Young Corbett III

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Young Corbett III
File:Young Corbet III.jpg
Statistics
Real name Raffaele Giordano
Nickname(s) "Young Corbett III"
Rated at Welterweight
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Nationality American
Born May 27, 1905
Rionero in Vulture, Basilicata, Italy
Died July 15, 1993 (age 88)
Auberry, California, United States
Stance Southpaw
Boxing record
Total fights 155
Wins 121
Wins by KO 32
Losses 12
Draws 22

Young Corbett III (born Raffaele Giordano, May 27, 1905 – July 15, 1993) was an Italian-born American boxer. He was the world Welterweight boxing champion in 1933 and the Middleweight champion in 1938. A tough southpaw, he did not have strong punching power but was known for his great speed.[1]

Statistical boxing website BoxRec lists Corbett as the #5 ranked welterweight of all-time and the #17 best pound for pound fighter of all-time, being the #1 ranked southpaw in both categories.[2] He was inducted into the Italian American Sports Hall of Fame in 1982[3] and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004.[4]

Biography

Early life

Born in Rionero in Vulture, in the Italian region of Basilicata,[5] from Vito Giordano and Gelsomina Capobianco, he moved with his family to the United States when he was still an infant and was erroneously registered as Raffaele Capabianca Giordano. After four years of living in Pittsburgh, he moved to Fresno, California, and began boxing in 1919 while still a 14-year-old "newsboy."[6] Initially known as Ralph Giordano, he got his stage name when a ring announcer told him he would not present him as Ralph Giordano and dubbed him "Young Corbett III" because his fighting style reminded him of William J. Rothwell, known as Young Corbett II.[7]

Boxing career

Corbett fought many great fighters of his era. For example, he engaged in a four-fight series with future welterweight champion Young Jack Thompson, winning three and drawing once. He also scored wins over Jack Zivic, Sgt. Sammy Baker, and welterweight champion Jackie Fields and future middleweight king Ceferino Garcia.

On February 22, 1933, Corbett captured the welterweight championship of the world by decisioning Jackie Fields over 10 rounds. He hurt his left thumb in the fifth round but continued to fight undaunted. The referee Jack Kennedy remembered Corbett as "vicious in those first five rounds. He ripped him like a tiger. Fields could not protect himself".[8] Three months later, he was dethroned by Hall of Famer Jimmy McLarnin via a one round knockout.[9]

Corbett then moved up to the middleweight division. He scored wins over future light heavy champ Gus Lesnevich (TKO 5), as well as Hall of Famers Mickey Walker, Billy Conn. On February 22, 1938 he beat Fred Apostoli, winning the middleweight championship. On November 18 of that year, he challenged Apostoli again, but was stopped in 8 rounds.

Retirement and death

Corbett boxed until August 20, 1940, winning his last fight against Richard "Sheik" Rangel. He retired with a 121-12-22 (32 KOs) record. He later operated a bar in Fresno. On October 2, 1945 Corbett survived a serious car accident, suffering a fractured skull and other injuries. He died after a long illness in Auberry, California at the age of 88. A statue of him, posed in a fighting stance and boxing gloves, was erected in Fresno. The sculpture was realized by Clement Renzi.

Private life

Beside the boxing career, Corbett was a physical education instructor for the California Highway Patrol and a grape grower.[10] His cousin Al Manfredo (1912-1990) also was a boxer and later a boxing manager. Corbett is the great-grandfather of American football player Matt Giordano.

Notable bouts

Result Opponent Type Rd., Time Date Location Notes[11]
Loss United States Fred Apostoli TKO 8 (15) 1938-11-18 United States Madison Square Garden, New York, New York For NYSAC World Middleweight Title.
Win United States Fred Apostoli PTS 10 1938-02-22 United States Seals Stadium, San Francisco, California
Loss United States Billy Conn UD 10 1937-11-08 United States Duquesne Gardens, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Win United States Billy Conn PTS 10 1937-08-13 United States Dreamland Auditorium, San Francisco, California
Win United States Gus Lesnevich TKO 5 (10) 1937-03-12 United States Dreamland Auditorium, San Francisco, California
Loss Canada Lou Brouillard PTS 10 1935-07-04 United States Kezar Stadium, San Francisco, California
Win Netherlands Bep van Klaveren PTS 10 1935-02-22 United States Kezar Stadium, San Francisco, California
Win Netherlands Bep van Klaveren PTS 10 1935-01-28 United States Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, California
Win United States Mickey Walker PTS 10 1934-08-14 United States Seals Stadium, San Francisco, California
Loss Canada Jimmy McLarnin TKO 1 (10) 1933-05-29 United States Wrigley Field, Los Angeles, California Lost World Welterweight Title.
Win United States Jackie Fields PTS 10 1933-02-22 United States Seals Stadium, San Francisco, California Won World Welterweight Title.
Win Philippines Ceferino Garcia PTS 10 1932-10-25 United States Civic Auditorium, Fresno, California
Win Philippines Ceferino Garcia PTS 10 1932-04-12 United States Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California
Win United States Jack Thompson PTS 10 1930-07-04 United States Ewing Field, San Francisco, California
Win United States Jackie Fields PTS 10 1930-02-22 United States Recreation Park, San Francisco, California
Win United States Jack Thompson PTS 10 1928-02-13 United States State Armory, San Francisco, California
Draw United States Jack Thompson PTS 10 1927-06-24 United States Dreamland Rink, San Francisco, California
Win United States Jack Thompson PTS 6 1926-05-18 United States Civic Auditorium, Fresno, California

References

  1. Roberts, Skutt, p.90
  2. BoxRec Ratings. BoxRec.com. Retrieved on 2014-04-11.
  3. Young Corbett III/NIASHF, NIASHF.com, Retrieved on 7-10-14
  4. Young Corbett III/IBHOF, IBHOF.com, Retrieved on 3-28-08
  5. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  7. Hudson Jr., p.70
  8. Roberts, Skutt, p.91
  9. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. Young Corbett III - Non c'era solo Rocco Mazzola (Italian)
  11. Young Corbett's Professional Boxing Record. BoxRec.com. Retrieved on 2014-05-18.

Bibliography

  • James B. Roberts, Alexander G. Skutt, The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall of Fame Official Record Book, McBooks Press, 2006
  • David L. Hudson Jr., Combat Sports: An Encyclopedia of Wrestling, Fighting, and Mixed Martial Arts, ABC-CLIO, 2009

External links

Awards and achievements
Preceded by World Welterweight Champion
February 22, 1933 – May 29, 1933
Succeeded by
Jimmy McLarnin