Paulino Uzcudun

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Uzcudun and the second or maternal family name is Eizmendi.

Paulino Uzcudun
Born	(1899-05-03)3 May 1899 Errezil, Guipuzcoa Basque Country Spain
Died	5 July 1985(1985-07-05) (aged 86)
Nationality	Spanish
Other names	Basque Woodchopper
Statistics
Weight(s)	Heavyweight
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	69
Wins	49
Wins by KO	33
Losses	17
Draws	3

Paulino Uzcudun Eizmendi (3 May 1899 – 5 July 1985) was a Basque Spanish heavyweight boxer, who is considered to be the greatest heavyweight from Spain. Uzkudun is the Basque spelling of his last name. He was the youngest of nine siblings. In his youth, he became an aizkolari or traditional competitive Basque wood chopper. Uzcudun, known as Paulino in the United States, was the European heavyweight champion, and he fought heavyweight champions Joe Louis, Max Baer, Max Schmeling (three times) and Primo Carnera (twice) during his career. The former butcher—nicknamed "the Basque woodchopper"—retired from boxing with a record of 49 wins (33 KOs), 17 losses and 3 draws.

Life & career

Uzcudun was a rugged boxer with a crouched stance. He had a powerful left hook, and fought the toughest heavyweights of his time. He had only one opportunity at the world's heavyweight championship, but was defeated in a fifteen-round fight by Primo Carnera of Italy on October 22, 1933. Trainer Whitey Bimstein accompanied Uzcudun to the bout in Barcelona, Spain. Later in life, Bimstein gave an account in interview, of a scene more reminiscent of the cinema: "I remember one day we were at a sidewalk cafe. Just as I started to put my lips to a glass of vermouth a shot splintered the glass. Believe me, I got back to the hotel in nothing flat..." Much more grim was his description of the Civil War in Spain beyond such high drama: "It was nothing to walk along the streets covered with hundreds of dead, and you couldn't tell when the fighting would break out anew." Against this chaotic backdrop, Uzcudun's chance at the title took place.

Shortly before the fight, Carnera balked at the Spanish-made gloves chosen by the governing boxing commission. The champion, who had insisted upon American gloves, stated loudly and in Spanish that he would not fight. The commissioner, according to Bimstein, removed himself from the room, and "about a dozen soldiers walked toward Carnera." The champion "backed up hurriedly" and conceded the choice. As for the actual fight, Uzcudun went the 15 scheduled rounds and well enough, that "when the verdict was announced, the revolution started all over again." A riot, which included gunfire, commenced. Uzcudun, Bimstein, the other seconds and as many as "three hundred others" took refuge under the massive ring, until troops restored order—even with this, citizenry "continued rioting in the streets all night...." It was unfortunate for Uzcudun, whom Bimstein said "was the finest character among the fighters I ever met, square as they make 'em, game and tough, and in his prime a match for any of 'em."

Uzcudun also "retired" the famed Harry Wills, when he stopped him in four rounds on July 13, 1927. The tough and durable Uzcudun was never knocked off his feet, or KO'd until his last professional fight. On December 13, 1935, Uzcudun made the mistake of coming out of retirement to meet Joe Louis. In the fourth round, Louis hit Uzcudun with a swift, powerful right uppercut that knocked him down causing the referee to stop the fight even though Uzcudun wanted to continue. His record was 49–17–3 with 33 knockouts.

In 1933–34, Uzcudun trained on the beach in Rocky Point, Long Island, New York. During a sparring session with Franklin Rosalia (1911–1972), who also summered in Rocky Point, Uzcudun received a punch that knocked him down flat. Some conjecture that this incident led to his subsequent retirement having been demoralized by this incident. In 1936, Uzcudun fought on the Nationalist (pro-Franco) side during the Spanish Civil War reportedly from the first day of the conflict as a member of the Falange Española de las JONS.

Professional boxing record

All information in this section is derived from BoxRec, unless otherwise stated.

