Ringside Report Looks Back at Former WBO Heavyweight Champion Francesco Damiani

[AdSense-A]

By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart

The Italian influence on the boxing world does not just extend to the background of one Rocky Balboa. When Matchroom and Eddie Hearn opened up in Italy, he knew what time it was – time to give a country with a rich heritage the credit it deserves.

Despite a dubious relationship to organized crime, the emergence of the first fascist dictator and the type of indecisions during world wars that lead to many jokes and digs, Italy is blessed with a deep tradition and beauty that extends far beyond its cuisine. It also has some pretty good boxers in its midst. One of those was the heavyweight Francesco Damiani, 30-2, 24 KO’s.

Hi amateur career was pretty special as he fought to a Silver Medal in the super heavyweight category at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, having lost in the quarter finals in 1980 in Moscow. It was the same color of medal he had managed at the world championships in Munich two years before. In 1981 and in 1983 it had been better and was gold at the European Championships which showed his early promise that had got him a bronze at the Mediterranean Gomes in 1979 was no fluke.

His amateur career, and I can find little to back at least one of these claims up online, but apparently, included a win against Teofilo Stevenson, being robbed at the Olympics by Tyrell Biggs – second time he lost to Biggs in a major competition, something I can confirm is that the legendary British boxing commentator, Harry Carpenter called it, “the worst boxing decision in all my years of boxing commentating”.

Professionally he started his career in on the January 5, 1985, after his Olympic exploits, with a win against Allou Gobe in Perugia. The promise of a sterling amateur career was realized in the pro ranks as he served as the WBO champion at heavyweight from 1989 to 1991, became European Champion, and WBC international champion.

Quite strangely he never fought an Italian. In an interview, given all of 15 years ago he was to reflect, “I’m probably the only Italian boxer who never fought another Italian. (His manager) Umberto also wanted me to make a lot of money and he was successful in that. I never had to work from Monday to Friday; boxing was my only job. I can legitimately say that I had a great career, financially.” Not a bad boast and whatever he never had was never clearly missed.

In the same interview a guy who fought some of THE names of the decade is asked who his toughest opponent was. Now in what I think is a typical response from a toughened fighter he does not talk about the big names on his record but gives credit to someone we may not have heard much about before. That’s because if you are in the game, you are in the know. Here is what he responded, “James Broad. He had a record of 20 wins and 3 losses, had won the NABF title and was very respected. Besides, our fight was an eliminator for the IBF title and that added pressure on me. I knew he was tough, but not that tough. I can say the opposite about Greg Page. He had a big reputation because was a former WBA champion, but I won easily: 95-93 on all scorecards. He boxed dirty (and was deducted points), but his punches never hurt me.”

His first professional belt came on Valentine’s Day 1986 when he stopped Eddie Gregg in the first round for the WBC international title in Luca. Eight months later the EBU European title was won with a 6th round stoppage of Ander Eklund. He defended the European title in April the following year in Milan by stopping John Emmen in the 3rd round.

In 1988 he got his revenge on Tyrell Biggs who had robbed him in the Olympics with a 5th round stoppage in Milan. The fight got stopped because of a cut sustained by Biggs. Again, Damiani had much to say about it in his interview, “He beat me in the Olympic final, and other times before that. As we say in Italy, he was the black sheep of my amateur career. When I fought him professionally, I was determined to win big and I did it in five rounds: the bout was stopped because of a cut over Biggs’ right eye. You know, in the Olympic quarterfinal Tyrell defeated Lennox Lewis, who a few years later gave him a serious beating (third round TKO) as a pro. I think Biggs had a great technique, but was too much of a nice guy to be successful in American professional rings. He wouldn’t have hurt a fly.”

On May 6, 1989 Damiani won the WBO version of the world title with a 3rd round knockout of Johnny DuPlooy in Syracuse. To continue a theme of his career he knocked DuPlooy out in the third round to become the WBO’s very first world heavyweight champion. Years later he spoke of that win, “The WBO offered me the opportunity to be its first champion and I accepted. Today, everybody considers the WBO a major organization and that makes my title a legitimate one. In my opinion, the boxers count more than any title. If two bums fight for the WBC crown, the winner cannot consider himself a world champion. If two top-rated heavyweights fight for the belt of a minor sanctioning body, that title becomes meaningful.” Let’s be clear – this was a meaningful title.

He held the title until 1988 Olympian and Gold Medalist Ray Mercer stopped him in the 9th round in Atlantic City on January 11, 1991 and took his title. At the stoppage, Damiani was winning on points but a broken nose from an uppercut led to the referee counting Damiani out in the 9th. In what Damiani called, “a lucky punch” his own luck was out. The broken nose left him unable to breath and by the time he had realized what was going on the number 10 had been said and passed.

Rumor has it that he was then up for two big name fights – for the undisputed title in 1991 against Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson. An injury prevented him from facing Holyfield and a lack of cash from Don King along with a contract that would have seen him become a King fighter if he beat a King fighter; Damiani passed on that willingly.

Managing to put the injury that stopped the Holyfield behind him, his return in 1992 saw him beat Greg Page but then quit in the 8th round against Oliver McCall at The Pyramid in Memphis in his final professional fight on April 23, 1993. Afterwards Damiani admitted that he was no longer motivated for the fight game as a fighter so retired.

He was not, however lost to the sport and in 2012 was the Italian team boxing coach for the 2012 London Olympics.

Damiani has been hailed as the best heavyweight produced by Italy since Primo Carnera and I for one would certainly not argue with that level of assessment. The contribution he made goes beyond the medals on his chest or the belts round his waist but the return to guide the younger boxers shows his commitment to a port he graced and gave so much to in both codes.

[si-contact-form form=’2′]