Luis Ángel Firpo

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.[1] 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.[2] And his heavyweight title bout against Jack Dempsey was named Ring Magazine Fight of the Year for 1923.

For the football club from El Salvador, see C.D. Luis Ángel Firpo.
Luis Ángel Firpo
Firpo in 1919
Statistics
Nickname(s)El Toro Salvaje de las Pampas
Height6 ft 2+1⁄2 in (1.89 m)
Born11 October 1894
Junín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
DiedAugust 7, 1960(1960-08-07) (aged 65)
StanceOrthodox

Boxing career

In 1922 he arrived in the United States.[3] 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.[4] He returned to his home town Buenos Aries to fight Jim Tracey in front of 20,000 spectators. Firpo won by knockout in the 4th round.[5]

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.[6]

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.[7] 100,000 attended the event and an estimated 25,000 more were turned away. A world record setting crowd for boxing at the time.[8] 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.[9] 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,[10] 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.[11]

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.[12] In the second round Dempsey rallied and knocked out Firpo. It was named Ring Magazine Fight of the Year for 1923.

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

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.[13] 80,000 attended his fight against Harry Wills,[14] 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.[15] Firpo and Jack Dempsey agreed to jointly manage Cestac, who went on to become the South American heavyweight champion.[16][17] 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.[18]

Legacy
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.[19]

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.[20] With some calling it the most "the most influential sports painting ever."[21]


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

See also

References
  1. Davis, Elmer (12 September 1923). "STORM SIGNALS OUT FOR FEARLESS FIRPO: Critic Believes Ex-Drug Clerk Will Discover He Is Mixing Wrong Prescription. PREDICTIONS ARE PERILOUS Forecast, However, Is That the Challenger Is in for a Rough Night With Dempsey. THERMOMETER THE GAUGE If Weather Gets Colder in Spa, Jack Will Frcese to Death and Luis Will Win by Default". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  2. "MOB FIGHTS FOR TICKETS: Crowd Seeking $3.30 Admissions Sweep Police Aside in Rush WOMEN HURT IN CRUSH Many Injuries Reported in Ef- fort to Restore Order Outside the Polo Grounds. FANS BAIT SPECULATORS Police Arrest Twelve Men Charged With Profiteering in Tickets. MOB FIGHTS FOR TICKETS". The New York Times. 15 September 1923. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  3. "South American Heavyweight Is Here on Trail of Dempsey". The New York Times. 25 January 1922. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  4. "Firpo's Success Here Makes Him Argentine Boxing Idol". The New York Times. 7 April 1922. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  5. "Firpo Knocks Out Tracey in The Fourth at Buenos Aires". The New York Times. 9 October 1922. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  6. "BRENNAN SUFFERS BRAIN CONCUSSION: Taken to Hospital Following Knockout by Firpo -- "Rabbit Punch" Is Blamed. HIS CONDITION NOT SERIOUS Blow Which Caused Injury Was a Sledgehammer Right Be- hind the Left Ear. TOOK AN AWFUL BEATING" Physician Says Boxer Shows Signs of Battering -- Firpo Hits Hard as Dempsey, Asserts Victim". The New York Times. 15 March 1923. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  7. "WILLARD TOO OLD, SAYS BOXING BOARD: Jess Exceeds Age Limit and Bout With Firpo Is Banned in This State. FIGHT SLATED FOR JERSEY Rickard Known to Be Making Plans to Hold Contest in Boyle's Thirty Acres June 30". The New York Times. 19 May 1923. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  8. "CROWD AT FIGHT A WORLD RECORD: Richard's Arena Is Jammed to Capacity to Witness "Second Battle of the Century." MANY NOTABLES PRESENT Governors Senators Society Lead- ers and 2,000 Women Mingle With Other Fans". The New York Times. 13 July 1923. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  9. "FIRPO DRAWS 12,000 TO SEASIDE CAMP: Big Holiday Crowd Watches Luis in Six Rounds of Lively Sparring. LEFT HAND STILL USELESS Right His Only Effective Weapon, as Before, and With It He Bursts Punching Bag In One Swing". The New York Times. 4 September 1923. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  10. "BOXING LOOMS UP AS BIG BUSINESS: QUICK WAY TO GET RICH $500,000 to Dempsey for His Match With Firpo FEW DOLLARS ONCE A PURSE $10,000,000 Estimated Receipts This Year in New York State Alone Sets High Mark". The New York Times. 9 September 1923. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  11. "MOB FIGHTS FOR TICKETS: Crowd Seeking $3.30 Admissions Sweep Police Aside in Rush WOMEN HURT IN CRUSH Many Injuries Reported in Ef- fort to Restore Order Outside the Polo Grounds. FANS BAIT SPECULATORS Police Arrest Twelve Men Charged With Profiteering in Tickets. MOB FIGHTS FOR TICKETS". The New York Times. 15 September 1923. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  12. "FIRPO FELLED TEN TIMES: Champion Downed Twice and Punched Through Ropes at Outset". The New York Times. 15 September 1923. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  13. "FIRPO STARTS TRAINING.: Preparing for Bouts Against Spalla and Lodge Next Month". The New York Times. 14 January 1924. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  14. Davis, Elmer (12 September 1924). "80,000 SEE WILLS OUTBOX FIRPO IN ALL OF TWELVE ROUNDS: Negro Floors the Argentine Fighter for Count of Five in the Second Round. $800,000 IN PAID ADMISSIONS Wills's Blows Often Stagger Firpo, but He Is Unable to Land a Knockout". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  15. "Firpo discovers young wild bull of the pampas" (PDF). North Tonawanda Evening News. 15 January 1941. Retrieved 2011-10-26.
  16. Mike Fitzgerald; Jake Lamotta; Bert Randolph Sugar (2004). The Ageless Warrior: The Life of Boxing Legend Archie Moore. Sports Publishing LLC. pp. 83–87. ISBN 1-58261-255-2.
  17. "Cestac Remain Mystery Fighter". The Morning Herald, Bagerstown MD. 25 July 1945. Retrieved 2011-10-26.
  18. The Rough Guide to Buenos Aires
  19. "PUTS FIRPO BEFORE AN ARGENTINE PATRIOT: Town Names a Street for Pugilist, Mayor Thinking Lopez Was a Tax Collector". The New York Times. 31 January 1924. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
  20. "The 'Simpsons' Guide to Art History". Flavorwire. 2012-04-04. Retrieved 2019-05-09.
  21. Lukas, Paul. "Homer Simpson, 'Goodfellas,' and the Most Influential Sports Painting Ever". Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  22. Luis Ángel Firpo's Professional Boxing Record. BoxRec.com. Retrieved on 2012-03-18.
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