The Onion Picker

The early 1950's saw the sport of boxing develop into one of the most popular spectator sports in America. The medium of television provided the opportunity for fans to tune in each week, to watch the best fighters in the world battle on Gillette s Friday Night Fights. This decade so rich in culture was the backdrop for creating some of the most legendary champions of all time. Rocky Marciano, Sugar Ray Robinson, Kid Galivan, Jake LaMotta, Gene Fullmer, and a tough guy from Canastota, New York, Carmen Basilo.
On September 23, 1957, Carmen Basilo defeated Sugar Ray Robinson to win the middleweight championship of the world. His remarkable career is a story of survival and perseverance during a fascinating time in boxing history. Basilo s story celebrates the power of the human spirit to triumph over pain and self-doubt. A man of great integrity, Carmen Basilo would move up in weight class for the opportunity to challenge the great Ray Robinson for his title. His belief in himself and his insistence on being treated fairly is a testament to his core value of living an honorable life, one in which he refused to compromise his principles. His story and that of the other great champions of this 'Golden Era of Boxing,' is a fascinating look back at one of the most magical periods in sports history.