Famous Boxers from Italy
- Rocco Francis Marchegiano (September 1, 1923 – August 31, 1969), best known as Rocky Marciano (), was an American professional boxer who competed from 1947 to 1955, and held the world heavyweight title from 1952 to 1956. He is the only Heavyweight champion to have retired undefeated as champion. His six title defenses were against Jersey Joe Walcott, Roland La Starza, Ezzard Charles (twice), Don Cockell and Archie Moore. Known for his relentless fighting style, formidable punching power, stamina, and exceptionally durable chin, Marciano has been included by boxing historians in lists of the greatest boxers of all time, and is currently ranked by BoxRec as the eighth greatest heavyweight boxer in history. His knockout-to-win percentage of 87.76% remains one of the highest in heavyweight boxing history.
- Birthplace: USA, Massachusetts, Brockton
- Nationality: United States of America
- Weight Division: Heavyweight
- Joseph William Calzaghe, ( kal-ZAH-gee; born 23 March 1972) is a Welsh former professional boxer who competed from 1993 to 2008. He held world championships in two weight classes, including the unified WBA (Super), WBC, IBF, WBO, Ring magazine and lineal super-middleweight titles, and the Ring light-heavyweight title.Calzaghe is the longest-reigning super-middleweight world champion in boxing history, having held the WBO title for over 10 years and making 21 successful defences (the most in super-middleweight history) before moving up to light-heavyweight. As his super-middleweight and light-heavyweight reigns overlapped, he retired with the longest continual time as world champion of any active boxer at the time. He was also the first boxer to unify three of the four major world titles (WBA, WBC, and WBO) at super-middleweight, and was the first Ring champion in that weight class. Between 2006 and 2008, Calzaghe was ranked by The Ring as one of the world's top ten active boxers, pound for pound, reaching a peak ranking of third in January 2009. He retired in February 2009 with an undefeated record, and as a reigning world champion. BoxRec currently ranks Calzaghe as the best super-middleweight of all time.Calzaghe was often referred to as the "Pride of Wales" or the "Italian Dragon", the latter being a play on the moniker "Italian Stallion" and a reference to his multiple heritages (the dragon being both a prominent Welsh emblem that appears on the Welsh flag and a figure in Sardinian myth). In 2007, Calzaghe won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award, making him the first Welsh winner of this award since David Broome in 1960. Calzaghe was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2014.
- Birthplace: England, London
- Nationality: United Kingdom
- Weight Division: Super middleweight, Light heavyweight
- Giacobbe "Jake" LaMotta (July 10, 1922 – September 19, 2017) was an American professional boxer, world middleweight champion, and stand-up comedian. Nicknamed "The Bronx Bull" or "Raging Bull", LaMotta was a rough fighter who was not a particularly big puncher, but he would subject his opponents to vicious beatings in the ring. With use of constant stalking, brawling and inside fighting, he developed the reputation for being a 'bully'; he was what is often referred to today as a swarmer and a slugger. Due to his hard style of fighting, LaMotta often got as much as he was giving in an era of great middleweights. With a thick skull and jaw muscles, LaMotta was able to absorb incredible amounts of punishment over the course of his career, and is thought to have one of the greatest chins in boxing history. LaMotta's six-fight rivalry with Sugar Ray Robinson was one of the most notable in the sport, but LaMotta won only one of the bouts. Although each fight was close, LaMotta dropped Robinson to the canvas multiple times. LaMotta, who lived a turbulent life in and out of the ring, was portrayed by Robert De Niro in the 1980 film Raging Bull. He was managed by his brother Joey LaMotta.
