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    You are at:Home»February»February 10»February 10, 1933: Boxing’s Monster, Primo Carnera, Kills Opponent!
    February 10

    February 10, 1933: Boxing’s Monster, Primo Carnera, Kills Opponent!

    Major DanBy Major DanFebruary 10, 2014Updated:January 19, 2023133 Comments5 Mins Read
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    Primo Carnera

    A Brief History

    On February 10, 1933, Primo Carnera, a heavyweight boxer called “The Monster” by Time magazine, dealt Ernie Schaaf fatal blows during a boxing match in New York City.  The hapless Schaaf died 4 days after the match.

    Digging Deeper

    Digging deeper, we find Carnera as the heaviest heavyweight boxing champion of his day (a record held until 2005) and at 6’7″ (an exaggeration by an inch and a half), also listed as the tallest (again until 2005 when Nikolay Valuev won a title).  Also known as the “Ambling Alp,” Carnera was an Italian fighter who was dogged his entire career by allegations of being under mob control and fighting in fixed matches.  Fixed or not, Carnera won 89 of 103 fights and won the world heavyweight championship 4 months after the Schaaf fight, defeating the reigning champion Jack Sharkey.

    Primo Carnera

    Unfortunately for Primo, his own reign was to last just under a year, as Max Baer took his crown on his third try after two successful defenses by Carnera.  An interesting note, the son of Max Baer, Max Baer Jr., played the strapping, but not too smart character of Jethro Bodine on the 1960’s television show The Beverly Hillbillies.

    Boxing’s giant strongman was KO’d by diabetes and kidney disease in 1938 and had to retire from boxing when he had a kidney removed.  Still active in other fields, Carnera acted in many films and became a well-known professional wrestler, serving as long-time champ.  Some of the interesting roles Carnera played on film include parts in Mighty Joe Young (1949), where he plays tug of war with the big ape, The Prizefighter and the Lady (1933), which also featured Myrna Loy and his future usurper Max Baer, and Hercules Unchained (1959), in which he played a giant, also his last role.

    This image is a poster for The Prizefighter and the Lady.  The poster art copyright is believed to belong to the distributor of the film, the publisher of the film, or the graphic artist.  It is believed that the use of scaled-down, low-resolution images of posters in an article intended for educational and journalistic purposes qualifies as fair use under the copyright law of the United States.

    Films and references in films were also made that resembled Carnera’s life (sometimes loosely), notably television’s Requiem for a Heavyweight (1956), Cinderella Man (2005) and Carnera: The Walking Mountain (2008).  In 1956, a film adaptation of the 1947 book The Harder They Fall about a fighter whose fights were rigged was made.  It was reminiscent enough of Carnera that he sued the movie company but lost.  More recently, in 2010 the rock band Yeasayer released the song “Ambling Alp” on their Odd Blood album in reference to Carnera.

    One of the more cracked episodes of Carnera’s career took place in 1941 when Benito Mussolini, the Italian Fascist dictator, had Carnera filmed boxing a black African prisoner of war in order to show Italian racial superiority.  The 6’3” Zulu, who had no boxing experience, knocked out Carnera instead!

    Primo Carnera’s bronze statue, at the Parco della Resistenza.  Photograph by Controllore Fiscale.

    Primo Carnera died in Italy in 1967, aged only 60 years, probably of kidney failure.  Plagued by diabetes most of his life, “The Monster,” according to a press release by Jeremy Schapp, also ate like a monster, knocking down “a quart of orange juice, two quarts of milk, nineteen pieces of toast, fourteen eggs, a loaf of bread and half a pound of Virginia Ham” for breakfast!  Well, they do say breakfast is the most important meal…

    Question for students (and subscribers): Do you think boxing is too dangerous to be legal?  Please let us know in the comments section below this article.

    If you liked this article and would like to receive notification of new articles, please feel welcome to subscribe to History and Headlines by liking us on Facebook and becoming one of our patrons!

    Your readership is much appreciated!

    Historical Evidence

    For more information, please see…

    Cayton, Bill, Graham McNamee, et al.  Primo Carnera vs. Max Baer: Bill Cayton’s Prime Time Boxing.  Cayton Sports, Inc., 2009.

    Martinelli, Renzo.  Carnera: The Walking Mountain.  Monarch Video, 2010.

    Page, Joseph S.  Primo Carnera: The Life and Career of the Heavyweight Boxing Champion.  McFarland, 2010.

    And for more of the worst moments in boxing’s history, please see this list.

