Carmen Basilio vs Tony DeMarco II (Fight of the Year 1955)

Fight Date: 1955-11-30.................Fight of the Year 1955

[@iccionesosnowitz356]

thanks for this, it's great to watch it all over again... we don't hear much on Carmen Basilio these days, but in those days he was often involved in greatest boxing wars

[@Gitfiddle]

Whenever I get bummed about the current state of boxing where no one wants to fight each other because one loss on your record means you take a hug pay cut, I go back to the 50's when everybody fought everybody.

[@iccionesosnowitz356]

true. they're all afraid of that 1 loss. boxing is ruined. they ruined it through amateur boxing scoring system, and when a boxer come to be a pro he's already used to be too careful, he hesitate to take a risk- and with fighters like that we cannot have righteous boxers, let alone heavyweights. scared bunch of heavyweights. who would say so back in seventies, or even ninties?

[@hmldjr]

@@iccionesosnowitz356 Boxing today is a joke. This was the golden age of boxing.

[@iccionesosnowitz356]

@@hmldjr right, that's what we're sayin' here. Deontay Wilder, let's say, would never box again after being badly beaten in his amateur fights, if lived back then... Can you imagine what Joe Frazier would do to him in the seventies? Larry Holmes??? Mike Tyson in the eighties? Bowe? Lewis???

[@raygan1221]

This is one of the biggest problem of modern boxing today. Fans are old and old at heart. Always looking in the good old days than appreciate and accept what is today. You can't blame boxers today if they are too concerned about their name and records. Boxing today is not as big as before. The fan base are dying and boxing is doing little if not nothing to attract new fans. And instead of attracting new fans and creating new ideas to build boxing in the mainstream, all we do is cry, cry and cry on how good the old days are and push away the casual fans. We hate change and treated boxing as our private club. And that's why boxing is dying. Floyd Mayweather, though a very self-centered person, unintentionally showed us a blue print on how to attract new fans for boxing. Before him, boxing is only composed of old guys in the blocks but a genius market man he is, he knew that it's not enough so he attracted the Hip Hop world to watch boxing. That is something not even the smartest promoters couldn't do not dare try to do. His last fight against McGregor earned over 4 millions PPV even without the support of the boxing die hard fans. Yet most fights today could hardly reach a million views even if they have the support of the boxing purists. Great match ups are easier to make if there's money. And there's money if there's a big fan base whose willing to support and see the fight. If only boxing could stop their self righteous indignation and try to learn a thing or two from Mayweather.

[@antoniomosley9410]

@@raygan1221 Well let's go over the changes shall we? Fighting once per year or every other year, have to pay for fights even the bad cards,while in the past you can watch the fights for free where you have a stacked card of top contenders fighting active champions and so on.

[@abudujana13]

What a fighter!! When fighters were fighters! When men were men I.e give up their seat's to women and the elderly Thanks for the video, IBHOF22

[@snivelinj7612]

Two tough as hell Italian-Americans. No dancing here, just the pursuit of a knockout with virtually every punch. This type of boxing is sorely missing these days.

[@MacoRLCCC]

Yeah, especially down in 'Stota or Canastota where Carmen Basilio was born.

[@CYBOPOD88]

About the only thing that separated these two was the extra gas tank on Basilio... he was just a little tougher too.

[@beatlejim64]

Today in boxing...it's "safety first"...more "posing" than "fighting!!!"

[@DumbVidsIMadeForAlex]

@@beatlejim64 which is good considering what we now know about the long-term effects of repeated blows to the head. nobody helps these guys when they're in their 60s and can't take care of themselves.

[@nyobunknown6983]

@@DumbVidsIMadeForAlex Yet Carmen lived to the ripe old age of 85 and had all his faculties to the end.

[@MercuryChild92]

Arguably the quintessential brawl of the 50s, and with very good reason.

[@Gitfiddle]

I think Gatti and Ward would appreciate this fight. What a chin on Basilio! His chin and conditioning were his strengths in this fight. It is possible to win a fight in the gym. What a war! Demarko just ran out of gas. Reminds me of the Pintor Gomez fight where both fighters gave it everything they had but one guy just had a little bit more in the gas tank. Amazing fight from the welterweight drama king, Carmen Basilio!!!

[@michaeldeakin4287]

That Pintor Gomez fight was a war.