- Birthplace: New York City, USA, New York
- Nationality: Italy, United States of America
- Weight Division: Middleweight
- Arturo Gatti (April 15, 1972 – July 11, 2009) was an Italian-Canadian professional boxer who competed from 1991 to 2007. Nicknamed "Thunder," Gatti was known for his heart and bravery in the ring, and also carried formidable punching power. A world champion in two weight classes, Gatti held the IBF junior lightweight title from 1995 to 1998, and the WBC super lightweight title from 2004 to 2005. He also participated in The Ring magazine's Fight of the Year a total of four times (1997, 1998, 2002, and 2003). He announced his retirement on July 14, 2007. On December 10, 2012, Gatti was posthumously inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, in his first year of eligibility, and becoming the tenth Canadian boxer to be inducted.Gatti was born in Cassino, Italy, and raised in Latium, a region of central western Italy, before moving to Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Gatti eventually relocated to Jersey City, New Jersey as a teenager. He returned to Montreal after retiring from boxing to work in real estate.His death in 2009 was mired in controversy, with his wife first being arrested for homicide and then released after an autopsy ruled his death was suicide.
- Birthplace: Cassino, Italy
- Nationality: Canada, Italy
- Weight Division: Super featherweight, Light welterweight
- Carmine Orlando Tilelli (July 16, 1930 – September 4, 2008) was an American boxer who was the world middleweight champion from 1963 to 1965, and was better known by his professional pseudonym of Joey Giardello.
- Birthplace: New York City, New York
- Nationality: Italy, United States of America
- Weight Division: Middleweight
- Thomas Rocco Barbella (January 1, 1919 – May 22, 1990), better known as Rocky Graziano, was an American professional boxer who held the World Middleweight title. Graziano is considered one of the greatest knockout artists in boxing history, often displaying the capacity to take his opponent out with a single punch. He was ranked 23rd on The Ring magazine list of the greatest punchers of all time. He fought many of the best middleweights of the era including Sugar Ray Robinson. His turbulent and violent life story was the basis of the 1956 Oscar-winning drama film, Somebody Up There Likes Me, based on his 1955 autobiography of the same title.
- Birthplace: New York, New York, USA
- Nationality: Italy, United States of America
- Weight Division: Middleweight
- Raymond Michael Mancini (born March 4, 1961), best known as Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini, is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1979 to 1992, and has since worked as an actor and commentator. He held the WBA lightweight title from 1982 to 1984. Mancini inherited his nickname from his father, boxer Lenny "Boom Boom" Mancini. In 2015, Ray was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
- Birthplace: USA, Youngstown, Ohio
- Nationality: Italy, United States of America
- Weight Division: Lightweight
- Ralph Giordano (born Raffaele Giordano, May 27, 1905 – July 15, 1993), better known as Young Corbett III, was an Italian-born American boxer. He was the World Welterweight Champion in 1933 and the NYSAC Middleweight champion in 1938. A tough southpaw, he did not have strong punching power but was known for his great speed and determination. Corbett is considered one of the greatest southpaws of all time and one of the all-time great counterpunchers. He was inducted into the Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame in 1959, the Italian American Sports Hall of Fame in 1982, and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004.
- Birthplace: Potenza, Italy
- Nationality: Italy, United States of America
- Weight Division: Welterweight
- Vito Antuofermo (Italian pronunciation: [anˌtwɔˈfermo]; born February 9, 1953) is an Italian American actor and retired professional boxer. He is a former undisputed World Middleweight Champion.
- Birthplace: Palo del Colle, Italy
- Nationality: Italy, United States of America
- Weight Division: Middleweight
Augustino Eugenio Mercurio (10 August 1928 – 7 December 2010) better known as Gus Mercurio, was an American-born Australian character actor who appeared in radio, television and film.- Birthplace: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
- Nationality: United States of America, Australia
- Charles Carmine Zito Jr. (born March 1, 1953), is an American actor, amateur boxer, martial artist, celebrity bodyguard, stuntman, former boxing trainer and former president of the New York chapter of the Hells Angels.
- Birthplace: Bronx, New York, USA
- Nationality: Italy, United States of America
- Primo Carnera (Italian pronunciation: [ˈpriːmo karˈnɛːra]; 26 October 1906 – 29 June 1967), nicknamed the Ambling Alp, was an Italian professional boxer who reigned as the World Heavyweight Champion from 29 June 1933 to 14 June 1934. He was also a professional wrestler.