    The featured image in this article, a photograph of Primo Carnera receiving the world champion belt on 6 October 1933, is in the public domain in Italy, because its copyright term has expired. According to Law for the Protection of Copyright and Neighbouring Rights n.633, 22 April 1941 and later revisions, images of people or of aspects, elements and facts of natural or social life, obtained with photographic process or with an analogue one, including reproductions of figurative art and film frames of film stocks (Art. 87) are protected for a period of 20 years from creation (Art. 92).  This provision shall not apply to photographs of writings, documents, business papers, material objects, technical drawings and similar products (Art. 87).  Italian law makes an important distinction between “works of photographic art” and “simple photographs” (Art. 2, § 7).  Photographs that are “intellectual work with creative characteristics” are protected for 70 years after the author’s death (Art. 32 bis), whereas simple photographs are protected for a period of 20 years from creation.

    You can also watch a video version of this article on YouTube:

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    Major Dan
    Major Dan

      Major Dan is a retired veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He served during the Cold War and has traveled to many countries around the world. Prior to his military service, he graduated from Cleveland State University, having majored in sociology. Following his military service, he worked as a police officer eventually earning the rank of captain prior to his retirement.

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      <span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="1206 http://www.crackedhistory.com/?p=1206">133 Comments

      1. Avatar
        MB on February 10, 2014 10:55 am

        I found this article to very interesting. I’m glad to see that after he got defeated by diabetes and getting a kidney removed he was a well known professional wrestler. I also am glad he didn’t let that stop him from doing anything. I never seen any of the movies he participated in.

        Reply
      2. Avatar
        HLM on February 10, 2014 11:31 am

        I found this to be an interesting article. I am a little surprised he was still able to fight after dealing a fatal blow blow to an opponent, a lot of boxers are not able to continue to fight on after that. It was nice to see that he had a variety of interests and talents, not just boxing!

        Reply
      3. Avatar
        BY on February 10, 2014 11:37 am

        Omg! This guy could eat ALOT. I am also glad that just because he had a disease he didn’t let it get him down. A very interesting article.

        Reply
      4. Avatar
        Stephanie Hodgson on February 10, 2014 11:59 am

        The thing that stuck out the most to me was the amount that this guy could eat! 19 pieces of toast and 14 eggs and not to mention the half pound of ham is a crazy amount of food.

        Reply
      5. Avatar
        MO on February 10, 2014 12:42 pm

        I am glad to see that he did not let diabetes or his kidney issues keep him down. 89/103 matches is impressive but I find it interesting that Benito Mussolini had him fight with an African POW to show Italian superiority yet the POW won the match.

        Reply
      6. Avatar
        Katlyn Denissoff on February 10, 2014 1:12 pm

        Carnera was a huge guy, which was a huge advantage for his career in fighting. I can’t believe the amount of fights he has done throughout his career and the majority of them he had won. Even after having issues with his kidney and having diabetes he still achieved his goals. I thought this article was very inspiring to teach someone to fight for something they want and to never give up.

        Reply
      7. Avatar
        cwank on February 10, 2014 1:44 pm

        Not only is his record impressive but his diet is as well. Also interesting that a POW beat him in a boxing match. Too bad his health issues hit or who knows what else he would have accomplished.

        Reply
      8. Avatar
        HB on February 10, 2014 3:00 pm

        I didn’t know someone could eat so much and be so driven!

        Reply
      9. Avatar
        J Green on February 10, 2014 4:10 pm

        His breakfast is insane. I didn’t know someone could eat that much and then go out and workout. He is incredibly driven and that is a quality for someone to have.

        Reply
      10. Avatar
        Jessica Savage on February 10, 2014 4:20 pm

        This was an interesting article and I think that the most interesting part was the African America who KO’d Carnera with no previous boxing experience. He also has a very impressive record both in film and in boxing.

        Reply
      11. Avatar
        Sarah Guenther on February 10, 2014 5:56 pm

        Wow! I have never heard of someone eating that much. Interesting to see how motivated and driven he was!

        Reply
      12. Avatar
        merl1 on February 10, 2014 6:07 pm

        Are all of your comments written by bots or sockpuppets?

        Reply
      13. Avatar
        Sadie Zegarac on February 10, 2014 6:47 pm

        I thought this article was very interesting. I liked how the Zulu was able to defeat him and show everyone that he was not inferior to the Italians.

        Reply
      14. Avatar
        C Majzun on February 10, 2014 6:51 pm

        I find this article extremely interesting. I love historical boxing stories and I never knew that Primo Carnera killed someone. I’ve never seen the movies about him, but his story makes me think of Raging Bull with Robert DeNiro.

        Reply
      15. Avatar
        Morgan Wade on February 10, 2014 7:02 pm

        This is a neat article – it’s cool that even when he couldn’t box anymore he went to a new career with acting. Also, like others have said, it’s insane that he could eat that much, just for one meal!

