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.
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.
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 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…
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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.
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<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="1206 http://www.crackedhistory.com/?p=1206">133 Comments
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I didn’t know someone could eat so much and be so driven!
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.
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.
Wow! I have never heard of someone eating that much. Interesting to see how motivated and driven he was!
Are all of your comments written by bots or sockpuppets?
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.
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.
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!
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.
The most shocking part of this article is that he actually killed one of his opponents! That is crazy.
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.
This was pretty interesting. He had a pretty unique life. Also, is breakfast is crazy!
I enjoyed the story. I don’t blame him for giving up boxing.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
This was an interesting article. He was a crazy boxer that didn’t let his problems get in the way. Kinda inspirational.
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.
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.
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)!
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.
This guy was an absolute tank- look up the science behind the force needed to kill an individual ibn the ring. Beast.
Looks like the mob ordered a hit.
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.
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!
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.
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.
He is interesting to read about. i wouldn’t mind learning more about him
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.
What a sad way to die, participating in a sport that you, presumably, love.
I feel like he was a very inspirational person, he never gave up through thick or thin
This article should’ve contained more information about the fight. What injuries ultimately caused Schaaf’s death, etc?
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.
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.
I expected more about the fight of the fatal blows, not as much background.
I was interesting to learn about Carnera, however, I would have like to learn more about the fight and the death of Schaaf.
This was informative and interesting, but I would have liked to know more about the fight and the injuries.
Reading the headline, I expected the article to be more about the actual fight than Carnera’s background. It was interesting nonetheless.
It is interesting that Carnera acted in many movies.
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.
This was an interesting read, but I would have liked to learn a little more about the fight.
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.
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.
Sometimes freak accidents happen and other times referees need to stop the fight before it gets out of hand.
I have never liked boxing and this article defiantly makes me hate it more
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
I have never heard of this man. I think his story is interesting and would be cool to watch a movie about him
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.
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
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!
I have never heard about this man. It is really interesting to learn about him.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I am curious about why people would like to join this dangerous sport. for money or for honor?
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.
The sport of boxing puzzles me. Many sporting associations have implemented regulations for the participants safety. How is it that boxing matches still occur?
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?
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.
I thought this article was an interesting read, but I would have liked to learn a little more about the fight.
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!
I enjoyed learning about Carnera and how much he ate along with losing to an African prisoner of war who had no boxing experience!
Boxing as a sport intimidates me because it seems so violent.
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
Wow…glad that there are limitations and better rules today to make this sport more safe.
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.
Sports were so violent.
This would have been a huge deal seeing as boxing was one of the most popular sports during this time.
It is interesting how athletes were not only athletes but actors and just a public figure in general.
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.
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.
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.
Carnera was a brute. Interesting how sports people also get into acting or politics. I guess they love the limelight.
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!
Boxing is a dangerous sport. We know more now about head injuries than ever before. It is definitely a risk reward sport/business.
Yes the sport is dangerous but just like everything else they know what their getting into and know what could happen.
Boxers have it rough in the ring they have a lot of head injuries along with cauliflower ear.
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!
It’s interesting to see them think he was under mob control because I always wonder about if these matches are rigged.
Interesting story but if the mob did control him. He was getting paid to lose. Died so young though.
This really makes me think if similar things like this are happening today.
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.
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.
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.
I loved learning of Carnera when I was a kid. He was amazing boxer.
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.
Surprised more have not died from boxing. Part of our past but who wants to get their head beat around for fun.
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.
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.
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.
There can be some serious injuries in boxing. It can be very dangerous especially for head injuries.
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.
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.
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
It’s sad that the biggest athletes often die prematurely from health-related issues. The late great Andre The Giant comes to mind.
I would love to go back in time and attend one of these fights ringside with a big cigar in my mouth.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
He must have worked up quite an appetite to eat all of that food!!
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.
I have heard about a boxer killing someone but I did not know who it was. It was interesting to read about him.
I never knowing about boxing a lot, but Carnera was a professional boxing person by wining the world heavyweight championship.
I was surprised by the story, but I agree with the last sentence of the article that breakfast is very important to a person
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.