[@sherrillraymond7595]

Yeah this was a slugfest

[@marknorris1381]

That's what I was thinking as well. This is real Gatti Ward stuff.

[@kellymyers8671]

I am watching this with my dad. He knew Basilio personally from upstate NY and was at this fight!

[@marknorris1381]

These two guys must be two of the toughest to get in the ring. Full respect to both.

[@user-ox1be6qc6n]

I met Carmen Basilio in Las Vegas in the early 90s He graciously gave me his autograph and I chatted with a friend of his who said he was one tough SOB. Couldn't wait to go home and tell my dad who lived through this era.. 2 years later In 50 seven, he challenged & outpointed Robinson in their first fight Moving Up from welter weight to middle weight. The second fight went to Robinson On a close decision also. Like Jake Lamotta, I never saw him off his feet.

[@marknorris1381]

@@user-ox1be6qc6n nice. Lucky to meet him.

[@PeterWelchF15]

My Pal Tony almost had his title back in the 7th......You had the Garden ROCKIN! Your still the Champ in my eyes!

[@Kedbuka]

Great fight involving one great fighter (Basilio) versus one really good fighter (DeMarco). Both were pure warriors.

[@poplicolapublicola374]

I never met Carmine but I was friends with his brother Joey in the later years. He was a class act!

[@illegitimately9624]

so much better than modern boxing

[@Uncle_Sham]

12:52 Basilio's face is made of titanium

[@beatlejim64]

GREAT fight with 2 GREAT fighters...unlike the safety first fighters that we have today...

[@risboturbide9396]

Thank you 🍻🍻

[@gigglejiz1589]

As tough as they come !

[@The_Klystron7]

Fight of the year ,? And possibly in the top ten of all time.

[@marknorris1381]

Certainly one of the great welterweight fights. Doesn't get any better.

[@thomasj9561]

1950s best decade of boxing

[@frankbaltazar]

I watched both of their fights live on TV.

[@anthonymongelli5567]

Brutal contest steel and iron contest with Carmen winning the fight.! 🥊🥊🥊🥊👏 😁

[@wrenchhead4378]

Cool that PABST sponsored the 12th round…. Carmen Basilio was my dad’s favorite boxer…

[@AnnieVanAuken]

I appreciate the opportunity to see these fights that happened a bit before I was born, but geez, this one plays like Tarantino edited it! First there's ring intros, suddenly it's the 4th round, then when it reaches the 11th we're back to the rest of the intros! Very confusing.

[@riccardobordonaro1165]

Le varie fasi dell'incontro si susseguono in modo completamente disordinato. Credo di essere riuscito a rimetterlo in ordine e sono disposto a cederlo al canale. Poiché nel video originale c'è qualche piccola ripetizione, la sua durata (46 minuti e 29 secondi) eccede quella messa in ordine (44 minuti e 11 secondi).R.B.

[@pukulu]

DeMarco really ran out of gas in the 12th round. The fight was stopped at the right time. Basilio was not a great boxer but he was in good shape and could take a punch. DeMarco was doing well for most of the earlier part of the fight.

[@Noah-pc6wq]

23:34 holy shit, Basilio's a converted southpaw? Wasn't expecting that.

[@marioz9897]

12 rounds sin parar de intercambiar, increíble!. De Marco iba ganando el combate, lastima por él, caer precisamente en el último round.

[@lordburlap4514]

Basilio-DeMarco!........enough said.

[@LMLR187]

amazing to know that 'converted' fighters use to exist in the past as well.......one would think it was a more modern thing

[@sheruffa6032]

in what sense 'converted'?

[@antoniomosley9410]

@@sheruffa6032 What he mean is many in the past eras was natural Southpaws but was converted over to Orthodox fighting stance. But they knew how and when to turn to Southpaw their natural stance.

[@kevintrace5396]

One of the greats Carmen no ifs or not defo

[@yoinkhaha]

Cool fight. Would be fun to watch Pac-Man take one of these guys apart.

[@sheruffa6032]

De Marco seems to have the heavy punch, while Basilio seems to have the steel chin!

[@frankkrogh7791]

If only DeMarco had had any speed. His punches, though hard, were wide and slow

[@stopasking9745]

Manny Stewart sent me here

[@josephkennedy6159]

The referee should have stopped the fight after the 1st. knockdown in round 12, those last few punches, could have killed Tony De Marco.

