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BOXING BESTS
ROBINSON
MARCIANO
LAMOTTA
MOORE
LOUIS
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BOXING IN THE 50"S
During
the 1950s, a couple of relatively new developments changed the world:
World War II had only been over for five years when the decade of the 50s
began, and television was beginning to make a major impact
internationally. In boxing, changes connected to these developments could
be seen too, as boxers who fought at the 1940s conflict returned to their
homes and many of them were back in the ring. Television producers were in
love with sports, which provided the viewer with an opportunity to observe
sporting events life, and boxing was not the exception to the rules; many
television networks began to feature fights live during the weekends, and
the Gillette Friday Night Fights proved to be one of the most popular
boxing television series in history.
The dawn of the jet airplane era in 1958 also helped boxing expand
worldwide: with airplanes flying faster and more frequently between cities
far away from each other, more and more world title fights began to be
fought outside the United States. Vic Toweel became South Africa's first
world boxing champion, Jimmy Carruthers did the same for Australia,
Pascual Pérez was the first from Argentina, Yoshio Shirai (who was beaten
by Pérez), won Japan's first world title, and Hogan Bassey won the first
belt for Nigeria.
Popular American fighters in the 1950s proved legendary; Sugar Ray
Robinson would still win (and lose) world titles, Rocky Marciano became
the only Heavyweight world champion in history to retire undefeated,
Jersey Joe Walcott the oldest one (until George Foreman regained the title
in 1994), Archie Moore broke the all time knockout record as well as the
record for the oldest champion, at 48, for any division, Ezzard Charles
proved to be a reliable substitute for Joe Louis as Heavyweight champ, and
Floyd Patterson emerged as the youngest Heavyweight champion in history
(coincidentally, he beat Moore for the title left vacant by Marciano).
Patterson remained the youngest Heavyweight champion in history until
1986.
The dark side of boxing once again emerged: Jake LaMotta alleged at a
hearing that he had thrown a fight with Billy Fox in exchange for a try at
the world Middleweight title, and Jim Norris, an important promoter of the
time, was associated with Blinky Palermo and Frankie Carbo, two Mafia
members of the time.
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