- Birthplace: Sequals, Italy
- Nationality: Italy
- Weight Division: Heavyweight
- Giovanni "Nino" Benvenuti (born 26 April 1938) is a retired Italian boxer and actor. 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. Near the end of his boxing career he appeared in Sundance and the Kid (1969) and then in Mark Shoots First (1975).Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1992. 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."
- Birthplace: Izola, Slovenia
- Nationality: Kingdom of Italy, Italy
- Weight Division: Light middleweight, Middleweight
- Vincent Louis Gigante (; March 29, 1928 – December 19, 2005), also known as "Chin", was a New York Italian-American mobster in the American Mafia who was boss of the Genovese crime family from 1981 to 2005. Gigante started out as a professional boxer who fought 25 bouts between 1944 and 1947. He then started working as a Mafia enforcer for what was then the Luciano crime family, forerunner of the Genovese family. Gigante was one of five brothers; three of them, Mario, Pasquale, and Ralph, followed him into the Mafia. Only one brother, Louis, stayed out of the crime family, instead becoming a priest. Gigante was the shooter in the failed assassination of longtime Luciano boss Frank Costello in 1957. After sharing a prison cell with Costello's rival, Vito Genovese, following Genovese's conviction for heroin trafficking, Gigante became a caporegime, overseeing his own crew of Genovese soldiers and associates who operated out of Greenwich Village. Gigante was one of Genovese's most loyal supporters, siding with him throughout his struggle for power with Costello. Gigante quickly rose to power during the 1960s and 1970s. By 1981 he became the family's boss, while Anthony "Fat Tony" Salerno served as front boss during the first half of the 1980s. He also ordered the failed murder attempt of Gambino crime family boss John Gotti in 1986. With the arrest and conviction of Gotti and various Gambino family members in 1992, Gigante was officially recognized as the most powerful crime boss in the United States. For the better part of 30 years, Gigante feigned insanity in an effort to throw law enforcement off his trail. Dubbed "The Oddfather" and "The Enigma in the Bathrobe" by the press, Gigante often wandered the streets of Greenwich Village in his bathrobe and slippers, mumbling incoherently to himself. He was indicted on federal racketeering charges in 1990, but was determined to be mentally unfit to stand trial. In 1997 he was tried and convicted of racketeering and was given a 12-year sentence. Facing new charges in 2003, he pleaded guilty and admitted that his supposed insanity was an elaborate effort to avoid prosecution. He died while incarcerated in 2005 at the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners.
- Birthplace: Manhattan, New York City, New York
- Nationality: Italy, United States of America
- Paul "Paulie" Malignaggi (; mali-NAH-zhi; born November 23, 1980) is an American retired professional boxer and bare knuckle boxer who competed from 2001 to 2019, and has since worked as a boxing commentator and analyst. He held world championships in two weight classes, including the IBF junior welterweight title from 2007 to 2008, and the WBA welterweight title from 2012 to 2013. Malignaggi was particularly known for his fast hand speed, athleticism, and durable chin.