69 fights	49 wins	17 losses
By knockout	33	1
By decision	16	14
By disqualification	0	2
Draws	3

No.	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round	Date	Location	Notes
26	Win	23–2–1	Erminio Spalla	PTS	12	May 18, 1926	La Monumental, Barcelona, Spain	The EBU European Heavyweight Championship was at stake.
25	Win	22–2–1	Harry Drake	KO	1 (10), 1:25	Mar 23, 1926	Cirque de Paris, Paris, France
24	Draw	21–2–1	Franz Diener	PTS	10	Feb 12, 1926	Kaiserdamm Arena, Berlin, Germany
23	Win	21–2	Soldier Jones	KO	1 (12)	Feb 9, 1926	Cirque de Paris, Paris, France
22	Win	20–2	Constant Barrick	TKO	4 (10)	Jan 29, 1926	Circo Olympia, Barcelona, Spain
21	Win	19–2	Hans Breitenstraeter	KO	9 (10)	Dec 1, 1925	Berlin Sportpalast, Berlin, Germany
20	Win	18–2	Marcel Nilles	KO	3 (10)	Nov 7, 1925	Vélodrome d'Hiver, Paris, France
19	Win	17–2	Constant Barrick	TKO	6 (12)	Oct 16, 1925	Circo Price, Madrid, Spain
18	Win	16–2	Fernand Delarge	TKO	1 (10)	Oct 10, 1925	Plaza de toros de las Arenas, Barcelona, Spain
17	Win	15–2	Phil Scott	KO	6 (12)	Sep 6, 1925	Plaza de Toros de Vista Alegre, Bilbao, Spain	Scott let himself be counted out, claiming he had been hit low.
16	Win	14–2	Jack Humbeeck	PTS	12	Jul 11, 1925	Plaza de Toros de Goya, Madrid, Spain
15	Win	13–2	Fernand Delarge	PTS	12	Jun 7, 1925	Arènes d'Eckmühl, Oran, France (present-day Algeria)
14	Win	12–2	Jack Humbeeck	TKO	4 (10)	Dec 20, 1924	Vélodrome d'Hiver, Paris, France
13	Win	11–2	Louis Piochelle	KO	2 (10)	Oct 5, 1924	Stade Municipal, Algiers, France (present-day Algeria)
12	Win	10–2	Frank Goddard	TKO	6 (10)	Sep 7, 1924	Arènes de Bayonne, Bayonne, France
11	Loss	9–2	George Cook	PTS	15	Jul 29, 1924	Cirque de Paris, Paris, France
10	Loss	9–1	George Cook	PTS	10	Jul 3, 1924	Royal Albert Hall, London, England
9	Win	9–0	Jose Teixidor	KO	3 (10)	Jun 14, 1924	Cirque d'hiver, Paris, France
8	Win	8–0	Arthur Townley	KO	1 (10)	Jun 1, 1924	Stade Buffalo, Montrouge, France
7	Win	7–0	Marcel Nilles	KO	5 (12)	May 17, 1924	Plaza de toros de las Arenas, Barcelona, Spain
6	Win	6–0	Paul Journee	KO	1 (10), 1:30	May 11, 1924	Estadio Municipal de Atocha, San Sebastián, Spain
5	Win	5–0	Laurent Mahieu	KO	1 (10)	Apr 19, 1924	Frontón Euskalduna, Bilbao, Spain
4	Win	4–0	Alex Touroff	KO	2 (10)	Apr 4, 1924	Circo Americano, Madrid, Spain
3	Win	3–0	Herman Sjouwerman	TKO	5 (10)	Jan 2, 1924	Salle Wagram, Paris, France
2	Win	2–0	Paul Journee	PTS	10	Sep 26, 1923	Salle Wagram, Paris, France
1	Win	1–0	Alex Touroff	KO	3 (10)	Sep 16, 1923	Stade Anastasie, Paris, France	Professional debut

External links

• Boxing record for Paulino Uzcudun from BoxRec (registration required)