Billy Graham (American boxer) explained

Billy Graham
Realname:William Walter Graham Jr.
Weight:Welterweight
Birth Date:September 9, 1922
Birth Place:East Side of Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Death Place:Long Island, New York, U.S.
Style:Orthodox
Total:126
Wins:102
Ko:27
Losses:15
Draws:9

Billy Graham (September 9, 1922 – January 22, 1992) was an American boxer from New York City who had an impressive professional record of 102 wins and 15 losses. Though a leading lightweight contender, Graham was never the recipient of a world title. Graham did however, have the remarkable distinction of never having been knocked off his feet in his long career. He was elected into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1987, and is also in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.[1] [2]

Early life and career

Graham was born on the East side of Manhattan on September 9, 1922. Graham defeated Sugar Ray Robinson as an amateur, when they were both teenagers in NYC. He was undefeated in his first 58 fights, going 52-0-6, until he fought Tony Pellone, where he lost by a split decision.[1]

Boxing career

Graham was known as a welterweight with stylish and subtle moves that made him a difficult target in the ring.[3] He fought the legendary Kid Gavilán (commonly spelled Kid Gavilan) four times. In the first fight, held at Madison Square Garden, he beat Gavilan by a split decision. In the second fight, he lost at Madison Square Garden by a medical decision. The third fight was for the National Boxing Association World welterweight title and was again held at Madison Square Garden; this time, Gavilan won by a split decision. The final fight was for the World Welterweight Title in Havana, Cuba at Stadium Ball Park; Gavilan was again the victor, winning in a unanimous decision.[1]

In a 2002 interview with The Observer, Budd Schulberg talked about mob involvement in boxing in the 1950s and how Gavilan both won and lost the welterweight championship due to mob interference.

"...Frankie Carbo, the mob's unofficial commissioner for boxing, controlled a lot of the welters and middles.... Not every fight was fixed, of course, but from time to time Carbo and his lieutenants, like Blinky Palermo in Philadelphia, would put the fix in. When the Kid Gavilan-Johnny Saxton fight was won by Saxton on a decision in Philadelphia in 1954, I was covering it for Sports Illustrated and wrote a piece at that time saying boxing was a dirty business and must be cleaned up now. It was an open secret. All the press knew that one - and other fights - were fixed. Gavilan was a mob-controlled fighter, too, and when he fought Billy Graham it was clear Graham had been robbed of the title. The decision would be bought. If it was close, the judges would shade it the way they had been told."[4]

Billy Graham also fought Carmen Basilio three times in his career. The first fight was held at Chicago Stadium; Graham won by a unanimous decision. Basilio won the second fight, held for the New York State Welterweight Title at Memorial Stadium in Syracuse, by a unanimous decision. The third and final fight was deemed a draw; Basilio kept his New York State Welterweight Title.[1]

Life after boxing

After his boxing career, Graham worked for 35 years as a representative for liquor companies, 25 years for Seagram's. While employed by National Distillers, Graham made a guest appearance as an imposter for a police officer on the August 18, 1960 episode of the CBS game show To Tell the Truth. He fooled the panel into thinking he was the officer, garnering two of the four possible votes from Kitty Carlisle and Jim Fleming. After all the votes were cast, Tom Poston recognized Graham's true identity.[5]

Graham also worked as a boxing judge and referee.[3]

Graham died of cancer at his home in West Islip, Long Island, New York, on January 22, 1992.[3]

