WTI Magazine #62    2015 June, 12
Author : Giovanni Verde      Translation by:

The "Gigante buono" (gentle giant) Primo Carnera has been an Italian symbol in the world, between the '20s and the '30s of last century. Boxer, wrestler and actor, through his achievements he represented the character with an almost inhuman stature, yet mild-tempered and romantic. Primo Carnera was born in Sequals in Friuli on October 26 of 1906, from an extremely poor family. His father is called to the front of 1st World War in 1915 and his mother cannot bear the costs of the family. So, Primo leaves for France, driven by economic desperation.

In the early months of his stay in France, during which he worked as a carpenter, Carnera meets a circus. The person in charge of the show notices his extraordinary physique and gives him a job as a fighter. The new job allows Carnera to improve his economic situation. During his travels with the circus, the French boxer and heavyweight champion Paul Journée discovers the hidden talent of the boy from Friuli. Primo decides to leave the circus and to devote himself to pugilistic training, returning to the old carpenter job.

In the following years, Primo Carnera is featured in several boxing matches around Europe. His technique is still shaky, but he has an exceptional strength in his fist and an almost supernatural resistance. His European tour ends with sixteen wins and two losses.

On December 31, 1929 Primo Carnera lands in the United States of America. These are the years of prohibition, of the economic crisis and of the Italian American mafia, which will invest on Carnera preferring quantity over the quality of the match. Carnera wins before the limit all the first 23 match fought in the United States, 16 of them by knockout in the first two rounds. However, some fights have a disconcerting trend, so that somebody repeatedly assumes them to be rigged.

After six matches more, all won, the Friulian boxer is designated to fight against Jack Sharkey, on October 12, 1931, at Ebbet's Field in New York. Virtually it already is a semifinal for the world title, as Sharkey has just been defeated by World Champion Max Schmeling and is planning to fight him him again, soon. Carnera endures throughout the whole match, defeated just on points.

Later Jack Sharkey, who in the meantime has become World Champion, decides that his opponent will be decided in a match between Primo Carnera and Ernie Schaaf, who had suffered brain damage during a previous meeting. Doctors won't stop Schaaf to fight Carnera, in February 1933. At the thirteenth round, Schaaf is knocked out twice. Transported unconscious at the hospital, Schaaf dies four days later, for a brain hemorrhage.

Carnera, struck from what happened, decides to retire from boxing. Thanks to his family and his friends, after two months he change his mind and resume his training to challenge Sharkey for the World Heavyweight Championship.

On June 29, 1933, the two boxers fight at Madison Square Garden Bowl in New York. Already in first round, Carnera knocks out the opponent, who gets up immediately, avoiding the count. The match continues balanced enough for five more rounds. At the sixth round Carnera once again knocks out the World Champion, who gets up and is counted by the referee. Immediately after the Italian boxer hits Jack Sharkey in the face with a right uppercut, sending him KO andwinning the belt of World Heavyweight Champion. Carnera becomes a national hero. He loses the title a year later, defeated by the American boxer and actor Max Baer.

The giant dies on June 29, 1967 in Sequals, where he had returned when his health condition had worsened. His character and his almost superhuman qualities make of him an Italian symbol and an international talented champion.