Paulino Uzcudun boxer

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

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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

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