        Reply
      16. Avatar
        Murph Dog on February 10, 2014 7:45 pm

        It is understandable that he no longer fought after what had happened, that would be challenging to deal with. But he definitely lived an interesting life and was an interesting article to read.

        Reply
      17. Avatar
        kelseysherman on February 10, 2014 8:24 pm

        The most shocking part of this article is that he actually killed one of his opponents! That is crazy.

        Reply
      18. Avatar
        Owen on February 10, 2014 9:25 pm

        It seemed like this guy lived a pretty interesting life inside the ring and outside. It sucks that he had to give up boxing so early it sounded like he had a good career a head of him. I also think the breakfast thing was impressive.

        Reply
      19. Avatar
        Natalyn B on February 10, 2014 9:49 pm

        This was pretty interesting. He had a pretty unique life. Also, is breakfast is crazy!

        Reply
      20. Avatar
        Madison Wright on February 10, 2014 9:51 pm

        I enjoyed the story. I don’t blame him for giving up boxing.

        Reply
      21. Avatar
        Autumn Harmon on February 10, 2014 10:12 pm

        I thought this article was cool because we are able to see someone accomplish there dreams and not let their problems get in the way. Even though breakfast is the most important meal of the day, they do not need to eat all that like that’s crazy.

        Reply
      22. Avatar
        Donny G on February 10, 2014 10:14 pm

        I found this article interesting. First and foremost the fact that he actually killed a man from the injuries he gave him in a sanctioned boxing match. The man was not only a monster in the ring but when it came to eating too, maybe that is why diabetes took control the demise of his life.

        Reply
      23. Avatar
        JHanna on February 10, 2014 11:10 pm

        This shows the dangers of boxing and how taxing it can be on one’s body. He reminds me of Ivan Drago from Rocky IV.

        Reply
      24. Avatar
        Jessie Richter on February 10, 2014 11:21 pm

        I found this article interesting because he never gave up no matter what life threw at him. I also found it crazy that someone could eat that much for just one meal.

        Reply
      25. Avatar
        AT on February 11, 2014 12:41 am

        I thought this article was very interesting. It amazed me how much he can eat! This guy seems like a good inspiration to many who want to follow their dreams.

        Reply
      26. Avatar
        Halee Heironimus on February 11, 2014 2:03 pm

        This was an interesting article. He was a crazy boxer that didn’t let his problems get in the way. Kinda inspirational.

        Reply
      27. Avatar
        Bricker on February 11, 2014 4:00 pm

        Carnera ate like a horse and was quite a fighter. It was sad that a boxer died by his hand. All of that eating probably gave him diabetes. At least, he had some kind of career after his boxing career ended.

        Reply
      28. Avatar
        jprokay on February 11, 2014 10:23 pm

        i think that it was very cool that the boxer would not let things stop him. most people do not have that kind of commitment. someone to definitely someone to look up to.

        Reply
      29. Avatar
        Sam Knox on February 12, 2014 12:34 pm

        I actually had heard of this prior to reading the article! Primo Carnera was the original beast of boxing and was someone that no one during this time would really want to fight unless the money was right. Even then, id be scared to get killed (LITERALLY)!

        Reply
      30. Avatar
        E DiPasquale on February 12, 2014 2:57 pm

        I had no idea he was tied into the movie Cinderella Man…such a great film. His titles and accomplishments are pretty impressive, however I’ve never understood the point of this “sport” and am not surprised to hear about his health complications. Luckily he eventually stopped fighting and didn’t die from a fight, unlike his unlucky opponent. Poor guy.

        Reply
      31. Avatar
        DDI on March 7, 2014 3:22 pm

        This guy was an absolute tank- look up the science behind the force needed to kill an individual ibn the ring. Beast.

        Reply
      32. Avatar
        Gabriel M on March 21, 2014 11:26 am

        Looks like the mob ordered a hit.

        Reply
      33. Avatar
        NP on March 31, 2014 4:55 pm

        This was pretty interesting. I wonder if he had used any type of steroid or other growth hormone. Considering the time, it probably wasn’t any safe, and it might be the reason he ended up with diabetes and kidney failures. Even with the “mob ties” he still seems like he was an incredible boxer on his own.

        Reply
      34. Avatar
        Alex Arendec on February 20, 2015 7:47 pm

        I wish I grew up in a time where boxing was as widely followed as it was back in the 1920s and 1930s. The fact that this mammoth of a man was nicknamed “The Monster” doesn’t surprise me. It is ironic that Carnera did indeed get KO’ed by a Zulu man, foiling the attempt of Mussolini to show white Italian supremacy. It just would have been better if Mussolini would have been KO’ed instead!