- Birthplace: Bensonhurst, New York City, New York
- Nationality: Italy, United States of America
- Weight Division: Welterweight, Light welterweight
Rocky Castellani
Dec. at 82 (1926-2008)Attilio N. "Rocky" Castellani (May 26, 1926 – August 31, 2008) was an American middleweight boxer. He was the top rated contender for the world middleweight crown in 1954 when he fought Bobo Olson and in July 1955 when he lost to Sugar Ray Robinson. These two exceptional fights were featured on ESPN's "Classic Fights of the Century".Castellani was born in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, to Attilio Castellani (1889–1974) and Rose Isopi Castellani (1896–1938), who later moved to Margate City, formerly South Atlantic City. He began boxing as a teenager at local gyms, and at a younger age would box opponents to entertain neighborhood kids. As a young man, he fought as a Marine in the battle of Iwo Jima during World War II. He boxed in the Marine Corps and won the title of "Champion of All China and Guam". After his discharge from the Marines he embarked on his professional boxing career around 1945. After a three month layoff from the ring on May 7, 1949, Castellani handily defeated Tony DeMicco before 1435 fans in New York's St. Nicholas Arena in a well publicized ten round unanimous decision. Castellani staggered his opponent in the third round, winning the bout from long range, and defending DeMicco's attempts to fight inside. Castellani was voted Ring Magazine's "Rookie of the Year" in 1948.On September 9, 1949, Castellani lost to skilled middleweight Kid Gavilan in a ten round unanimous decision at Madison Square Garden. All three judges scored for Gavilan by a significant margin of winning rounds. Castellani was knocked down in both rounds two and three, but surged in the middle rounds despite his hard tumble in round two. Castellani showed conditioning and skill but suffered in points from his two knockdowns. The Associated Press gave six rounds to Gavilan, and only three to Castellani, as did one of the judges. In a noteworthy victory on November 14, 1951, Castellani defeated Joey Giardello before 1,932 in a convincing ten round decision in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Giardello would become an exceptional boxer, taking the WBA World Middleweight Title between 1963-65. Castellani took charge of the future champion between the fourth and the ninth, though appeared to be coasting. He had taken four months off from a rib injury he received during training.On June 18, 1952, Castellani defeated Johnny Bratton at Chicago Stadium. Both judges scored the fight closely, but the referee gave a larger ten point margin to Bratton. Bratton was a noteworthy opponent who would compete for the World Middleweight Title on November 13, 1953 against Kid Galavan at Chicago Stadium, though he lost by large points margin.- Birthplace: Luzerne, Pennsylvania
- Nationality: Italy, United States of America
- Paul Centopani (born April 29, 1960) is an American retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Paul Roma. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling between 1984 and 1995.
- Nationality: Italy, United States of America
- Rocky Kansas was a tough, short (5'2'' tall) former World lightweight champion. He was born Rocco Tozzo on April 21, 1893 in Italy and came to America in 1898. He died on January 10, 1954.
- Birthplace: Italy
- Nationality: Italy, United States of America
- Weight Division: Lightweight
Vincent Maddalone
Age: 51Vincent "Vinny" Maddalone (born December 29, 1973) is an American professional boxer who fights at heavyweight. He has fought former world champions Tyson Fury, Alfred Cole, Jean-Marc Mormeck, and Evander Holyfield.- Birthplace: Flushing, New York City, New York
- Nationality: Italy, United States of America
Joe Dundee
Dec. at 78 (1903-1982)Samuel Lazzaro (August 6, 1903 – March 31, 1982), better known by his boxing alias Joe Dundee, was an Italian-American boxer. He was the brother of Middleweight Champion Vince Dundee. During his career, he was recognized as the World Welterweight Champion from 1927-9. Dundee's managers included Max Waxman, and Charles Johnston, and his trainer was Heinie Blaustein.- Nationality: Italy, United States of America
- Weight Division: Welterweight
- Clemente Russo (born 27 July 1982) is an Italian amateur boxer best known for winning Gold at the 2007 and 2013 World Amateur Boxing Championships at heavyweight (201 lbs limit). He currently boxes for the Italia Thunder team in the World Series of Boxing league. He also signed up for the new AIBA professional league, the APB, which launched in autumn 2013.
- Birthplace: Caserta, Italy
- Nationality: Italy
- Roberto Cammarelle (born 22 March 1980) is an Italian boxer, best known for winning the World Amateur Boxing Championships in 2007 (Chicago) and 2009 (Milan) as a super heavyweight and a gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. He won a silver medal in 2012 London Olympic Games, losing to Anthony Joshua.
- Birthplace: Milan, Italy
- Nationality: Italy
- Weight Division: Super heavyweight
- Carlo Orlandi (23 April 1910 – 29 July 1983) was an Italian boxer who won a gold medal at the 1928 Olympics. In 1929 Orlandi turned professional. During the 1930s Orlandi held both the Italian and European lightweight titles. He then won the Italian welterweight title in 1941 and retired in 1944. Orlandi was a deaf-mute.
