Alessandro "Sandro" Mazzinghi (3 October 1938 – 22 August 2020) was an Italian professional boxer who held the world light middleweight championship twice.
Biography In 1961 Mazzinghi won the Military World Championships. The same year he turned professional, following his elder brother Guido. He eventually became a European and World Champion, and had a record of 64–3–0–2 (42 KOs). Of these matches, five were valid for the European title and 8 for the World title. On 7 September 1963 he won the world light middleweight title, defeating the American Ralph Dupas by a ninth-round technical knockout in Milan. In December of the same year, a rematch took place in Sydney, Australia, and Mazzinghi won again by knockout.
He remained world champion until 1965, a year after a terrible accident. The boxer remained in critical condition for some days, with a skull fracture that would condition his career in the following years. Mazzinghi came back in the ring to defend his title in Genoa, Italy, against Tony Montano (knockout in the 12th round) and in Rome, against Fortunato Manca (winning by decision in 15 rounds).
On 18 June 1965 Mazzinghi faced Nino Benvenuti and lost by knockout in the sixth round, losing his world title. In their rematch, Mazzinghi barely escaped an early round knockout when he was floored – unable to rise in time he was saved by the bell. He rebounded from that close call to give Benvenuti a hard fight, but Benvenuti won by decision.
Mazzinghi started again and gained the Superwelter European crown in Rome, Italy, on 17 June 1966 defeating Yoland Leveque; he defended his title four times.
On 26 May 1968, Mazzinghi beat Korean Ki-Soo Kim in "San Siro" Stadium, Milan, Italy, regaining the world light middleweight crown.
On 25 October he fought against American Freddie Little, but was disqualified by the referee for an illegal blow; this decision was revoked and the result of the match was changed to a "no contest". A few days later, the Italian Boxing Federation took away the title from Mazzinghi, after the WBA wouldn't.
In 1970 he left boxing for seven years, and would make a comeback from 1977 to 1978. He retired in 1978.
Professional boxing record
ResultRecordOpponentTypeRoundDateAgeLocationNotes69WinJean Claude WarusfelPTS10Mar 4, 1978 68Win63–3 Gianni MingardiPTS8Dec 26, 1977 67Win62–3 David AdkinsPTS10Nov 3, 1977 66Win61–3 Willie WarrenKO8 (10)Oct 31, 1970 65Win60–3 Eddie PaceSD10Sep 10, 1970 64Win59–3 Harold RichardsonKO5 (10)Jul 2, 1970 63Win58–3 Harry ScottPTS10Apr 18, 1970 62Win57–3 Cipriano HernandezKO2 (10)Dec 17, 1969 61NC56–3 Wilfredo HurstNC8 (10)Mar 28, 1969 6056–3 Freddie LittleNC8 (15)Oct 25, 1968 59Win56–3Levi CampbellPTS10Sep 14, 1968 58Win55–3Kim Ki-sooSD15May 26, 1968 57Win54–3Bobby CassidyTKO2 (10)Apr 5, 1968 56Win53–3Art HernandezRTD4 (8)Feb 9, 1968 55Win52–3Jo GonzalesKO4 (15)Dec 1, 1967 54Win51–3Wally SwiftTKO6 (15)Sep 9, 1967 53Win50–3Gomeo BrennanPTS10Jul 14, 1967 52Win49–3Henry AldrichPTS10Apr 7, 1967 51Win48–3Jean Baptiste RollandTKO10 (15)Feb 3, 1967 50Win47–3Bo HogbergTKO14 (15)Nov 11, 1966 49Win46–3Tony NoriegaPTS10Oct 14, 1966 48Win45–3Yoland LevèqueKO12 (15)Jun 17, 1966 47Win44–3Herman DixonTKO2 (10)May 6, 1966 46Win43–3Sugar CliffTKO4 (10)Apr 1, 1966 45Win42–3James SheltonRTD5 (10)Feb 11, 1966 44Loss41–3Nino BenvenutiUD15Dec 17, 1965 43Win41–2Oscar MirandaTKO5 (10)Oct 15, 1965 42Loss40–2Nino BenvenutiKO6 (15)Jun 18, 1965 41Win40–1Mel FergusonKO3 (10)Apr 30, 1965 40Win39–1Isaac LogartPTS10Apr 2, 1965 39Win38–1Isaac LogartTKO5 (10)Jan 23, 1965 38Win37–1Fortunato MancaPTS15Dec 11, 1964 37Win36–1Gaspar OrtegaTKO7 (10)Nov 6, 1964 36Win35–1Tony MontanoTKO12 (15)Oct 3, 1964 35Win34–1Cecil MottKO5 (12)Aug 14, 1964 34Win33–1Charley AustinDQ7 (10)Jun 26, 1964 33Win32–1Charley AustinTKO9 (10)Apr 24, 1964 32Win31–1Hilario MoralesTKO3 (10)Apr 12, 1964 31Win30–1Ralph DupasTKO13 (15)Dec 2, 1963 30Win29–1Ralph DupasTKO9 (15)Sep 7, 1963 29Win28–1Mohamed SahibTKO8 (10)Jul 13, 1963 28Win27–1Wilf GreavesKO5 (10)Jun 7, 1963 27Win26–1Don FullmerTKO8 (10)May 5, 1963 26Win25–1Tony MontanoUD10Apr 5, 1963 25Win24–1Rocky RandellTKO1 (10)Mar 8, 1963 24Win23–1Joseph NGanKO4 (8)Mar 1, 1963 23Win22–1Hippolyte AnnexRTD9 (10)Jan 28, 1963 22Win21–1Francesco FioriPTS8Dec 14, 1962 21Win20–1Fabio BettiniPTS8Nov 9, 1962 20Win19–1Charles AttaliTKO1 (10)Oct 15, 1962 19Win18–1Daniel LeullierPTS8Sep 24, 1962 18Win17–1Fabio BettiniPTS8Aug 19, 1962 17Loss16–1Giampaolo MelisPTS8Jul 27, 1962 16Win16–0Charley KassemKO1 (10)Jul 18, 1962 15Win15–0Paolo CottinoKO3 (10)Jun 30, 1962 14Win14–0Jackie CailleauPTS8Jun 20, 1962 13Win13–0Claude CanuTKO4 (8)Jun 6, 1962 12Win12–0Teddy SchallKO4 (8)Apr 2, 1962 11Win11–0Mohamed SebaTKO5 (8)Mar 23, 1962 10Win10–0Gerhard MollTKO5 (8)Feb 23, 1962 9Win9–0Nic MaricPTS6Feb 16, 1962 8Win8–0Ahmed ben HamidaTKO3 (6)Feb 5, 1962 7Win7–0Claudio BunivaPTS6Jan 19, 1962 6Win6–0Guglielmo PaulonTKO3 (8)Jan 4, 1962 5Win5–0Francesco PondrelliTKO2 (8)Dec 26, 1961 4Win4–0Germano CavalieriKO2 (8)Dec 15, 1961 3Win3–0Renato RavasiTKO3 (8)Nov 9, 1961 2Win2–0Mario Della CortePTS6Oct 20, 1961 1Win1–0Severino GagliardiKO2 (6)Sep 15, 1961
Titles in boxing Major world titles WBA light middleweight champion (154 lbs) (2×) WBC light middleweight champion (154 lbs) (2×)
Regional/International titles European light middleweight champion (154 lbs)
Undisputed titles Undisputed light middleweight champion (2×)
See also Legends of Italian sport - Walk of Fame List of world light-middleweight boxing champions
References
External links
Alessandro Mazzinghi - CBZ Profile