        Reply
      35. Avatar
        Cori Anter on February 11, 2016 10:18 am

        Although Primo Carnera was mighty in size and was a successful fighter, it seems as though he was not the most outstanding character. From an early point in his career there was speculation of his character, linking him to mob ties and here say of fixed fights. As the years progressed and he began his era in the film industry, there was a movie made negatively portraying his so-called “rigged fights”. One would think when individuals are so deeply focusing on the history of one man, he would not give them greater reason to look back on him in history with mainly negative words. Rather than aiding in the message of Italian supremacy that Mussolini wanted to portray, and unfortunately for himself being KO’D instead, Carnera should have ended his career with a bit of his dignity and goodwill left intact.

        Reply
      36. Avatar
        DC on February 12, 2016 9:24 pm

        When reading this it made me wonder if Carnera had a family history of tall people or if he was the first and only who was that big. Regardless his fighting record is awesome, to win that many fights is pretty great.

        Reply
      37. Avatar
        Ahmed Alnassar on March 4, 2016 9:17 pm

        He is interesting to read about. i wouldn’t mind learning more about him

        Reply
      38. Avatar
        Yasser Alkhayal on March 6, 2016 4:32 pm

        Nowadays, athletes are well protected by creating great insurance policies + the emergency service that protect players as well. Unlike in 1930s where hospitals and these services are limited.

        Reply
      39. Avatar
        Emmaline K on March 11, 2016 9:06 pm

        What a sad way to die, participating in a sport that you, presumably, love.

        Reply
      40. Avatar
        MB on March 18, 2016 5:22 pm

        I feel like he was a very inspirational person, he never gave up through thick or thin

        Reply
      41. Avatar
        Danielle on March 19, 2016 12:00 pm

        This article should’ve contained more information about the fight. What injuries ultimately caused Schaaf’s death, etc?

        Reply
      42. Major Dan
        Major Dan on March 20, 2016 12:07 pm

        The article was meant to be more about Carnera than Schaaf. Schaaf had been knocked out by Max Baer in a previous fight and probably suffered brain damage that led to his fatal injury when Carnera knocked him out. I don’t know what his actual medical cause of death was, but almost assuredly it had something to do with bleeding on the brain. Schaaf was taken to a hospital where surgery was attempted, obviously unsuccessful. Video of the fight is available at several sources online.

        Reply
      43. Avatar
        Amber Moore on March 30, 2016 2:34 pm

        As soon as I opened the article, I just thought of Apollo Creed and the Russian Drago from one of the Rocky movies, since Drago ended up killing Apollo in the match. Boxing is a very menacing sport. Carnera might have received kidney damage from his fights. It’s like they have an addiction and even though it beats them up, they can’t stop.

        Reply
      44. Avatar
        Meghan R on April 1, 2016 10:27 pm

        I expected more about the fight of the fatal blows, not as much background.

        Reply
      45. Avatar
        Sarah G on April 4, 2016 8:40 pm

        I was interesting to learn about Carnera, however, I would have like to learn more about the fight and the death of Schaaf.

        Reply
      46. Avatar
        KC on April 5, 2016 7:47 pm

        This was informative and interesting, but I would have liked to know more about the fight and the injuries.

        Reply
      47. Avatar
        Diana N on April 24, 2016 7:45 pm

        Reading the headline, I expected the article to be more about the actual fight than Carnera’s background. It was interesting nonetheless.

        Reply
      48. Avatar
        Raquel F on April 26, 2016 12:05 am

        It is interesting that Carnera acted in many movies.

        Reply
      49. Avatar
        Brett Nagy on April 26, 2016 9:49 pm

        I have heard about this before. It is amazing that now with fighting such as the UFC there have not been more instances of death.

        Reply
      50. Avatar
        Austin Miko on May 3, 2016 12:11 pm

        This was an interesting read, but I would have liked to learn a little more about the fight.

        Reply
      51. Avatar
        Nicole Z on May 3, 2016 8:55 pm

        This was a sad way to die. I think there should have been more information about the fight. I thought the background was interesting but I wanted more than that.

        Reply
      52. Avatar
        Erika Grumbach on May 4, 2016 9:32 am

        It’s insane to hear someone died in one of these fights! I have seen a lot of UFC fights working at a sports bar, but I have never seen anyone get that hurt.

        Reply
      53. Avatar
        Colton M on May 4, 2016 3:28 pm

        Sometimes freak accidents happen and other times referees need to stop the fight before it gets out of hand.