Professional boxing record

ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
126Loss102–15–9Chico VejarUD10Apr 1, 1955
125Loss102–14–9Chico VejarSD10Mar 4, 1955
124Loss102–13–9Ramon FuentesUD10Oct 21, 1954
123Loss102–12–9Christian ChristensenSD10Jul 19, 1954
122Win102–11–9Charlie SimmonsTKO6 (8)Jun 10, 1954
121Win101–11–9Paddy YoungUD10Dec 18, 1953
120Draw100–11–9Carmen BasilioSD12Jul 25, 1953
119Loss100–11–8Carmen BasilioUD12Jun 6, 1953
118Win100–10–8Joey GiardelloUD12Mar 6, 1953
117Win99–10–8Art AragonUD10Jan 29, 1953
116Loss98–10–8Joey GiardelloSD10Dec 19, 1952
115Loss98–9–8Kid GavilánUD15Oct 5, 1952
114Win98–8–8Carmen BasilioUD10Aug 20, 1952
113Loss97–8–8Joey GiardelloSD10Aug 4, 1952
112Draw97–7–8Rocky CastellaniSD10May 16, 1952
111Win97–7–7Art SotoUD10Apr 14, 1952
110Win96–7–7Mike GilloUD10Mar 24, 1952
109Win95–7–7Jimmy HerringUD10Feb 15, 1952
108Win94–7–7Danny StepanovichUD10Nov 27, 1951
107Win93–7–7Johnny CesarioSD10Nov 1, 1951
106Win92–7–7Jimmy BrownKO4 (10), Oct 22, 1951
105Draw91–7–7Mario TrigoSD10Oct 8, 1951
104Loss91–7–6Kid GavilánSD15Aug 29, 1951
103Win91–6–6Billy JenkinsUD8Aug 2, 1951
102Win90–6–6Tommy CiarloUD8Dec 19, 1950
101Loss89–6–6Kid GavilánMD10Nov 17, 1950
100Win89–5–6Auguste 'Kid' DussartUD10Oct 24, 1950
99Win88–5–6Sammy MastreanTKO7 (10), Aug 14, 1950
98Win87–5–6Tommy BazzanoPTS10Jul 14, 1950
97Win86–5–6Jimmy SandersUD10Apr 18, 1950
96Win85–5–6Phil BurtonSD10Apr 14, 1950
95Win84–5–6Kid GavilánSD10Feb 10, 1950
94Win83–5–6Tony PelloneSD10Jan 18, 1950
93Win82–5–6Tony LaBuaUD10Nov 23, 1949
92Win81–5–6Jean WalzackUD10Oct 19, 1949
91Win80–5–6Jimmy CoxTKO3 (10), Sep 19, 1949
90Win79–5–6Jimmy SandersUD10Jul 8, 1949
89Win78–5–6Sonny Jim HamptonUD10Jun 23, 1949
88Win77–5–6Mike KoballaUD8Apr 9, 1949
87Loss76–5–6Paddy DeMarcoUD10Mar 4, 1949
86Loss76–4–6Eddie ThomasPTS10Feb 7, 1949
85Win76–3–6Fitzie PrudenUD10Jan 26, 1949
84Win75–3–6Billy LeePTS8Dec 13, 1948
83Win74–3–6Joe LucignanoUD8Dec 2, 1948
82Win73–3–6Terry YoungUD10Aug 26, 1948
81Win72–3–6Maxie StarrPTS8Jul 16, 1948
80Win71–3–6Patsy BrandinoPTS8Jun 21, 1948
79Win70–3–6Patsy BrandinoUD10Feb 2, 1948
78Win69–3–6Jimmy JoyceTKO5 (10)Jan 20, 1948
77Win68–3–6Rocco RossanoSD10Nov 21, 1947
76Win67–3–6Willie BeltramUD10Oct 24, 1947
75Win66–3–6Patsy GiordanoPTS10Oct 13, 1947
74Win65–3–6Billy SeepKO2 (10)Sep 12, 1947
73Win64–3–6Aldo MinelliPTS10Jun 2, 1947
72Win63–3–6Ernie PetroneUD8May 27, 1947
71Loss62–3–6Tippy LarkinUD10Mar 21, 1947
70Win62–2–6Ruby KesslerUD10Jan 17, 1947
69Win61–2–6Doll RaffertyUD10Oct 25, 1946
68Win60–2–6Cleo ShansSD10Oct 15, 1946
67Loss59–2–6Tony PelloneSD10Aug 30, 1946
66Win59–1–6Vic CostaPTS8Aug 20, 1946
65Win58–1–6Jimmy JoyceUD10May 20, 1946
64Win57–1–6Frankie CartoKO9 (10), May 13, 1946
63Win56–1–6Pedro BiescaUD8May 8, 1946
62Win55–1–6Pat ScanlonTKO5 (10), Apr 15, 1946
61Win54–1–6Charley MilanSD10Mar 25, 1946
60Win53–1–6Charley Cabey LewisUD10Oct 8, 1945
59Loss52–1–6Tony PelloneSD10Sep 11, 1945
