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Luis Ángel Firpo
Luis Angel Firpo (cropped).jpg
Firpo in 1919
Statistics
Nickname(s) El Toro Salvaje de las Pampas
Height 6 feet 2+12 inches (1.89 m)
Born 11 October 1894
Junín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Died August 7, 1960(1960-08-07) (aged 65)
Stance Orthodox

Luis Ángel Firpo (October 11, 1894 – August 7, 1960) was an Argentine boxer. Born in Junín, Argentina, he was nicknamed The Wild Bull of the Pampas. He was the first Latin American in history to challenge for the world heavyweight title. His bout against Jess Willard set a world record for boxing attendance at the time. His 1923 heavyweight title fight against Jack Dempsey was named Ring Magazine Fight of the Year for 1923.

Firpo was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in the Old Timer category as part of the class of 2024.

Boxing career

In 1922 he arrived in the United States. He rose quickly in the Heavyweight rankings by winning all four of his fights that year by knockout. The first three in the United States made him a national hero in Argentina. He returned to his home town Buenos Aires to fight Jim Tracey in front of 20,000 spectators. Firpo won by knockout in the 4th round.

Luis Firpo, G. Widmer, A. Mayer, J. DeForest (cropped)
Firpo and his handlers

Firpo began 1923 at Madison Square Garden knocking out former title challenger Bill Brennan in the 12th round with a right. Brennan had to be taken to the hospital afterwards for a concussion. "Dempsey never hit me any harder than this fellow," said Brennan. Adding that he couldn't wear his old hat because his head was too swollen.

He followed that with seven more wins in a row, including wins over Jack McAuliffe and former world champion Jess Willard. Willard was 41 at the time, and his age forced the bout to be moved from New York to New Jersey. 100,000 attended the event and an estimated 25,000 more were turned away. A world record setting crowd for boxing at the time. After a win against Charley Weinert, Luis Firpo was scheduled for a heavyweight title shot against Jack Dempsey.

Firpo was the first Latin American in history to challenge for the world heavyweight title. In anticipation for the Dempsey-Firpo bout, a Firpo sparring session drew a crowd of 12,000. The match was at the Polo Grounds, normal capacity 55,000, but an additional 20,000 seats were constructed bringing the total to 75,000 for the fight, later expanded to 83,000. The police estimated that 150,000 people showed up, including a mass extending a quarter mile in every direction around the arena.

Bellows George Dempsey and Firpo 1924
Firpo sending Dempsey outside the ring; Dempsey and Firpo, 1923 painting by George Bellows

Firpo was floored seven times in the first round of the bout, before he trapped Dempsey against the ropes and launched a combination that sent the champion out of the ring. Dempsey was helped into the ring at the count of nine (in spite of having been seventeen seconds outside the ring; fighters are given a twenty-second count when they are knocked through the ropes). After getting back in the ring Dempsey took 13 consecutive shots from Firpo. In the second round Dempsey rallied and knocked out Firpo. It was named Ring Magazine Fight of the Year for 1923.

He returned to Argentina for a period, fighting only 3 official bouts while he planned another return to the United States. Originally planned as a 10 match tour. 80,000 attended his fight against Harry Wills, however he was defeated. He followed that with a loss against Charley Weinert, who Firpo had previously beaten. Both were by newspaper decision.

Retirement

Afterwards, Firpo became a car-dealer for Stutz and a rancher. By 1940 he was ranching on a large scale in Carlos Casares with 8,000 cattle, 4,000 sheep and 400 horses. He discovered the boxer Abel Cestac in July 1940. Firpo and Jack Dempsey agreed to jointly manage Cestac, who went on to become the South American heavyweight champion. On his passing in 1960, Luis Firpo was buried in La Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires. His mausoleum has a statue of him at the front.

Legacy

Firpo tomb recoleta
Luis Angel Firpo vault in the Cemetery of Recoleta, Buenos Aires, where his remains were interred

Firpo's popularity around Latin America was immeasurable. Years later, C.D. Luis Ángel Firpo, a professional football team in El Salvador was named after him. In addition, various schools, streets, and avenues across Latin America have been named after him.

The painting Dempsey and Firpo by George Bellows has appeared in many films including Goodfellas, and television including The Simpsons with Homer Simpson in the place of Firpo. With some calling it the most "the most influential sports painting ever."

In 2003, he was named by The Ring as one of the 100 greatest punchers of all time.

