WBA and WBC junior middleweight titles
56Win56–0 Milo Calhoun PTS1030 Apr 1965 Genoa, Liguria, Italy
55Win55–0Rip RandallPTS102 Apr 1965Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, Italy
54Win54–0Dick KnightKO6 (10)19 Mar 1965Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
53Win53–0 Mick Leahy PTS1027 Feb 1965Palazzo dello Sport, Milan, Lombardy, Italy
52Win52–0Tommaso TruppiRTD5 (12)12 Feb 1965Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, ItalyRetained Italian middleweight title
51Win51–0Art HernandezTKO3 (10), 2:2022 Jan 1965Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, Italy
50Win50–0Juan Carlos DuránPTS1019 Dec 1964 Palazzo dello Sport, Milan, Lombardy, Italy
49Win49–0Aristeo ChavarinKO4 (10)27 Nov 1964Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, Italy
48Win48–0Abrao De SouzaDQ7 (10)9 Oct 1964Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, Italy
47Win47–0 Denny Moyer PTS1018 Sep 1964Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, Italy
46Win46–0Fabio BettiniPTS1230 Jul 1964 Sanremo, Liguria, ItalyRetained Italian middleweight title
45Win45–0Jimmy BeechamTKO2 (10)28 May 1964Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
44Win44–0Sugar Boy NandoPTS1010 Apr 1964Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, Italy
43Win43–0Michel DioufPTS1018 Mar 1964Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
42Win42–0Memo AyonKO5 (10), 0:2828 Feb 1964Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, Italy
41Win41–0Ted WrightPTS1013 Dec 1963Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, Italy
40Win40–0Luis GutierrezTKO7 (10)15 Nov 1963Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, Italy
39Win39–0Jackie CailleauPTS107 Nov 1963Prato, Tuscany, Italy
38Win38–0 Gaspar Ortega PTS1018 Oct 1963Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, Italy
37Win37–0 Víctor Zalazar TKO2 (10)27 Sep 1963Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, Italy
36Win36–0Wilhelm NiederauTKO6 (10)16 Sep 1963 Prato, Tuscany, Italy
35Win35–0Francesco FioriTKO3 (12)31 Aug 1963 Priverno, Lazio, ItalyRetained Italian middleweight title
34Win34–0Tony MontanoPTS107 Jun 1963Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, Italy
33Win33–0Jimmy BeechamPTS1023 May 1963 Stadio Flaminio, Rome, Lazio, Italy
32Win32–0Jean RuelletPTS1024 Apr 1963Palazzetto dello Sport, Alessandria, Piedmont, Italy
31Win31–0Georges EstatoffKO6 (10), 0:335 Apr 1963Palazzo dello Sport, Turin, Piedmont, Italy
30Win30–0Tommaso TruppiKO11 (12)1 Mar 1963Rome, Lazio, ItalyWon vacant Italian middleweight title
29Win29–0Giampaolo MelisKO2 (10)26 Dec 1962Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
28Win28–0Isaac LogartPTS1030 Nov 1962Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, Italy
27Win27–0Daniel LeullierPTS1018 Oct 1962 Padua, Veneto, Italy
26Win26–0Diego InfantesPTS828 Sep 1962Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, Italy
25Win25–0Giuseppe GentilettiKO2 (10)30 Aug 1962 Senigallia, Marche, Italy
24Win24–0Mahmout le NoirPTS82 Aug 1962Lignano, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
23Win23–0Gino RossiPTS1012 Jul 1962Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy
22Win22–0Heinz FreytagPTS822 Jun 1962Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, Italy
21Win21–0Jean RuelletPTS82 Jun 1962 Stadio Amsicora, Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy
20Win20–0Hector ConstancePTS101 May 1962Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy
19Win19–0 Jim Hegerle KO4 (11)13 Apr 1962Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, Italy
18Win18–0Gianni LommiKO5 (10)17 Mar 1962Milan, Lombardy, Italy
17Win17–0Manfred HaasPTS88 Mar 1962Turin, Piedmont, Italy
16Win16–0José RiquelmePTS819 Feb 1962Palazzetto dello Sport, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
15Win15–0 George Aldridge KO6 (10)19 Jan 1962Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, Italy
14Win14–0Giuseppe CatalanoPTS820 Dec 1961Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, Italy
13Win13–0Jesse JonesDQ6 (8)9 Nov 1961Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, Italy
12Win12–0Angelo BrisciKO1 (8)1 Nov 1961Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy
11Win11–0Retmia MahrezTKO3 (8)2 Oct 1961Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
10Win10–0Marc DesforneauxPTS617 Jun 1961Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy
9Win9–0Henri CabelducPTS67 Jun 1961Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
8Win8–0Michel FrancoisKO4 (8)16 May 1961 Turin, Piedmont, Italy
7Win7–0Daniel BrunetDQ3 (8)3 May 1961Naples, Campania, Italy
6Win6–0Pierre MondinoPTS621 Apr 1961 Florence, Tuscany, Italy
5Win5–0Nic MaricPTS67 Apr 1961PalaLido, Milan, Lombardy, Italy
4Win4–0Sahib MosriKO3 (6)14 Mar 1961 Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
3Win3–0Ben Ali AllalaKO1 (6)27 Feb 1961 Naples, Campania, Italy
2Win2–0Nicola SammartinoKO3 (6)10 Feb 1961 Palazzetto dello Sport, Rome, Lazio, Italy
1Win1–0Ben Ali AllalaPTS620 Jan 1961 Trieste, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy

Awards

On 7 May 2015, in the presence of the President of Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI), Giovanni Malagò, was inaugurated in the Olympic Park of the Foro Italico in Rome, along Viale delle Olimpiadi, the Walk of Fame of Italian sport, consisting of 100 tiles that chronologically report names of the most representative athletes in the history of Italian sport. On each tile are the name of the sportsman, the sport in which he distinguished himself and the symbol of CONI. One of the tiles is dedicated to Nino Benvenuti. [19]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Nino Benvenuti". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 2020-04-18.
  2. ↑ Alive or Preferably Dead. IMDb
  3. ↑ "BoxRec ratings: world, pound-for-pound, active and inactive". BoxRec. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  4. ↑ "10: Best middleweight titleholders of the last 50 years". RingTV. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 De Franco, Luca (16 November 2005). "A Conversation with Nino Benvenuti". The Sweet Science. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  6. ↑ "Nino Benvenuti - Lineal Junior Middleweight Champion". The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia.
  7. 1 2 3 Wheeler, Paul (26 April 2018). "On This Day: Italian great Nino Benvenuti was born". Boxing News . Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  8. ↑ "Nino Benvenuti - Lineal Middleweight Champion". The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia.
  9. ↑ "Benvenuti Breaks Hand, Loses Decision to Tiger". The Desert Sun . 27 May 1969. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  10. ↑ "Benvenuti Settles for Immortality". The New York Times . 15 February 1970. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  11. ↑ Scott, Fraser (1974). Weigh-in. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company. p. 217. ISBN   0-690-00157-6.
  12. ↑ Kram, Mark (1 December 1969). "NINO'S HOOK STOPPED A ROMAN RIOT". Vault - Sports Illustrated . Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  13. ↑ Casey, Mike (28 July 2006). "Fall Of The Emperor: Monzon Dethroned Nino". Boxing Scene. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  14. ↑ "Nino Benvenuti". ibhof.com.
  15. ↑ Grasso, John (2013). Historical Dictionary of Boxing. Scarecrow Press. pp. 60–. ISBN   978-0-8108-7867-9.
  16. ↑ Abramson, Mitch (24 December 2009) Daily News reunites boxing legends Nino Benvenuti and Emile Griffith one last time. nydailynews.com
  17. ↑ Kane, Martin (14 February 1966). "A JAB FROM THE INTELLECTUAL". Vault - Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  18. ↑ Benvenuti a questo mondo. gazzetta.it (8 September 1999)
  19. ↑ "Inaugurata la Walk of Fame: 100 targhe per celebrare le leggende dello sport italiano" (in Italian). coni.it. Retrieved 11 October 2018.

Bibliography

Sporting positions
Regional boxing titles
Vacant
Title last held by
László Papp 		EBU middleweight champion
15 October 1965 – 1967
Vacated		Vacant
Title next held by
Juan Carlo Duran
World boxing titles
Preceded by WBA super-welterweight champion
18 June 1965 – 25 June 1966		Succeeded by
WBC super-welterweight champion
18 June 1965 – 25 June 1966
Undisputed super-welterweight champion
18 June 1965 – 25 June 1966
Preceded by WBA middleweight champion
17 April 1967 – 29 September 1967		Succeeded by
Emile Griffith
WBC middleweight champion
17 April 1967 – 29 September 1967
The Ring middleweight champion
17 April 1967 – 29 September 1967
Undisputed middleweight champion
17 April 1967 – 29 September 1967
WBA middleweight champion
4 March 1968 – 7 November 1970		Succeeded by
WBC middleweight champion
4 March 1968 – 7 November 1970
The Ring middleweight champion
4 March 1968 – 7 November 1970
Undisputed middleweight champion
4 March 1968 – 7 November 1970
Achievements
Previous:
Terry Downes 		Oldest living middleweight champion
October 6, 2017 – present 		Incumbent
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