Two Ton Tony Vs The Wild Bull

[Roberto Aqui]

of the Pampas, Tony Galento vs Luis Firpo.

One unrepentant slugger vs another unrepentant slugger.

Firpo has about a half foot in height and reach over Galento, plus a dynamite right hand and Galento has 10 extra Lbs with his explosive left hook.

Get your peanuts and beer before the bell rings on this bout.

Gotta be a better matchmaker since nobody bought my Burley-Fitz card!

[mike]

what a matchmaker and match --wow- tend to go with firpo on this- abit of a baer -galento thing here--tos up in a not pretty brawl.

[10-8]

I don't know whether or not this thread was born out of a link I recently provided of Galento and Louis on "The Way It Was".

In any event, on the show Tony spoke of facing bigger fighters and how they were easier because there was more of a target. He specifically mentions Dempsey's opposition and how he would have beaten them.

Anyway, Galento although sloppy and raw looking is the more proven fighter having fought and beaten better competition. Galento's chin was as solid as they come and his left hook was very dangerous.

Firpo seems a bit sparce in quality of opposition, and his reputation seems to be based primarily on the Dempsey fight which when all was said and done saw him KO'd in 2 rounds.

I pick Galento by stoppage in an ugly fight.

[Roberto Aqui]

Anyway, Galento although sloppy and raw looking is the more proven fighter having fought and beaten better competition. Galento's chin was as solid as they come and his left hook was very dangerous.

Firpo seems a bit sparce in quality of opposition, and his reputation seems to be based primarily on the Dempsey fight which when all was said and done saw him KO'd in 2 rounds.

I pick Galento by stoppage in an ugly fight.

Now hold on podnah, you can pick Galento of course, but Al Ettore is the only notable name of Galento wins unless you want to count the Nova fight which came after his title challenge. What Galento has over Firpo is many more fights. He also doesn't know the first thing about Dempsey's comp, but he makes good color commentary and yeah, that clip made me want to find another great slugger to match.

Firpo KOed Bill Brennan, and Willard, well regarded Weinhart and beat Homer Smith. He didn't have a long career because he made big money in the US and retired as a cattle baron rancher in Argentina.

Oddly enough they both Italian Jack Herman in common as a 2nd rd KO victim. Thing is Galento's comes 12 yrs later in Herman's last fight!

You want to know how tough Firpo was? He came out of 10 yr retirement to fight Arturo Godoy who gave Joe Louis his toughest fights a few years later. Godoy knocked down the 42 yr old Firpo 9x before Firpo finally quit in the 4rth in his corner. That's about how many times it took Dempsey before keeping him down for the count.

The reason I proposed this bout is because conventional thought holds these big sluggers shouldn't have any chance of beating a great or even reaching a champ with their "crude" swings.

Yet there they are, Firpo, Galento, Bonavena, Peter, just knocking down strong skilled champs and damn near holding a belt.

I just loved Galento's style. He's really light on his feet, huge, strong, and deadly with that wrecking ball left that kept swinging Louis' way. Firpo's right sledge is the only shot that ever really rocked Dempsey in his career if we accept the first Flynn fight was a dive.

I don't think Galento can keep a prime Firpo down before going down himself in a Lyle/Foreman style slugfest. Howie is gonna have to wear diapers if he announces this bout!

[10-8]

So we're going to give credit to Firpo for KO'ing a 42 year old Willard who was coming off a 4 year retirement. Also, getting decked 9 times by Godoy and stopped in 4 isn't a ringing endorsement either. This just validates my contention that Galento fought and beat better competition.

I do stand corrected on Bill Brennan as a quality win, but this still doesn't change my view of Firpo. In addition to Lou Nova, Galento beat Nathan Mann, Harry Thomas, Leroy Haynes, Eddie Blunt Roy Lazer and Al Ettore. His competition also included Johhny Risko, Arturo Godoy, Max and Buddy Baer and of course Joe Louis.

You might be able to split hairs over their biggest wins but not their overall comp.

[10-8]

Firpo's right sledge is the only shot that ever really rocked Dempsey in his career if we accept the first Flynn fight was a dive.

Anyone want first crack at this or should I take it?

[hagler04]

Galento.

Although it is hard to judge Firpo by the sped-up crank filming we have of him, I see Galento's crouching, quick explosive style beating Firpo who seemed to just walk in and wail.

[Colin Maclaurin]

this would be a real slugfest, but IMO firpo is the more physically imposing/stronger fighter, and I think that would be the difference. look for him to outmuscle tony.

[sr71ko]

This is another great match up, I'm not sure who wins this one. Galento's murderous left hook vs. Firpo's clubbing right hand. All that I can say is that if Galento is knocked out of the ring like Firpo had knocked Dempsey out of the ring, then this fight is over! This fight has the potential to be one of the most comical kayos because if Galento is knocked out of the ring or through the ropes, you bet that ring posts and ropes would collapse.

[iskigoe]

I dont think the sportswriters have a chance of pushing Galento back in. There is no doubt that they would be ringing for him. I think Galento would have had no chance against a prime Dempsey. I go with the "Pampase bull".
After all legend has it and old Dempsey socked it to Galento.

[Roberto Aqui]

I dont think the sportswriters have a chance of pushing Galento back in. There is no doubt that they would be ringing for him. I think Galento would have had no chance against a prime Dempsey. I go with the "Pampase bull".
After all legend has it and old Dempsey socked it to Galento.

Hey, when it comes to Dempsey, the legends and revelations just keep growing. Don't be shy now, tell us the Galento tale.

I already know about how Tony and Jackie Gleason got into it at Toot's.

[iskigoe]

I thought I read on another thread how jack got mad at Galento in a trainig gym and socked him one?

[mike]

not legend just fact-- dempsey managed tony for a while over at stillmans and arcel his trainer. galento was a prick --but more-- woulnt train all that much. tony was a wise ass at that time. anyhow-- dempsey was used to guys like that but not to unserious pros. so one time he had enough-- gets in thrier with gaelento-- and hits him with a resounding shot like something blew up --which lead stillman years later to say it was the hardest shot ever delivered in his gym along with belrlencback nailing a cast iron jaw of a famous chin at the time as a tie. arcel repeated this to others and to me personally. we are talking the mid thirties. as rochy of cbr said-- we respect marciano for the gent he was -- we dont respect galento for the chump he was

[Juan C Ayllon]

Hey Mike,

I remember reading about that sesssion between Galento and Dempsey, too. By the way, who did Berlenbach nail?

Also, Roberto, tell me more about Tony and Jacky Gleason getting into it at Toots...

Thanks,


Juan

[Roberto Aqui]

Also, Roberto, tell me more about Tony and Jacky Gleason getting into it at Toots...
Juan

Gleason was giving an interview, and you know how he is such a natural on screen presence. It was few years before he got so sick so he was still sorta robust and he's talking about his younger days when he was scrappy and doing quite well in these little barroom tussles. He was a decent sized fellow and probably packed a good punch.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure it was Toots, but he and a squatty Italian exchange a few words and head for the back alley to settle things. Gleason squares up and then wakes up in the alley with a headache and swollen jaw wondering what happened. Goes back in and starts to inquire about this fellow's whereabouts, and finds out his name is Tony Galento and he's a boxer and has left the premises 15 min ago. Gleason had never heard of Galento before, but needless to say he never forgot his short scrap with Tony!

[peter murphy]

a very ugly fight ,two wild men trying to kill each other ,i feel firpo is stronger than galento which would help here, i see him wearing galento down and slugging him out in round ten