José Basora

José Basora (born February 8, 1918) was a former boxer. Basora was born in Lajas, Puerto Rico. Basora was married to Emilia Rivera de Jesus for 44 years and lived in New York City. They had two children (Maria and Jose) and lived in the Bronx. Basora's wife died in 1988. Basora soon after died on January 3, 1993.

José Basora fought professionally for thirteen years. His career spanned three decades, starting in 1939 and ending in 1952.

Boxing career

Basora began fighting as a professional on January 7 1939, with a first round knockout over Artie Baker. He had three fights in one month, all of them wins. The first blemish to appear on his record was a four round draw (tie), against Joe Bologna on February 17, when Basora fought as a professional for the fourth time. Basora then had streaks of eleven consecutive knockouts and 25 wins in a row.

On March 2 1941, Basora met famed Cuban boxer Kid Tunero, losing for the first time in his career, when Tunero, who had 101 previous fights, defeated Basora by a ten round decision in Havana, Cuba. Basora split his next four fights (two wins and two losses) before meeting Holman Williams, on September 29 of the same year, in New York. Basora lost to Williams by a six round decision. On January 9 1942, he and Williams met again, with Williams once again winning by decision after six rounds.

Basora became a highly heralded boxer on the night of May 12 1942, when he held Jake LaMotta to a ten round draw at New York. Basora and LaMotta met again on June 16, with Basora beating LaMotta by decision in ten rounds. On September 17, Basora met future world Heavyweight champion Ezzard Charles; Basora was stopped by Charles in five rounds, suffering his first professional knockout defeat.

Basora promptly returned to winning, resulting victorious in eight of his next nine fights, with one draw. Then, on June 17 1943, he fought Andy Holland in West Springfield, Massachusetts, with their bout declared a no contest due to the heavy rain that fell that day, as the contest was held in an outdoor arena, with the rain making visibility very hard for the contestants.

On August 9, Basora avenged his previous defeats at the hands of Williams, by outpointing him over eight rounds in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On September 17, however, he and LaMotta fought for a third time, with LaMotta winning by a ten round decision. Almost one month later, on October 15, Basora defeated Fritzie Zivic, another world champion boxer, by a unanimous decision in Detroit, Michigan. Zivic had come into their encounter with 175 previous fights, of which he had won 131.

José Basora won three more fights, then he lost a fourth fight against Holman Williams, being outpointed by his arch-rival on April 10 1944 over ten rounds, at San Francisco, California. Basora then reeled off a streak of three more wins before meeting Williams for a fifth time. Williams and Basora drew over ten rounds on October 2 in Philadelphia. Basora soon returned to the ring, beating another heralded contender of the era, Al Jonson, over ten rounds by decision on October 30.

His next fight has been described by boxing historians as Basora's finest moment, an opinion that has been argued as other boxing historians claim that his win over LaMotta should be held as Basora's best moment. Regardless, Basora met Sugar Ray Robinson for the first time on May 14 1945. holding the man considered by many to be boxing's all time best fighter to a ten round draw in Philadelphia. On his next fight, Basora took on LaMotta for the fourth time; this time around, LaMotta stopped Basora in the ninth round, on August 10 of the same year.

Basora made his Puerto Rico debut on January 29 1946, when he outpointed Carlos Perez after ten rounds. Basora held six consecutive bouts in San Juan, building on an already existing fan base in the island-country. On March 17, he beat Mario Raul Ochoa for the "Middleweight championship of the Antilles" in ten rounds by decision. Basora and Ochoa had an immediate rematch, without Basora's newly won belt at stake, on July 4, at San Juan, and Basora won by a third round knockout.

On June 10 1947, Basora met popular fighter Bobby Richardson at Youngstown, Ohio, outpointing Richardson over ten rounds. Just seventeen days later, Basora returned to Detroit, where he faced Tommy Yarosz, a top ranked fighter of the time. Basora lost by a ten round decision. Fans at the fight protested the decision. The fight, however, took a rather dramatic turn after it was over, as Basora collapsed in his dressing room and required hospitalization. He was diagnosed with fainting due to the blows received against Yarosz.

Only four months later, Basora returned to the ring. After a win, he faced Holman Williams for the sixth time, on November 3 in San Juan. Basora outpointed Williams over ten rounds. Basora made two more fights, and he then met Williams for a seventh time, on March 3 1948 in Chicago, Illinois. Basora beat Williams by a fourth round knockout, after Williams suffered a cut on his mouth.

On March 2, 1949, Basora met Henry Brimm, who was 23-8-3 coming into their bout, held at Coral Gables, Florida. Basora outpointed Brimm over ten rounds. By that time, Basora had been ranked as the world's top Middleweight challenger for some period. Basora defeated Brimm again, by a ten round decision, on May 4 at New York.

After winning one fight and losing another one, Basora got his first try at a world title, when he faced Sugar Ray Robinson in their rematch, for Robinson's Pennsylvania's world Middleweight title (the bout was recognized as a world championship fight only by the Pennsylvania state athletic commission), on August 25 1950 in Scranton. This fight was historic, because Robinson established a record for the quickest knockout in a world title bout, defeating Basora only 50 seconds after the bout started. This record stood for 38 years.

Basora went on boxing for two more years. Well past his prime, however, he lost five of his next six bouts, including one against Holly Mims and another one against Rocky Marciano rival, Harry Matthews. After losing by a ten round decision to Frenchman Robert Villemain, who himself was once only 15 seconds away from lifting the world Middleweight title from Jake LaMotta before losing by knockout in the last round, Basora retired permanently from boxing. His loss to Villemain took place on June 16 1952, in Brooklyn.

Basora had a record of 77 wins, 20 losses and 7 draws, with one no-contest and 44 knockout wins in 105 bouts.

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