Paulino Uzcudun boxer
- bouts
- 71
- won
- 51
- lost
- 17
- draw
- 3
- Status
- inactive
- Division
- heavyweight
- Debut
- 1923-09-16
- Height
- 5′ 10″/178cm
- Reach
- -
- Age
- 86
- Born
- 1899-05-03
- Death
- 1985-07-05
- Nationality
- Spain
Paulino Uzcudun Eizmendi (3 May 1899 – 5 July 1985) was a Spanish heavyweight boxer, who is considered to be the greatest heavyweight from Spain. Uzkudun is the Basque spelling of his last name. He was the youngest of nine siblings. In his youth, he became an aizkolari or traditional competitive Basque wood chopper. Uzcudun, known as Paulino in the United States, was the European heavyweight champion, and he fought heavyweight champions Joe Louis, Max Baer, Max Schmeling (three times) and Primo Carnera (twice) during his career. The former butcher—nicknamed "the Basque woodchopper"—retired from boxing with a record of 49 wins (33 KOs), 17 losses and 3 draws.Uzcudun was a rugged boxer with a crouched stance. He had a powerful left hook, and fought the toughest heavyweights of his time. He had only one opportunity at the world's heavyweight championship, but was defeated in a fifteen-round fight by Primo Carnera of Italy on October 22, 1933. Trainer Whitey Bimstein accompanied Uzcudun to the bout in Barcelona, Spain. Later in life, Bimstein gave an account in interview, of a scene more reminiscent of the cinema: "I remember one day we were at a sidewalk cafe. Just as I started to put my lips to a glass of vermouth a shot splintered the glass. Believe me, I got back to the hotel in nothing flat..." Much more grim was his description of the Civil War in Spain beyond such high drama: "It was nothing to walk along the streets covered with hundreds of dead, and you couldn't tell when the fighting would break out anew." Against this chaotic backdrop, Uzcudun's chance at the title took place. Shortly before the fight, Carnera balked at the Spanish-made gloves chosen by the governing boxing commission. The champion, who had insisted upon American gloves, stated loudly and in Spanish that he would not fight. The commissioner, according to Bimstein, removed himself from the room, and "about a dozen soldiers walked toward Carnera." The champion "backed up hurriedly" and conceded the choice. As for the actual fight, Uzcudun went the 15 scheduled rounds and well enough, that "when the verdict was announced, the revolution started all over again." A riot, which included gunfire, commenced. Uzcudun, Bimstein, the other seconds and as many as "three hundred others" took refuge under the massive ring, until troops restored order—even with this, citizenry "continued rioting in the streets all night...." It was unfortunate for Uzcudun, whom Bimstein said "was the finest character among the fighters I ever met, square as they make 'em, game and tough, and in his prime a match for any of 'em."Uzcudun also "retired" the famed Harry Wills, when he stopped him in four rounds on July 13, 1927. The tough and durable Uzcudun was never knocked off his feet, or KO'd until his last professional fight. On December 13, 1935, Uzcudun made the mistake of coming out of retirement to meet Joe Louis. In the fourth round, Louis hit Uzcudun with a swift, powerful right uppercut that knocked him down causing the referee to stop the fight even though Uzcudun wanted to continue. His record was 49–17–3 with 33 knockouts.In 1933–34, Uzcudun trained on the beach in Rocky Point, Long Island, New York. During a sparring session with Franklin Rosalia (1911–1972), who also summered in Rocky Point, Uzcudun received a punch that knocked him down flat. Some conjecture that this incident led to his subsequent retirement having been demoralized by this incident.