- Birthplace: Milan, Italy
- Nationality: Italy
- Giacomo "Mino" Bozzano (born 12 April 1933 in Sestri Levante - died 21 November 2008) was a former Italian boxer, who won the bronze medal in the Heavyweight division (+ 91 kg) at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. He lost to Lev Mukhin of the Soviet Union and was eliminated.
- Birthplace: Sestri Levante, Italy
- Nationality: Italy
- Weight Division: Heavyweight
- Francesco Damiani (born 4 October 1958) is an Italian former professional boxer who competed from 1985 to 1993. He was the first WBO heavyweight champion, having held the title from 1989 to 1991, as well as the European heavyweight title from 1987 to 1989. As an amateur he won silver medals in the super-heavyweight division at the 1982 World Championships and 1984 Summer Olympics.
- Birthplace: Bagnacavallo, Italy
- Nationality: Italy
- Weight Division: Heavyweight
- Alessandro "Sandro" Lopopolo (18 December 1939 – 26 April 2014) was an Italian 1959 amateur featherweight and 1960 amateur lightweight boxing champion, and also world boxing champion in the light welterweight division afterwards, when he turned professional, between 1961 and 1973.
- Birthplace: Milan, Italy
- Nationality: Italy
- Weight Division: Super bantamweight, Light middleweight, Light welterweight
Tiberio Mitri
Dec. at 74 (1926-2001)Tiberio Mitri was an actor who appeared in "Ben-Hur," "A Farewell to Arms," and "The Great War."- Birthplace: Trieste, Italy
- Nationality: Italy
Francesco Pianeta
Age: 40Francesco Pianeta (born 8 October 1984) is a retired Italian professional boxer. He challenged for the unified heavyweight title in 2013 and the WBA (Regular) world title in 2015. He also held the European Union heavyweight title from 2008 to 2009.- Birthplace: Cosenza, Italy
- Nationality: Italy, Germany
Vincenzo Picardi
Age: 41Vincenzo Picardi (born October 20, 1983 in Casoria) is an Italian professional boxer best known for winning a bronze medal in the flyweight division both at the 2007 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Chicago and at the 2008 Olympics. He failed to qualify for the 2004 Summer Olympics, finishing in third place at the 3rd AIBA European 2004 Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Gothenburg, Sweden. At the 2006 European Championships he lost in the first round to favorite Samir Mammadov. A year later at the 2007 World Championships he reached the semis, where he lost to Thai star Somjit Jongjohor (2:13). At the Boxing at the 2008 Summer Olympics he again lost to Jongjohor. At the 2009 Worlds in his own country he lost his first bout to a Mongolian. He won the bronze medal at the 2010 European Amateur Boxing Championships in Moscow, Russia after he lost to Misha Aloyan from Russia in the Semis.- Birthplace: Casoria, Italy
- Nationality: Italy
- Weight Division: Lightweight
- Paolo Vidoz (born 21 August 1970 in Gorizia) is a retired boxer from Italy, who won the Olympic bronze medal, twice won the bronze medal at the World Amateur Boxing Championships: 1997 and 1999 and also won a silver medal at the European Championships.
- Birthplace: Gorizia, Italy
- Nationality: Italy
- Weight Division: Super heavyweight
- Patrizio Oliva (born 28 January 1959) is an Italian former boxer, who won the gold medal in the light welterweight division at the 1980 Moscow Olympics as an amateur and the WBA light welterweight title as a professional.
- Birthplace: Naples, Italy
- Nationality: Italy
- Weight Division: Light welterweight
- Cosimo Pinto (born 14 March 1943) is a retired Italian light heavyweight boxer who won a gold medal at the 1964 Olympics. Contrary to most of his teammates he remained an amateur and later won a bronze medal at the 1967 European championships.
