Joey Maxim facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Joseph Maxim |
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Joey Maxim in 1952
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| Statistics | |
| Real name | Giuseppe Antonio Berardinelli |
| Rated at |
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| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Reach | 72+1⁄2 in (184 cm) |
| Born | March 28, 1922 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | June 2, 2001 (aged 79) West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 116 |
| Wins | 83 |
| Wins by KO | 22 |
| Losses | 29 |
| Draws | 4 |
| No contests | 0 |
Giuseppe Antonio Berardinelli (born March 28, 1922 – died June 2, 2001) was an American professional boxer. He was known around the world as Joey Maxim. He became a World Light Heavyweight Champion, which is a boxing weight class. His ring name, Joey Maxim, came from the Maxim gun, an early type of machine gun. People called him Maxim because he could throw many fast punches, like a machine gun.
Contents
Early Life
Joey Maxim was born and grew up in Collinwood, a neighborhood in Cleveland, Ohio.
Boxing Career
Starting Out
Joey Maxim started boxing when he was very young. He had a great amateur career, winning the famous Golden Gloves boxing competition. He became a professional boxer in 1940. During World War II, he served as a military police officer in Miami Beach, Florida. Even then, he still boxed regularly in exhibition matches.
Becoming a World Champion
It took a while for Joey Maxim to get a shot at a world title. He was 28 years old and had already fought 87 professional matches! His big chance came on January 24, 1950. He fought against the British boxer Freddie Mills in London. Mills was the champion, and many people thought Joey Maxim would lose. But Maxim surprised everyone! He won the fight by knockout in the 10th round. After this loss, Freddie Mills never boxed again.
After winning the light heavyweight title, Maxim tried to win the world heavyweight title too. On May 30, 1951, he fought Ezzard Charles for the heavyweight championship. Maxim fought hard but lost the match on points.
The Famous Fight: Joey Maxim vs. Sugar Ray Robinson
Joey Maxim's most famous fight happened on June 25, 1952. He was defending his light heavyweight title against the legendary boxer Sugar Ray Robinson. The fight took place at Yankee Stadium in New York City. It was a very hot day, during a record heat wave!
During the fight, Sugar Ray Robinson was ahead on points. But as the fight went on, Maxim's strong punches started to wear Robinson down. Robinson also began to suffer from hyperthermia, which means his body got too hot. At the end of the 13th round, Robinson collapsed. He managed to get back to his corner, but he couldn't come out for the 14th round. Joey Maxim won by a technical knockout! This was the only time in Sugar Ray Robinson's amazing 200-fight career that he was stopped.
The heat was so intense that even the referee, Ruby Goldstein, had to stop working. He collapsed and a new referee, Ray Miller, had to finish the fight. Many fans in the stadium also fainted from the heat. Both boxers lost over 20 pounds during the match because they sweated so much!
Later Career
Even though he won, the fight against Sugar Ray Robinson was very tough on Maxim. Six months later, he lost his world title to Archie Moore. After losing his title, Maxim fought much less often. He had only 14 more fights in the next six years. He fought Archie Moore two more times but lost both matches. Joey Maxim retired from boxing in 1958.
He finished his career with 82 wins (21 by knockout), 29 losses, and 4 draws. In his 115 professional fights, he was only knocked out once! During his career, he beat famous boxers like Jersey Joe Walcott, Jimmy Bivins, Sugar Ray Robinson, and Floyd Patterson.
Life After Boxing
After he stopped boxing, Joey Maxim tried different jobs. He worked as a stand-up comic, owned a restaurant, and was a taxi driver. He also greeted guests at hotels and casinos in Las Vegas.
He even appeared in a movie called Play It to the Bone in 1999, as an extra.
In 1994, Joey Maxim was honored by being inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. This is a special place for the greatest boxers.
Joey Maxim's wife, Michelina, passed away in 1977. They had two daughters together.
In February 2001, Maxim had a stroke. He died a few months later, on June 2, 2001, in West Palm Beach, Florida. He was survived by his daughters, his mother (who was 97 at the time), and six great-grandchildren.
Professional Boxing Record Summary
| 115 fights | 82 wins | 29 losses |
| By knockout | 21 | 1 |
| By decision | 61 | 27 |
| By disqualification | 0 | 1 |
| Draws | 4 | |
Images for kids
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Joey Maxim in 1952
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"Goldilocks and the Three Bares" poster
See Also
- List of light heavyweight boxing champions