58Win52–0–6Donnie MaesTKO1 (8), Aug 27, 1945
57Win51–0–6Johnny RinaldiTKO4 (8), Aug 13, 1945
56Win50–0–6Joey ManfroPTS6May 25, 1945
55Win49–0–6Johnny WilliamsPTS8Apr 21, 1945
54Win48–0–6Jeff HollowayPTS8Mar 31, 1945
53Win47–0–6Herbert SolomonPTS6Mar 17, 1945
52Win46–0–6Tommy MillsPTS6Mar 5, 1945
51Win45–0–6Jackie ConnorsTKO6 (8), Jul 21, 1944
50Win44–0–6Julian MalavezPTS6Jul 17, 1944
49Win43–0–6Jimmy PiercePTS6Jul 10, 1944
48Win42–0–6Johnny WilliamsKO4 (6), Jun 28, 1944
47Win41–0–6George JohnsonTKO5 (6)Jun 26, 1944
46Win40–0–6Doug CarterPTS6May 31, 1944
45Win39–0–6Sammy MammonePTS6May 10, 1944
44Win38–0–6Sammy MammonePTS6May 4, 1944
43Win37–0–6Jackie SmallwoodKO1 (6), Apr 19, 1944
42Win36–0–6Prudencio PachecoPTS6Apr 13, 1944
41Draw35–0–6Joey VaroffPTS6Nov 13, 1942
40Win35–0–5Lew MaxwellPTS6Nov 5, 1942
39Win34–0–5Mickey LaRosaTKO5 (6)Oct 27, 1942
38Win33–0–5Thaddeus CabyKO3 (6), Oct 15, 1942
37Win32–0–5Johnny RuddTKO2 (6)Oct 12, 1942
36Win31–0–5Julian MalavezPTS6Sep 19, 1942
35Win30–0–5Gus Coen LevinePTS8Sep 14, 1942
34Win29–0–5Cedric FlournoyKO3 (6)Aug 1, 1942
33Win28–0–5Ted ChristieTKO2 (6), Jul 23, 1942
32Win27–0–5Jeff HollowayTKO5 (6), Jul 9, 1942
31Win26–0–5Bobby HendersonPTS6Jul 3, 1942
30Draw25–0–5Wallace BrownPTS6Jun 9, 1942
29Win25–0–4Jimmy AnestPTS6Jun 5, 1942
28Win24–0–4Bobby RootPTS6Jun 1, 1942
27Win23–0–4Moe WeissPTS4May 15, 1942
26Win22–0–4Lew MaxwellPTS6Apr 30, 1942
25Win21–0–4Al SimmonsKO1 (6), Apr 27, 1942
24Win20–0–4Russell SawyerKO1 (6), Apr 16, 1942
23Win19–0–4Davey CrawfordPTS6Apr 7, 1942
22Win18–0–4Lew MaxwellPTS6Apr 1, 1942
21Win17–0–4Al GuidoPTS6Mar 23, 1942
20Win16–0–4Al GuidoPTS6Mar 3, 1942
19Win15–0–4Harry DiduckPTS6Feb 24, 1942
18Win14–0–4Terry AmicoKO2 (6), Feb 19, 1942
17Win13–0–4Harry DiduckPTS6Feb 17, 1942
16Win12–0–4Bob HenryKO2 (4), Feb 2, 1942
15Win11–0–4Julian MalavezKO3 (4), Jan 26, 1942
14Win10–0–4Joe MaldonadoPTS4Jan 19, 1942
13Win9–0–4Al GuidoPTS4Dec 19, 1941
12Draw8–0–4Louis La SallePTS4Dec 9, 1941
11Win8–0–3Mike MartinezTKO3 (4), Nov 24, 1941
10Win7–0–3Bobby HendersonPTS4Nov 18, 1941
9Win6–0–3Bobby HendersonPTS4Nov 10, 1941
8Win5–0–3Bobby HendersonPTS4Oct 13, 1941
7Win4–0–3Bob HenryPTS4Sep 30, 1941
6Draw3–0–3Joey AgroPTS4Jul 30, 1941
5Win3–0–2Bob HenryPTS4Jun 24, 1941
4Draw2–0–2Joey ManfroPTS4Jun 9, 1941
3Draw2–0–1Jimmy KempPTS4May 19, 1941
2Win2–0Frankie VanPTS4May 5, 1941
1Win1–0Connie SavoieTKO4 (4), Apr 14, 1941

References

  1. Web site: Billy Graham. BoxRec. 8 December 2016.
  2. Web site: Billy Graham. BoxRec Bio. 8 December 2016.
  3. New York Times, "Obituaries, Billy Graham, 70, Welterweight Boxer", New York, New York, 24 January 1992
  4. Web site: Hagerty. Bill. Budd the wiser. Observer. 16 May 2012.
  5. Web site: To Tell The Truth . https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211214/p8o5V3wPe0M . 2021-12-14 . live. . 31 December 2020.

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