        Reply
      54. Avatar
        Sabrina Peelman on May 4, 2016 4:38 pm

        I have never liked boxing and this article defiantly makes me hate it more

        Reply
      55. Avatar
        Melody Ortiz on May 9, 2016 12:13 pm

        i never knew much about any boxers, i do not watch it at all. it was cool to learn of how much films this boxer was in. which there was more on the fight though

        Reply
      56. Avatar
        pw on October 4, 2016 12:30 pm

        I have never heard of this man. I think his story is interesting and would be cool to watch a movie about him

        Reply
      57. Avatar
        AM on October 4, 2016 12:33 pm

        As a fan of boxing I found this interesting. My ex-boyfriend was a boxer and now boxes at a university here in Ohio so I definitely understand the risks that come with this sport.

        Reply
      58. Avatar
        Allison Lester on October 12, 2016 11:24 am

        I question whether the officials/refs within the match could have helped prevent Schaaf’s death, but at the same time stress the fact that one must understand the consequences and pain within a boxing career. I have mixed feelings about this topic but Schaaf ultimately made the decision to become a boxer in the first place so he had to have personally knew what he was getting himself into. -ACL

        Reply
      59. Avatar
        MM on October 17, 2016 12:47 pm

        I would’ve never imagined that there was someone aside from Ali that would go down in History. This man was a beast winning 89 out of his 103 fights. I felt bad for whoever didn’t beat him!

        Reply
      60. Avatar
        MT on November 2, 2016 12:20 pm

        I have never heard about this man. It is really interesting to learn about him.

        Reply
      61. Avatar
        EK on November 8, 2016 2:49 pm

        I cannot believe this actually happened! I knew people were injured in boxing but I had no idea it could be taken to this extent.

        Reply
      62. Avatar
        Jordin Vidmar on November 13, 2016 1:31 pm

        A lot of my family is really into boxing. I have never heard of this man before, so I think that they would enjoy this story as much as I did.

        Reply
      63. Avatar
        Diana Minich on November 13, 2016 1:47 pm

        I am not a fan of boxing. Getting hit in the head or gut can not be good for your health. I wonder how many suffer with brain injuries.

        Reply
      64. Avatar
        Kayla Fox on November 14, 2016 6:39 pm

        I do not think that the risks of boxing are as well advertised as they should be. It is dangerous and to each their own, but I do not see the enjoyment in hurting each other until someone taps out!

        Reply
      65. Avatar
        Lydia Ott on November 15, 2016 1:33 pm

        Primo is not a boxer that I have ever heard of, but to kill you opponent would make me fearful to ever fight someone again. Boxing is such a brutal sport that you would have to be very aggressive, competitive, and fearless to participate.

        Reply
      66. Avatar
        Jennifer Maurer on November 15, 2016 8:21 pm

        I’ve never heard of Carnera. My grandfather loved boxing and learned to box when he was in the Navy. I would love to have the chance to ask him if he ever knew of him.

        Reply
      67. Avatar
        Lessie Parish on November 15, 2016 9:41 pm

        I have never heard of Carnera before. I find it interesting that someone could eat nineteen pieces of toast and fourteen eggs! I also find it funny that he ended up getting knocked out by someone who had no boxing experience in an attempt to show he was superior.

        Reply
      68. Avatar
        Dakota Zimmerman on November 16, 2016 12:27 am

        This fight and character of Carnera reminds me of the character in pulp fiction. i wonder if this is where the inspiration comes from to the boxing character

        Reply
      69. Avatar
        Natalie antonio on November 17, 2016 1:40 pm

        The fight of Carnera was something that I’ve never heard of before, so I found this article quite interesting. I also found his killer appetite interesting as well, I can’t imagine eating 14 pieces of toast, as well as 14 eggs!

        Reply
      70. Avatar
        Taylor Young on November 18, 2016 11:15 am

        I have never heard of the fight of Carnera until I have read this article. His appetite is quite surprising but for what he did I can imagine why he ate as much as he did!

        Reply
      71. Avatar
        Elizabeth Bon on November 18, 2016 1:02 pm

        This was an interesting article. I have never heard of this man but sounds like he was very large, especially for that day and age.

        Reply
      72. Avatar
        Ben McClay on November 18, 2016 1:41 pm

        I have never watched any of the the movies that Carnera starred in. One thing that struck out to me is that this boxer was 6’7″. I am around 6’7″ and understand that I have limited upper body strength but would have “swinging,” advantage as a boxer.

        Reply
      73. Avatar
        Alyssa Hanes on November 18, 2016 7:13 pm

        Usually when I think of a boxer, I think of someone that is short and very muscular. It would be cool to see someone as tall as Carnera at 6’7″! It’s crazy that a man was killed in a boxing match, I feel like the risks of boxing are never really looked at, mainly just the intensity.