Date | Opponent | Last Opponents' Results | Place | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1935-12-13 | Joe Louis | WWWWWW | Madison Square Garden, New York | LOST Technical knockout |
1935-07-07 | Max Schmeling | WLLDWW | Poststadion, Moabit | LOST Points |
1934-05-13 | Max Schmeling | WWLWLL | Estadio Olímpico de Montjuïc, Barcelona | DRAW Majority decision |
1933-10-22 | Primo Carnera | WWWWWW | Piazza di Siena, Roma | LOST Unanimous decision |
1933-07-01 | Don McCorkindale | WLDWWW | Plaza de Toros Monumental, Barcelona | WIN Points |
1933-05-13 | Pierre Charles | WWWWWW | Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas, Madrid | WIN Split-decision |
1933-04-16 | Hans Schoenrath | LDLLLW | Frontón Betis, Sevilla | WIN Points |
1933-03-18 | Ernst Guehring | LLWWWL | Plaza de Toros, Valencia | WIN KO |
1933-02-03 | Salvatore Ruggirello | LLLWLW | Frontón Jai-Alai, Madrid | WIN Points |
1933-01-24 | Giacomo Bergomas | DDLLWW | Teatro Circo Olympia, Barcelona | WIN KO |
1932-07-25 | Ernie Schaaf | WWWWLW | Madison Square Garden Bowl, Long Island City, Queens | LOST Points |
1932-05-26 | Mickey Walker | WDWWWW | Madison Square Garden, New York | LOST Points |
1932-04-04 | Jack Gagnon | WLLLLL | St. Nicholas Arena, New York | WIN KO |
1932-01-15 | King Levinsky | LDWWLW | Chicago Stadium, Chicago | LOST Majority decision |
1931-11-13 | Tommy Loughran | WWWWLW | Madison Square Garden, New York | LOST Split-decision |
1931-07-04 | Max Baer | WLWLWL | Race Track Arena, Reno | WIN Points |
1931-03-10 | Les Kennedy | WWLLWW | Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles | WIN Technical knockout |
1930-11-30 | Primo Carnera | WWWWWL | Estadio Olímpico de Montjuïc, Barcelona | LOST Split-decision |
1930-10-18 | Maurice Griselle | LWWWLW | Velodrome d'Hiver, Paris | WIN Technical knockout |
1930-06-19 | Johnny Risko | WWLWDW | Navin Field, Detroit | LOST Points |
1930-01-10 | Otto von Porat | WWWWWL | Madison Square Garden, New York | WIN Points |
1929-11-29 | Tuffy Griffiths | WWWWWW | Chicago Stadium, Chicago | LOST Majority decision |
1929-06-27 | Max Schmeling | WWWWWW | Yankee Stadium, Bronx | LOST Points |
1929-04-10 | Jose Casnos | debut | Santo Domingo | WIN KO |
1929-03-30 | Caeano | debut | Santo Domingo | WIN KO |
1929-03-24 | Francisco Cruz Coelho | WLLLLL | San Juan Stadium, San Juan | WIN KO |
1929-02-22 | KO Christner | WDLWWL | Madison Square Garden, New York | WIN Points |
1928-12-25 | Jack Renault | WWLLWL | Estadio Versalles, Cali | WIN Unanimous decision |
1928-12-03 | Bill Hartwell | WLLWL | Arena, Philadelphia | WIN Points |
1928-11-05 | Otto von Porat | WLWWWW | Madison Square Garden, New York | WIN Points |
1928-10-19 | Big Boy Peterson | LWDLLW | Ebbets Field, Brooklyn | LOST |
1928-07-07 | Ludwig Haymann | WWLDWW | Plaza de Toros del Chofre, San Sebastian | WIN KO |
1928-02-28 | George Godfrey | WWWWWW | Wrigley Field, Los Angeles | LOST Points |
1928-01-29 | Quintin Romero Rojas | LLLLLW | El Toreo de Cuatro Caminos, Mexico City | WIN KO |