- Birthplace: Novara, Italy
- Nationality: Italy
Giulio Saraudi
Dec. at 66 (1938-2005)Giulio Saraudi (3 July 1938 – 20 April 2005) was an Italian boxer, and an Olympic bronze medalist.- Birthplace: Civitavecchia, Italy
- Nationality: Italy
- Weight Division: Light heavyweight
Simone Maludrottu
Age: 46Simone Maludrottu (born 4 June 1978) is a retired professional boxer from Olbia, Sardinia, Italy. Maludrottu fought in the Bantamweight division and is a former European (EBU) champion.- Birthplace: Olbia, Italy
- Nationality: Italy
- Anthony Martin Sinatra (born Saverio Antonino Martino Sinatra; Italian pronunciation: [saˈvɛːrjo antoˈniːno marˈtiːno siˈnaːtra]; May 4, 1892 – January 24, 1969) was an Italian-American Hoboken city fireman, professional boxer, bar owner, and father of singer and actor Frank Sinatra.
- Birthplace: Palagonia, Italy
- Nationality: Italy
Domenico Valentino
Age: 40Domenico Valentino (born 17 May 1984, in Marcianise) is a boxer from Italy. The hard punching Valentino won a bronze medal at lightweight at the 2004 European Amateur Boxing Championships in Pula, Croatia. He participated in the 2004 Summer Olympics. There he was stopped in the quarterfinals of the Lightweight (60 kg) division by Kazakhstan's eventual bronze medalist Serik Yeleuov.At the 2005 World Amateur Boxing Championships he once more won bronze. At the Euro 2006 he lost early to Olexandr Klyuchko 18:30. At the 2007 World Amateur Boxing Championships he at last made it to the finals beating North Korean Kim Song-Guk but lost to Frankie Gavin. At the 2008 Olympics he beat Tahar Tamsamani but lost to Cuban favorite Yordenis Ugás 2:10.At the 2009 World Amateur Boxing Championships he used the absence of Gavin (who had turned professional) and Ugas (who had gone up in weight) and home advantage to win his first major title. At the 2012 Olympics, he again reached the quarter-finals, losing to eventual bronze medalist Evaldas Petrauskas.Valentino has signed up for the new AIBA professional league, called APB (AIBA Pro-Boxing), which will launch in autumn 2013.- Birthplace: Marcianise, Italy
- Nationality: Italy
Vittorio Parrinello
Age: 41Jahyn Vittorio Parrinello (born 8 August 1983) is an Italian boxer who competed in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. He announced his retirement from box in 2017.- Birthplace: Piedimonte Matese, Italy
- Nationality: Italy
- Bruno Arcari (born 1 January 1942) is a retired Italian light welterweight boxer who fought from 1964 to 1978.
- Birthplace: Frosinone, Italy
- Nationality: Italy
- Weight Division: Light welterweight
Massimiliano Duran
Age: 61Massimiliano Duran (born November 3, 1963 in Ferrara, Italy) is a former Italian professional boxer who held the Cruiser WBC title and the European championship between 1990 and 1991. He is also known for being the only fighter in boxing history to earn a shot at, win, and defend a world title with three consecutive disqualification wins.- Birthplace: Italy
- Nationality: Italy
- Weight Division: Cruiserweight
Stefano Zoff
Age: 58Stefano Zoff (Italian pronunciation: [ˈsteːfano dˈdzɔf]; born March 17, 1966 in Monfalcone) is an Italian lightweight boxer from Monfalcone, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. In 1999 he won the WBA lightweight title.- Birthplace: Monfalcone, Italy
- Nationality: Italy
- Weight Division: Lightweight
Sumbu Kalambay
Age: 68Patrizio Sumbu Kalambay (born 10 April 1956) is an Italian former professional boxer who held the WBA middleweight championship. He was born in the Belgian Congo, moving to Italy during his youth, which is where he learned boxing and he still resides. The Ring magazine placed him at #9 on their list of the "10 best middleweight title holders of the last 50 years" in 2011.- Birthplace: Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Nationality: Italy
- Weight Division: Middleweight
Alessio Furlan
Age: 48Alessio Furlan (born 16 October 1976) is an Italian professional boxer. He is a former IBF Mediterranean and Italian junior-middleweight champion.- Birthplace: Ivrea, Italy
- Nationality: Italy
Angelo Palma
Age: 52- Birthplace: Rome, Italy
- Nationality: Italy
