Former world boxing champion noted for his epic fights with Sugar Ray Robinson
The boxing trainer Angelo Dundee once said of his former world welterweight and middleweight champion Carmen Basilio, who has died aged 85, that he was the most determined fighter he had ever seen. Certainly, most who witnessed Basilio's two epic struggles with Sugar Ray Robinson for the world middleweight title would find it hard to disagree.
Basilio had already forged a formidable reputation as a welterweight and was world champion of the 10st 7lb division when he stepped up to challenge Robinson for the middleweight crown in front of a crowd of 38,000 at the Yankee Stadium, New York, in September 1957. Despite being the underdog and physically a much smaller man, at 5ft 6½in and weighing less than 11st, Basilio outpunched the great champion to win by a split decision in a fight rated as one of the greatest of all time.
When Basilio and Robinson fought again in Chicago six months later, the stylish Robinson regained his title, with the verdict going once more to a split decision. It is quite possible that Basilio, with his crouching, swarming, aggressive style, might have won that second fight had he not suffered severe swellings around one of his eyes, meaning he effectively had to box the last nine rounds of the contest half-blinded.
Almost certainly, Basilio's momentous performances were fuelled by his dislike of Robinson. He spoke of how he had once introduced himself in Manhattan to Robinson, who was surrounded by his customary entourage of sycophants, and had been arrogantly rebuffed. To the genial, personable Basilio, it was a slight that he did not forget.
Basilio was one of 10 children born in Canastota, New York, to Italian immigrants. His father worked on onion fields to earn a living. When Carmen dropped out of high school he had no real interest in doing anything other than becoming a professional fighter. After a spell in the US marines, for whom he boxed during the second world war, he made his professional debut in 1948. They called him the Upstate Onion Farmer. Basilio made an unremarkable start to his career among boxing's paid ranks, drawing two of his first six contests.
By the time he had battled his way through the rankings to challenge Kid Gavilan for the world welterweight title in 1953, he was a hardened veteran of 50 fights, 10 of which he had lost, with five draws. Gavilan took a nine count in the second round, and eventually hung on to his title by a split decision. But Basilio was gaining much popular support because of his crowd-pleasing style and remarkable ability to absorb punishment. Two years later, he got a second chance and took the title by stopping Tony DeMarco in 12 rounds in Syracuse.
After beating DeMarco for a second time later that year, Basilio lost to Johnny Saxton in May 1956 – it was suggested that the verdict had much to do with Saxton's notorious mafioso management team of Frankie Carbo and Blinky Palermo. In two subsequent rematches, Basilio left nothing to chance, regaining the title later that year by stopping Saxton in nine rounds and winning in just two rounds when they met for a third time in February 1957.
Basilio retired from boxing in 1961, having lost badly on points to Paul Pender in a world middleweight challenge. He won 56 of 79 contests, lost 16 and drew seven. Basilio later worked as a college physical education instructor and for a brewery company. He was among the first inductees of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, set up in Canastota in 1990. Despite failing health caused by heart problems, Basilio joined the annual parades of former champions through the village.
He had an enduring appeal to boxing fans, most of whom never saw him fight live. But grainy black and white films of his contests reveal the style that was rewarded with numerous "fight of the year" accolades. "I don't enjoy getting hurt," he said. "But you have to take the bitter with the sweet. The sweet will be when guys recognise you on the street, say 'Hello, Champ.' It will always be sweet for me."
He is survived by his wife, Josie, and four children.
• Carmen Basilio, boxer, born 2 April 1927; died 7 November 2012