Professional boxing record

31 Wins (26 Knockouts), 4 Defeats, 2 No Contests
Res. Record Opponent Type Rd., Time Date Location Notes
Loss 31-4
2 NC, 2 ND
Chile Arturo Godoy RTD 3 (12) 1936-07-11 Argentina Luna Park, Buenos Aires
Win 31-3
2 NC, 2 ND
Czechoslovakia Siska Habarta KO 3 (10) 1936-05-25 Argentina Buenos Aires
Win 30-3
2 NC, 2 ND
Italy Saverio Grizzo KO 1 (10) 1936-05-09 Argentina Luna Park, Buenos Aires
Win 29-3
2 NC, 2 ND
Italy Erminio Spalla PTS 12 1926-04-03 Argentina Parque Romano, Buenos Aires
ND 28-3
2 NC, 2 ND
Austria Charley Weinert ND 12 1924-11-12 United States 113th Regiment Armory,
Newark, New Jersey
ND 28-3
2 NC, 1 ND
United States Harry Wills ND 12 1924-09-11 United States Boyle's Thirty Acres,
Jersey City, New Jersey
Win 28-3
2 NC
United States Al Reich KO 1 (10) 1924-04-05 Argentina Club Sportivo Barracas, Buenos Aires
Win 27-3
2 NC
Italy Erminio Spalla TKO 14 (15) 1924-03-27 Argentina Buenos Aires
Win 26-3
2 NC
United States Farmer Lodge KO 5 (10) 1924-02-24 Argentina Club Atlético River Plate, Buenos Aires
Loss 25-3
2 NC
United States Jack Dempsey KO 2 (15) 1923-09-14 United States Polo Grounds, New York City, New York For NYSAC World Heavyweight title.
Win 25-2
2 NC
Austria Charley Weinert TKO 2 (8) 1923-08-13 United States Shibe Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Win 24-2
2 NC
United States Homer Smith PTS 10 1923-08-03 United States Omaha, Nebraska
Win 23-2
2 NC
United States Joe Burke KO 2 (10) 1923-07-27 United States Battle Creek, Michigan
Win 22-2
2 NC
United States Jess Willard KO 8 (12) 1923-07-12 United States Boyle's Thirty Acres,
Jersey City, New Jersey
Win 21-2
2 NC
United States Jim Hibbard KO 2 (20) 1923-06-17 Mexico El Toreo, Mexico City
Win 20-2
2 NC
United States Jack Herman KO 2 (10) 1923-06-10 Cuba Havana
Win 19-2
2 NC
United States Jack McAuliffe II KO 3 (15) 1923-05-12 United States Yankee Stadium, The Bronx, New York
Win 18-2
2 NC
United States Bill Brennan KO 12 (15) 1923-03-12 United States Madison Square Garden,
New York City, New York
Win 17-2
2 NC
Australia Jim Tracey KO 4 (10) 1922-10-08 Argentina Club Sportivo Barracas, Buenos Aires
Win 16-2
2 NC
United States Jack Herman TKO 5 (12) 1922-05-13 United States Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, New York
Win 15-2
2 NC
United States Joe McCann KO 5 (12) 1922-04-04 United States Newark, New Jersey
Win 14-2
2 NC
United States Tom Maxted KO 7 (12) 1922-03-20 United States Newark, New Jersey
Win 13-2
2 NC
Uruguay Fernando Priano KO 2 (10) 1921-09-27 Argentina San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán
Win 12-2
2 NC
United States Gunboat Smith KO 12 (15) 1921-04-23 Argentina Club Universitario, Buenos Aires
Win 11-2
2 NC
United States Gunboat Smith PTS 12 1921-03-12 Chile Valparaíso, Valparaíso
Win 10-2
2 NC
United States Dave Mills KO 1 (15) 1920-12-11 Argentina Club Universitario, Buenos Aires Defended South American
Heavyweight title.
NC 9-2
2 NC
Chile Alberto Coleman NC 10 1920-09-11 Argentina Teatro Municipal, Mendoza, Mendoza
Win 9-2
1 NC
Argentina Antonio Jirsa KO 1 (10) 1920-07-07 Argentina Club Universitario, Buenos Aires
Win 8-2
1 NC
United States Dave Mills KO 1 (15) 1920-04-30 Chile Estadio Hippodrome, Santiago, Santiago Won South American Heavyweight title.
Win 7-2
1 NC
Spain Andrés Balsa KO 6 (10) 1920-02-28 Chile Valparaíso, Valparaíso
Loss 6-2
1 NC
United States Dave Mills PTS 15 1919-11-01 Chile Santiago, Santiago For South American Heavyweight title.
Win 6-1
1 NC
United States Arthur Manning KO 3 (10) 1919-04-26 Uruguay Montevideo, Montevideo
Win 5-1
1 NC
Uruguay Fernando Priano KO 4 (10) 1919-04-12 Uruguay Montevideo, Montevideo
Win 4-1
1 NC
United States Calvin Respress PTS 15 1919-02-07 Chile Santiago, Santiago
Win 3-1
1 NC
United States Calvin Respress DQ 2 (10) 1918-12-14 Chile Santiago, Santiago
Win 2-1
1 NC
Chile Ignacio Sepulveda KO 2 (10) 1918-11-09 Chile Santiago, Santiago
Win 1-1
1 NC
Chile William Daly KO 7 (10) 1918-09-28 Chile Chillán, Biobío
Loss 0-1
1 NC
Uruguay Angel Rodriguez KO 1 (10) 1918-01-12 Uruguay Teatro Casino, Montevideo, Montevideo
NC 1 NC Australia Frank Hagney NC 6 (10) 1917-12-10 Argentina Internacional Boxing Club, Buenos Aires

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Luis Ángel Firpo para niños

  • Jack Dempsey vs. Luis Ángel Firpo
  • C.D. Luis Ángel Firpo -Football (soccer) team
  • List of Argentines
  • John Ruiz - First Hispanic world heavyweight champion
  • Andy Ruiz - Second Hispanic world Heavyweight champion
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