        Reply
      74. Avatar
        Kala Strong on November 18, 2016 7:49 pm

        I have always seen boxing as an entertaining sport. It is cool to see a boxer that does not fix the stereotypical build of a boxer. I would be interested to watch one of his movies.

        Reply
      75. Avatar
        Brandon Wagner on November 18, 2016 10:08 pm

        I thought I ate a lot, but apparently not compared to the quart of orange juice, two quarts of milk, nineteen pieces of toast, fourteen eggs, a loaf of bread and half a pound of Virginia Ham Carnera ate for breakfast.

        Reply
      76. Avatar
        Audrey Manahan on November 19, 2016 9:39 am

        Boxing is such a dangerous sport, and takes a lot of wear and tear on the body. I am always curious as to what these guys feel like after a match, and obviously his opponent was not feeling well as he died four days after their match.

        Reply
      77. Avatar
        Shannon Read on November 19, 2016 3:11 pm

        Boxing has been known as being very dangerous, and it did not surprise me that someone was killed. It is surprising that they did not notice that he was not feeling well after the match. Interesting article.

        Reply
      78. Avatar
        Shuling He on November 19, 2016 3:52 pm

        I am curious about why people would like to join this dangerous sport. for money or for honor?

        Reply
      79. Avatar
        Jingshan Jiang on November 19, 2016 4:14 pm

        Boxing is a stirring sport game. In addition, it is a very dangerous as Shannon mentioned. Primo Carnera as a boxing monster killed others on the boxing range. From here, we can prove that it is so dangerous.

        Reply
      80. Avatar
        Lori Caudill on November 19, 2016 5:26 pm

        The sport of boxing puzzles me. Many sporting associations have implemented regulations for the participants safety. How is it that boxing matches still occur?

        Reply
      81. Avatar
        Rose Jepson on November 20, 2016 1:33 am

        6’7 seems very tall for a boxer! Boxing, although entertaining, is one of the most dangerous sports and can be life-threatening unfortunately. Does anyone believe boxing should be ridded of because of the harm it can cause?

        Reply
      82. Avatar
        Daina Thomas on November 26, 2016 10:15 pm

        Boxing is a very dangerous sport that I would never want to be in or watch. I’m not sure why anyone would want to do it.

        Reply
      83. Avatar
        Breanna Beckley on November 26, 2016 11:01 pm

        I thought this article was an interesting read, but I would have liked to learn a little more about the fight.

        Reply
      84. Avatar
        Travis Tarnowski on November 27, 2016 9:43 pm

        I enjoy boxing and watching it. It is a dangerous sport and for someone to be as tall as he was could be good, but also bad!

        Reply
      85. Avatar
        AA on November 28, 2016 10:50 am

        I enjoyed learning about Carnera and how much he ate along with losing to an African prisoner of war who had no boxing experience!

        Reply
      86. Avatar
        Michaela Ping on November 30, 2016 3:10 pm

        Boxing as a sport intimidates me because it seems so violent.

        Reply
      87. Avatar
        William D'Emilio on November 30, 2016 8:46 pm

        my cousin told me..primo once held me in one hand.. I was about 2 or 3 so it was not a great effort..he was a friend of my uncle’s..my grandma used to watch him wrestle on tv and cheer while cooking in kitchen..it was my job to run back and forth to the living room and report on the struggle as she labored

        Reply
      88. Avatar
        LF on December 4, 2016 3:18 pm

        Wow…glad that there are limitations and better rules today to make this sport more safe.

        Reply
      89. Avatar
        Kristin Fellure on December 6, 2016 8:16 pm

        Some sports used to be pretty brutal, almost similar to games in a roman Colosseum,football was played with no protection besides a leather cap. I’m glad the government is there to protect us.

        Reply
      90. Avatar
        ES on December 7, 2016 5:20 pm

        Sports were so violent.

        Reply
      91. Avatar
        Keagan Frey on December 7, 2016 11:34 pm

        This would have been a huge deal seeing as boxing was one of the most popular sports during this time.

        Reply
      92. Avatar
        Hunter Music on December 10, 2016 2:15 am

        It is interesting how athletes were not only athletes but actors and just a public figure in general.

        Reply
      93. Avatar
        Alexis Dykes on December 10, 2016 11:45 pm

        I think it is great that he didn’t let his illness take him out of the game completely, and he continued to pursue a career even after getting sick. People could definitely be inspired by him.