1928-01-16 | Ed Keeley | WWLLWL | Broadway Arena, Brooklyn | WIN Technical knockout |
1928-01-02 | Pat Lester | LWLLLL | Armory, Newark | WIN Technical knockout |
1927-11-25 | Johnny Risko | WWWWWL | Madison Square Garden, New York | LOST Points |
1927-09-08 | Tom Heeney | WWWLWW | Madison Square Garden, New York | DRAW Points |
1927-08-11 | Jack Delaney | WWWWWL | Yankee Stadium, Bronx | LOST |
1927-07-13 | Harry Wills | WWWWWL | Ebbets Field, Brooklyn | WIN KO |
1927-04-01 | Tom Heeney | WWLWWW | Madison Square Garden, New York | WIN Points |
1927-02-25 | Knute Hansen | WWWWLW | Madison Square Garden, New York | WIN Points |
1927-01-21 | Homer Smith | LWLWWL | Benjamin Field Arena, Tampa | WIN Technical knockout |
1927-01-15 | Antolin Fierro | LLWWLL | Nuevo Fronton, Havana | WIN KO |
1927-01-01 | Martin O'Grady | LLLLLL | Almendares Park, Havana | WIN KO |
1926-05-18 | Erminio Spalla | WWWWLL | Plaza de Toros Monumental, Barcelona | WIN Points |
1926-03-23 | Harry Drake | LWLLLL | Cirque de Paris, Paris | WIN KO |
1926-02-12 | Franz Diener | DWWWWW | Kaiserdamm Arena | DRAW Points |
1926-02-09 | Soldier Jones | LLLWDL | Cirque de Paris, Paris | WIN KO |
1926-01-29 | Constant Barrick | LWLDLL | Teatro Circo Olympia, Barcelona | WIN Technical knockout |
1925-12-01 | Hans Breitenstraeter | WWWWW | Sportpalast, Schoeneberg | WIN KO |
1925-11-07 | Marcel Nilles | LLLDLW | Velodrome d'Hiver, Paris | WIN KO |
1925-10-16 | Constant Barrick | WLLWLD | Teatro Circo Price, Madrid | WIN Technical knockout |
1925-10-10 | Fernand Delarge | WWWWWL | Plaza de Toros de Las Arenas, Barcelona | WIN Technical knockout |
1925-09-06 | Phil Scott | WWWWWW | Plaza de Toros de Vista Alegre, Bilbao | WIN KO |
1925-07-11 | Jack Humbeeck | WLLWLW | Plaza de Toros de Goya, Madrid | WIN Points |
1925-06-07 | Fernand Delarge | DWWWWW | Arenes d'Eckmühl, Oran | WIN Points |
1924-12-20 | Jack Humbeeck | LLWWLW | Velodrome d'Hiver, Paris | WIN Technical knockout |
1924-10-05 | Louis Piochelle | WLWLWL | Stade Municipal, Algiers | WIN KO |
1924-09-07 | Frank Goddard | WWLWLW | Arènes de Bayonne, Bayonne | WIN Technical knockout |
1924-07-29 | George Cook | DWWLLW | Cirque de Paris, Paris | LOST Points |
1924-07-03 | George Cook | WDWWLL | Royal Albert Hall, Kensington | LOST Points |
1924-06-14 | Jose Teixidor | LWLLLW | Cirque d'Hiver, Paris | WIN KO |
1924-06-01 | Arthur Townley | LLDWLL | Stade Buffalo, Montrouge | WIN KO |
1924-05-17 | Marcel Nilles | LLWLWW | Plaza de Toros de Las Arenas, Barcelona | WIN KO |
1924-05-11 | Paul Journee | LLLLLL | Estadio Municipal de Atocha, San Sebastian | WIN KO |
1924-04-19 | Laurent Mahieu | WLWLWL | Frontón Euskalduna, Bilbao | WIN KO |
1924-04-04 | Alex Touroff | LLLLW | Circo Americano, Madrid | WIN KO |
1924-01-02 | Herman Sjouwerman | LLWLL | Salle Wagram, Paris | WIN Technical knockout |
1923-09-26 | Paul Journee | DLWLLL | Salle Wagram, Paris | WIN Points |
1923-09-16 | Alex Touroff | debut | Stade Anastasie, Paris | WIN KO |