On This Day In Boxing History!

June 2nd: 2001 Joey Maxim Passes!

Joey Maxim 

Career:  83-29-4, 22Ko’s

Bouts: 116

Rounds: 1054

Ko’s: 19%

Birth Name: Giuseppe Antonio Berardinelli

Born: March 28th, 1922

Died:  2001-06-02 / age 79

Pro-Debut: JANUARY 13TH, 1941

Division: Light Heavyweight

Stance: Orthodox

Height: 6′ 1″  

Reach: 71½″  

Residence: Cleveland, Ohio

Birth Place: Cleveland, Ohio

Career

World Light Heavyweight Champion

January 24th,1950 – December 17th, 1952       

International Boxing Hall of Fame: Class of 1994

Born Giuseppe Antonio Berardinelli March 28, 1922 Maxim was an American professional boxer. He was a World Light Heavyweight Champion. He took the ring-name Joey Maxim from the Maxim gun, the world's first self-acting machine gun, based on his ability to rapidly throw a large number of left jabs.

Maxim learned to box at a very young age. Following a successful amateur career, during which he won the Golden Gloves, he turned professional in 1940. Maxim boxed fairly regularly at exhibitions during the war years whilst serving as a military police officer at Miami Beach, Florida.

It is somewhat surprising that Maxim had to wait so long for a world title shot, he was 28 and had already fought 87 times as a professional, considering his undoubted ability. His chance came on January 24, 1950, against British boxer Freddie Mills, who was making his first defense, at London's Earl's Court Exhibition Centre. Maxim, very much the underdog against the popular Englishman, won the fight by knockout in the 10th round. After the fight three of Mills teeth were found embedded in Maxim's left glove, Mills never fought again.

Maxim's next major fight was on May 30, 1951, when he made a bid for Ezzard Charles's world heavyweight title. Maxim was unsuccessful, losing on points.

The most famous fight of Maxim's career was on June 25, 1952, when he made his second defense of his world light heavyweight crown, against Sugar Ray Robinson at Yankee Stadium. The fight had originally been scheduled for June 23, but was postponed due to torrential rain. By the time the fight took place New York City was in the midst of a record heat wave.

During the fight Robinson built up a large points lead over the champion, although Maxim began to come on later in the fight. Robinson gradually succumbed to hyperthermia and Maxim's harder punches. He collapsed to the canvas at the end of the 13th round, but managed to stagger back to his corner. However, Robinson failed to answer the bell at the start of the 14th, even though he only had to remain on his feet to win the fight and Maxim won by a technical knockout. This was the only time that Robinson was stopped in his 200-fight career.

By this time the original referee, Ruby Goldstein, had himself been forced to retire from the fight after collapsing into the ropes complaining that he could no longer continue. This meant that a substitute referee, Ray Miller, had to be called out to finish the fight. Goldstein and Robinson were not the only people who had to be stretchered from the stadium: several dozen spectators also collapsed during the fight. Between them, the two fighters lost over 20 pounds in weight during the fight.

Despite winning, the Robinson fight took a heavy toll on Maxim. He lost his world title six months later to the veteran Archie Moore. Following this loss Maxim, formerly one of the division's most active fighters, fought only 14 fights in the remaining 6 years of his career. These fights included two rematches with "The Old Mongoose" Archie Moore, both of which Maxim lost. Maxim retired in 1958 after losing six consecutive fights.

Maxim retired with a record of 82 wins (21 by KO), 29 losses, and 4 draws; in his 115-fight career, he was knocked out only once. During his career he defeated such legendary figures as Jersey Joe Walcott, Jimmy Bivins, and Floyd Patterson.

After his retirement Maxim spent time as a stand-up comic, restaurateur, and taxi driver. He also served as a greeter at hotels and casinos located in Las Vegas.

He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1994.

Maxim's wife Michelina, with whom he had two daughters, died in 1977.

In February 2001, Maxim suffered a stroke. He died in West Palm Beach, Florida on June 2, 2001. In addition to his daughters, he was survived by his mother, Henrietta Berardinelli, who was 97 years old (died at 101 in 2006), and six great-grandchildren.

June 2nd

1891: Charles McCoy W4 Pete Jenkins

1894: Jimmy Barry W11 Jimmy Gorman

1904: Jack Johnson W6 Frank Childs

1913: Bill Ladbury KO11 Sid Smith

1923: Eugene Criqui KO6 Johnny Kilbane

1924: Mickey Walker W10 Lew Tendler

1955: Barry Michael was born in Watford, England

1956: Luis Rodriguez pro debut KO3 Lazaro Hernandez

1958: Emile Griffith W4 Joe Parham

1962: "Prince" Charles Williams was born in Columbus, OH

1973: Carlos Monzon W15 Emile Griffith

Roberto Duran KO8 Hector Thompson

1975: Alfonso Zamora TKO9 Jorge Torres

1976: Andy Price W10 Pipino Cuevas

1977: Wilfred Benítez KO1 Roberto Gonzalez

1978: Wilfredo Gomez KO3 Sakad Porntavee - A tribune collapsed during the event causing 10 deaths and over 300 injured persons

1979: John Tate TKO8 Kallie Knoetze

Rodolfo Sanchez W12 Carlos Hernandez

1984: Carlos De Leon W12 Bash Ali

1989: Antonio Esparragoza KO6 Jean-Marc Renard

1990: Marcos Villasana KO8 Paul Hodkinson

Welcome Ncita KO7 Ramon Cruz

1995: Erik Morales TKO10 Armando Castro

Miguel Gonzalez W12 Marty Jakubowski

Alejandro Gonzalez KO9 Tony Green

Hector Acero-Sanchez D12 Daniel Zaragoza

Marco Antonio Barrera KO2 Frankie Toledo

1996: Larry Donald TKO6 Jorge Valdes

1997: Welsh boxing manager Eddie Thomas dies Thomas managed Ken Buchanan & Howard Winstone

Darren Corbett KO3 Chris Okoh

2000: Zolani Potelo KO8 Mickey Cantwell

Omar Sheika MD10 Glen Johnson

2001: Joey Maxim passes age 79

2007: Sultan Ibragimov W12 Shannon Briggs

2011: Peter Quillin TKO11 Winky Wright

2012: Austin Trout W12 Delvin Rodriguez

Cecilia Braekhus W10 Jessica Balogun

Moises Fuentes KO1 Julio Cesar Felix

Juan Jose Montes DSD12 Victor Zaleta

Donnie Nietes W12 Felipe Salguero

Milan Melindo TKO1 Jesus Geles

Beibut Shumenov W12 Enrique Ornelas

Antonio Tarver NC Lateef Kayode

2015: Chayaphon Moonsri KO9 Jerry Tomogdan

2016: John Riel Casimero KO4 Amnat Ruenroeng

2018:  Natalie Brown KO2 Jessica Camara  

2022:  Charles Conwell TKO3 Abraham Juarez