        Reply
      94. Avatar
        David Birkbeck on December 11, 2016 11:01 pm

        A sport where the goal is to give your opponent a concussion and someone dies. This does not surprise me, however I had never heard of this until now.

        Reply
      95. Avatar
        Dan Sumpter on January 27, 2017 4:44 am

        Today, these fights whether UFC or boxing, are more regulated and more evenly matched up. Still dangerous sports, but s long as people want to pay and watch them, the more there will be to watch.

        Reply
      96. Avatar
        Kay McCargish on January 30, 2017 10:33 am

        Carnera was a brute. Interesting how sports people also get into acting or politics. I guess they love the limelight.

        Reply
      97. Avatar
        Kacey Kovac on January 30, 2017 5:00 pm

        It sounds like Shaaf’s death resulted probably from a slow brain bleed. I am surprised that Canera didn’t get any sort of jail time for this even though it was for sport!

        Reply
      98. Avatar
        Luke Lyden on January 31, 2017 5:22 pm

        Boxing is a dangerous sport. We know more now about head injuries than ever before. It is definitely a risk reward sport/business.

        Reply
        • Avatar
          Jared Good on January 31, 2017 10:50 pm

          Yes the sport is dangerous but just like everything else they know what their getting into and know what could happen.

          Reply
      99. Avatar
        Jared Good on January 31, 2017 10:49 pm

        Boxers have it rough in the ring they have a lot of head injuries along with cauliflower ear.

        Reply
      100. Avatar
        Jared A. Hutt on February 1, 2017 10:00 am

        Boxing back then was a much more dangerous sport than it is today. Often times, there was no round limit and the just fought until someone was knocked out!

        Reply
      101. Avatar
        Cara Zang on February 2, 2017 11:58 am

        It’s interesting to see them think he was under mob control because I always wonder about if these matches are rigged.

        Reply
      102. Avatar
        Jason Orellano on February 3, 2017 8:25 pm

        Interesting story but if the mob did control him. He was getting paid to lose. Died so young though.

        Reply
      103. Avatar
        Chelsey Stillings on February 4, 2017 12:03 am

        This really makes me think if similar things like this are happening today.

        Reply
      104. Avatar
        Juan Rodriguez on February 4, 2017 12:49 am

        What is interesting about the story is how his country was going to use him to show the world that they had supremacy, but he loss. Boxing is great sport and should never be part of politics.

        Reply
      105. Avatar
        Jeffrey Keenan on February 4, 2017 8:50 am

        Wow, Primo sounds like he was an amazing boxer. The massive breakfast that is described in the passage sounds like it was fit for a monster. Killing someone is something that this man had to live with for the rest of his life.

        Reply
      106. Avatar
        Shaun Emerick on February 4, 2017 12:06 pm

        It is amazing how his career was the inspiration to so many movies and songs, even to this day. It is kind of sad that his career was riddled with sceptaeism. It would be interesting to one day find out if any of the fights were rigged.

        Reply
      107. Avatar
        John Milton on February 4, 2017 1:43 pm

        I loved learning of Carnera when I was a kid. He was amazing boxer.

        Reply
      108. Avatar
        Christie Benton on February 4, 2017 2:09 pm

        It is really awesome that he lost the fight in front of Mussolini. While a great boxer, people should be equals, since the human race was created that way.

        Reply
      109. Avatar
        Dan Fidoe on February 4, 2017 4:41 pm

        Surprised more have not died from boxing. Part of our past but who wants to get their head beat around for fun.

        Reply
      110. Avatar
        Shannon Smith on February 4, 2017 8:20 pm

        Mussolini’s plan didn’t go as planned did it?! I bet he never bragged about the video while showing his friends after that one. I am surprised that there isn’t more attention brought to boxing like there is to football for head injuries. The guy he fought probably died from brain injuries.

        Reply
      111. Avatar
        Jeremiah Linden on February 4, 2017 10:07 pm

        It seems so weird when athletes can no longer be competitive; they go into show business. Especially in modern times, most professional athletes graduate from college. I guess the college degree is not what they intended to use.

        Reply
      112. Avatar
        Michelle Ross on February 5, 2017 12:52 pm

        In modern athletics, you can expect the retired athletes to either go into show business or into commentating about the sport that they left. You see that the most in the NFL. It’s also so interesting to see the difference in age in athlete world versus non-athletes. The age of 40 is old in athlete world but not at all in the non-athlete world.

        Reply
      113. Avatar
        Bailey Cleary on February 5, 2017 1:56 pm

        There can be some serious injuries in boxing. It can be very dangerous especially for head injuries.

