Former world middleweight champion Joey Giardello was born Carmine Orlando Tilelli in the Bedford-Stuyvesant district of Brooklyn, New York City in 1930. He was raised in South Philadelphia.
He took the name Joseph Giardello from a friend’s cousin when he enlisted, under age, in the Army in 1946. He learned to box in the military and turned professional as an 18-year-old in 1948.
Giardello had been boxing professionally for 15 years when he won the middleweight crown at age 33 with a decision over Dick Tiger in 1963.
He defended his title with a unanimous decision over Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter in 1964, then lost it back to Tiger on a decision in 1965.
Giardello won 101 fights (33 by knockout), lost 25 times and fought 8 draws. He lost out on his first bid to win the middleweight championship when he fought Gene Fullmer to a draw in 1960. He won a 1963 decision over an ageing Sugar Ray Robinson and also beat leading middleweights Billy Graham. They just dont make them like that any more.
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