All-Time Greatest Italian American Boxers

In boxing, there’s more to the Italian American fighter than Rocky Balboa

Immortalized on the silver screen thanks to the Rocky series of films, the Italian American boxer is no figment of Sylvester Stallone’s imagination, but a living, breathing entity that has given the sweet science some of its greatest champions and produced more than its share of iconic moments. But who was the best of the best? Read on to find out.

1: ROCKY MARCIANO

49-0 (43 KOs)

Willie Pep may have been the most skilled boxer on this list, but no one made more of a worldwide impact than Brockton’s Rocky Marciano, the heavyweight champion of the world from 1952 to 1955. Seen by some as a crude slugger, Marciano could bang with the best of them, but he had deceptive defensive skills and heart for days, allowing him to retire undefeated while his photo usually found a home on the wall next to the picture of Jesus in Italian-American households.

2: WILLIE PEP

229-11-1 (65 KOs)

Legend has it that Willie Pep won the third round of his 1946 bout against Jackie Graves without throwing a punch. And while that story has produced plenty of heated debates over the years, the fact that it’s even considered a possibility shows how much of a defensive wizard the two-time featherweight champion was. The Connecticut native wouldn’t shy away from a fight, though, with his four-bout series against fellow great Sandy Saddler was among the most brutal seen in the sport. Note – That series took place after Pep suffered serious injuries in a 1947 plane crash.

3: TONY CANZONERI

137-24-10 (44 KOs)

A three-division world champion in the 1930s, a decade when that meant something before the days of seemingly endless divisions and titleholders, Louisiana native Tony Canzoneri looked the part and fought accordingly during a hall of fame career highlighted by four fights against the man right below him on this list – Lou Ambers – and wins over fellow all-time greats Jimmy McLarnin, Baby Arizmendi, Billy Petrolle and Kid Chocolate, just to name a few.

4: LOU AMBERS (BORN LUIGI GIUSEPPE D'AMBROSIO)

89-8-7 (28 KOs)

What separated boxers like Lou “The Herkimer Hurricane” Ambers from those that came after them is that there was a precious little ducking of challenges as they lived up to the adage that “fighters fight.” Winner of 89 of his 104 bouts, Ambers was a world champion in the lightweight division who shared the ring with the likes of Canzoneri, Henry Armstrong, Fritzie Zivic, and Lew Jenkins, all in a career that only spanned from 1932 to 1941.

5: JAKE LAMOTTA

83-19-4 (30 KOs)

Most will remember Jake LaMotta for Robert DeNiro’s unflattering portrayal of him in the film “Raging Bull.” But in the ring, the relentless “Bronx Bull” was one of the middleweight greats, best known for being the man who stopped Sugar Ray Robinson’s 40-fight win streak in 1943. The two fought four more times, Robinson winning each. In later years, La Motta said he fought Sugar Ray so many times it’s a wonder he didn’t get diabetes.

6: BILLY PETROLLE

122-26-15, 1 NC (65 KOs)

How good was Billy Petrolle? “The Fargo Express” is the only boxer on this list who never won a world title but is still considered by most pundits to be one of the top lightweights to ever lace up the gloves. Petrolle, who owned wins over Canzoneri, McLarnin, and Jackie “Kid” Berg, did fight Canzoneri for the 135-pound belt in 1932 but lost a 15-round decision.

7: CARMEN BASILIO

56-16-7 (27 KOs)

Beloved in the upstate New York region where he lived his entire life, Carmen Basilio was as no-nonsense as it got in the squared circle, with an iron will, an equally sturdy chin, and steady pressure earning him world titles at middleweight and welterweight as he became one of the rare fighters to beat Robinson and also etched his name in the history books for two unforgettable wars with Tony DeMarco.

8: SAMMY ANGOTT (BORN SALVATORE ENGOTTI)

94-29-8 (23 KOs)

Another all-time great, Sammy Angott fought them all across several divisions, including Robinson, Pep, Ike Williams, and Beau Jack. When you talk “anyone, anytime, anywhere,” that’s Angott.

9:JOEY MAXIM (BORN GUISEPPE ANTONIO BERARDINELLI)

83-29-4 (22 KOs)

An underrated boxer, former light heavyweight champion Joey Maxim fought 87 times before beating Freddie Mills for the title in 1950. Maxim, who also fought for the heavyweight championship, held his belt until 1952, beating Robinson along the way.

10: FIDEL LABARBA

69-15-6 (16 KOs)

Fidel LaBarba won an Olympic gold medal for the United States in 1924 as a high schooler, adding a world flyweight title in the pros two years later. He gave up the belt to attend Stanford University but returned a year later, fighting until 1932, when he was forced to retire due to a detached retina.

Honorable Mention – Tony DeMarco, Joey Giardello, Rocky Graziano, Ray Mancini, Willie Pastrano, Vinny Pazienza, Paul Spadafora