[@Gitfiddle]

The refs absolutely let the fights go a little too long in the good old days. On the other hand with a great fighter like Demarko he has earned the benefit of the doubt from the ref. You got to give Demarko a chance because he's got so much heart.

[@CYBOPOD88]

I agree.. then he staggers to the center without an 8 count.. or referee inspection.. who just wiped his gloves and sent into waiting Basilio.. Did you see his head go limp on Basilio's shoulder after that first right?

[@marioz9897]

Eran otros tiempos

[@allainangcao28]

It was pretty dangerous and wouldn’t fly today but it did give us this classic. Demarco refused to quit till the very end.

[@easytofool]

woah super early joyce brothers

[@AnnieVanAuken]

What is going ON here? We're in the 9th Round at 20:08 when suddenly everything shifts back to the pre-fight intros.

[@1158scott]

"And the referee stops the fight !!!" - after DeMarco is smashed until he's face down unconscious.

[@NutSwol]

Surprised that DeMarco did not go to the body .

[@tonyaltano7992]

How did the 'Carmen' name sneak into the lexicon❓ His birth (Italian) name is Carmine. Carmen is a Spanish name. Hail hail Carmine Basilio, the Upstate Onion Farming Fighter.

[@stormbringer3788]

Two great fighters!!! They just don't maker's like that anymore. Both those guys would have JO's that fraud Mayweather Jr.

[@stormbringer3788]

Make'em I meant to say..auto correction on got me.

[@Gitfiddle]

I don't know if I agree with that. Basilio was a great champion but he had trouble with boxers like Sugar Ray. Basilio liked to stand toe to toe and slug. I thing Mayweather could use his movement and use the ring and pot shot from the out side. Not to say Basilio couldn't win. But he would have to cut the ring off and catch Mayweather with some good shots on the inside. Basilio defiantly had the body punching ability to slow Mayweather down. It would be a great match up but sadly we'll never know...

[@stormbringer3788]

Jeffrey Haefner Good point. I'm biased toward earlier era boxers because in my opinion, they were tougher, knew their craft better, and fought better quality of opposition. However, I believe Basilio would be able tocut the ring off against Floyd and get to him. You're right it would be a great match up!

[@sheruffa6032]

min 1:30 good start! what a bomb!

[@nyobunknown6983]

The fight should have been stopped after the first knockdown.

[@ferrantepallas]

These guys are TOUGH

[@MyBenjamin66]

rough, Rough, ROUGH!

[@sandy3482]

A couple of tough pizons

[@juliekelliher8259]

who else is here becuse manny steward ?

[@craigcalder3124]

GRANITE!!!!!!!!

[@sheruffa6032]

The media were not as intrusive as it was today, so the crowd gained greater advantage and enthusiasm, it was almost a sacred rite to participate in boxing matches, well known that there was much participation in those times! Football in Europe also had this massive "presence" in all senses! Today we are perhaps less dreaming, somewhat more disillusioned, as if there was nothing left to discover, we should rediscover healthy fun and recover the relationships between people who are getting less. Ciao!

[@hassanmonnan7526]

Better than gatti v ward

[@PROFESSOR-I.C.]

Clearly DeMarco was running out of gas but he also lacked craftsmanship. He lacked technique. He was a slugger who threw wide punches. He only fought outside of the United States twice in Montreal which he embarrassingly lost. A large majority of his fights were in his home town Boston/Massachusetts area where he received some favorable decisions. Unquestionably, an overrated fighter during a relatively mediocre welterweight era. Gaspar Ortega, Carmen Basilio, and Virgil Akins we're the best welterweights of that era. Against them his record was 2 W - 6 L.

[@davidfitzgerald5110]

What are talking about bro? you ever hear of Kid Gavilan, Billy Graham, Jonny Saxon, Jonny Bratton, Tony Jenero?? weak division back then if was not ....

[@PROFESSOR-I.C.]

@@davidfitzgerald5110 Oy Vey. Stating facts.

[@Ricky42791]

My pal carmen knocked out your pal Tony :p

[@davidfitzgerald5110]

Ah ya well my friend Pookie beat your friend Dillion Mr Boozo The Clown