        Reply
      114. Avatar
        Caitlyn Seebach on February 12, 2017 9:28 pm

        I found it interesting that along with his boxing career he was also an actor in a few famous movies/tv shows. Also it is pretty cool that they made movies to show his life. Its weird that he had records for his hight that was actually wrong though.

        Reply
      115. Avatar
        Angela Kessinger on April 1, 2017 7:19 pm

        I never understood the desire to be a boxer. Having someone punch you and inflict pain, causing internal injuries many times. Boxing in my opinion is noting more than a controlled legal fight. If two people would fight in this manner on the streets they would be arrested, especially if one threw the final punch that caused another ones death.

        Reply
      116. Avatar
        Misty Prosser on April 1, 2017 9:23 pm

        Wow! That is a whole lot of food for one sitting. Boxing is a skilled sport and a dangerous one, so many of these amazing fighters end up with brain damage, loss of vision and loss of hearing

        Reply
      117. Avatar
        Jaisun on April 3, 2017 2:32 pm

        It’s sad that the biggest athletes often die prematurely from health-related issues. The late great Andre The Giant comes to mind.

        Reply
      118. Avatar
        Patrick Barker on April 4, 2017 9:59 am

        I would love to go back in time and attend one of these fights ringside with a big cigar in my mouth.

        Reply
      119. Avatar
        Tiffany on April 5, 2017 12:29 am

        Of the entire article I just read, all I can think about was all the food he would eat for breakfast! How could he eat another meal that day? Were portions smaller during this time?

        Reply
      120. Avatar
        Sean Merritt on April 6, 2017 3:14 pm

        I am a huge fan of boxing and have read about this a few times over now. It still makes me wonder how there aren’t more incidents like this with how much stronger the athletes have become.

        Reply
      121. Avatar
        Autum Grandstaff on April 6, 2017 8:11 pm

        These matches are painful for me to watch, I can not imagine going into a ring with the purpose of beating one another up! But it is also exciting to watch as well. It seems several athletes suffer the repercussions of sports, down the road.

        Reply
      122. Avatar
        Robin Crandel on April 6, 2017 9:58 pm

        I can understand the need for so much food, especially if he was “working out” most of his life. I can only assume that his metabolism did not change much even after he stopped fighting. I have always wondered how many people get fatally hurt while boxing. Sad.

        Reply
      123. Avatar
        Kyle Gelenius on April 8, 2017 10:23 pm

        I found it crazy that this incident happened! I would not want to go against someone like Primo Carnera. I also found it unbelievable that he lost 14 out of 103 fights!

        Reply
      124. Avatar
        Ashley Betsa on April 9, 2017 12:36 pm

        Great to know Primo’s career did not come to a tragic end but he was able to star in multiple movies. I find it interesting many thought he was overseen by the mob and having fixed fights. I wonder if this still happens in fights today.

        Reply
      125. Avatar
        Jessica Kessinger on April 9, 2017 3:18 pm

        Growing up i never really watched any type of “fights” on TV, I still choose not to I do not find the point. As stated by others below it is just a legalized form of fighting that if it were do not on the streets you would be arrested for. So many people get severely injured doing such sports. Why would someone want to go into something jut to get hit, smacked, and kicked around. I never and will never understand the purpose in such events.

        Reply
      126. Avatar
        Megan on April 11, 2017 5:10 pm

        Diabetes? How about high cholesterol, or blood pressure haha! that amount of food for anyone is absolutely insane! I have never heard about him, or his fights. He had to be a heck of a fighter to only lose only 14 fights.

        Reply
      127. Avatar
        Michelle on April 19, 2017 9:53 pm

        He must have worked up quite an appetite to eat all of that food!!

        Reply
      128. Avatar
        McKenna Kapper on April 23, 2017 4:00 pm

        I have never heard of him before, but he sounds like an amazing fighter. I can’t believe how much he ate for breakfast, I cant imagine what his other meals looked like.

        Reply
      129. Avatar
        Justin Hodson on April 27, 2017 9:55 pm

        I have heard about a boxer killing someone but I did not know who it was. It was interesting to read about him.

        Reply
      130. Avatar
        Yang Shao on April 30, 2017 4:36 pm

        I never knowing about boxing a lot, but Carnera was a professional boxing person by wining the world heavyweight championship.

        Reply
      131. Avatar
        WenYu Zhang on April 30, 2017 5:56 pm

        I was surprised by the story, but I agree with the last sentence of the article that breakfast is very important to a person

        Reply
      132. Avatar
        KIMBERLY KESTNER on April 30, 2017 9:42 pm

        I can not watch boxing or MMA or anything really where people fight. I do not understand how it is fun to watch someone get hurt and in this story’s case, watch someone get beat to death.

        Reply

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