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 and cross-armed guard. 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.
ResultRecordOpponentTypeRoundDateLocationNotes69LossJoe LouisTKO4 (15), Dec 13, 193568Loss49–16–3Max SchmelingPTS12Jul 7, 193567Draw49–15–3Max SchmelingMD12May 13, 193466Loss49–15–2Primo CarneraUD15Oct 22, 193365Win49–14–2Don McCorkindalePTS10Jul 1, 193364Win48–14–2Pierre CharlesSD15May 13, 193363Win47–14–2Hans SchönrathPTS10Apr 16, 193362Win46–14–2Ernst GuehringKO2 (10)Mar 18, 193361Win45–14–2Salvatore RuggirelloPTS10Feb 3, 193360Win44–14–2Giacomo BergomasKO1 (10)Jan 24, 193359Loss43–14–2Ernie SchaafPTS15Jul 25, 193258Loss43–13–2Mickey WalkerUD10May 26, 193257Win43–12–2Jack GagnonKO7 (10)Apr 4, 193256Loss42–12–2King LevinskyMD10Jan 15, 193255Loss42–11–2Tommy LoughranSD10Nov 13, 193154Win42–10–2Max BaerPTS20Jul 4, 193153Win41–10–2Les KennedyTKO4 (10), Mar 10, 193152Loss40–10–2Primo CarneraSD10Nov 30, 193051Win40–9–2Maurice GriselleTKO5 (10)Oct 18, 193050Loss39–9–2Johnny RiskoPTS10Jun 19, 193049Win39–8–2Otto von PoratPTS10Jan 10, 193048Loss38–8–2Tully GriffithsMD10Nov 29, 192947Loss38–7–2Max SchmelingPTS15Jun 27, 192946Win38–6–2Francisco Cruz CoelhoKO1 (10), Mar 24, 192945Win37–6–2KO ChristnerPTS10Feb 22, 192944Win36–6–2Jack RenaultUD10Dec 25, 192843Win35–6–2Bill HartwellPTS10Dec 3, 192842Win34–6–2Otto von PoratPTS10Nov 11, 192841Loss33–6–2Big Boy PetersonDQ2 (10)Oct 19, 192840Win33–5–2Ludwig HaymannKO11 (12)Jul 7, 192839Loss32–5–2George GodfreyPTS10Feb 28, 192838Win32–4–2Quintin Romero RojasKO3 (15)Jan 29, 192837Win31–4–2Ed KeeleyTKO2 (10), Jan 16, 192836Win30–4–2Pat LesterTKO7 (10)Jan 2, 192835Loss29–4–2Johnny RiskoPTS10Nov 25, 192734Draw29–3–2Tom HeeneyPTS15Sep 8, 192733Loss29–3–1Jack DelaneyDQ7 (10), Aug 11, 192732Win29–2–1Harry WillsKO4 (15), Jul 13, 192731Win28–2–1Tom HeeneyPTS10Apr 1, 192730Win27–2–1Knute HansenPTS10Feb 25, 192729Win26–2–1Homer SmithTKO7 (10)Jan 21, 192728Win25–2–1Antolín FierroKO1 (10)Jan 15, 192727Win24–2–1Martin O'GradyKO1 (12)Jan 1, 192726Win23–2–1Erminio SpallaPTS12May 18, 192625Win22–2–1Harry DrakeKO1 (10), Mar 23, 192624Draw21–2–1Franz DienerPTS10Feb 12, 192623Win21–2Soldier JonesKO1 (12)Feb 9, 192622Win20–2Constant BarrickTKO4 (10)Jan 29, 192621Win19–2Hans BreitenstraeterKO9 (10)Dec 1, 192520Win18–2Marcel NillesKO3 (10)Nov 7, 192519Win17–2Constant BarrickTKO6 (12)Oct 16, 192518Win16–2Fernand DelargeTKO1 (10)Oct 10, 192517Win15–2Phil ScottKO6 (12)Sep 6, 192516Win14–2Jack HumbeeckPTS12Jul 11, 192515Win13–2Fernand DelargePTS12Jun 7, 192514Win12–2Jack HumbeeckTKO4 (10)Dec 20, 192413Win11–2Louis PiochelleKO2 (10)Oct 5, 192412Win10–2Frank GoddardTKO6 (10)Sep 7, 192411Loss9–2George CookPTS15Jul 29, 192410Loss9–1George CookPTS10Jul 3, 19249Win9–0Jose TeixidorKO3 (10)Jun 14, 19248Win8–0Arthur TownleyKO1 (10)Jun 1, 19247Win7–0Marcel NillesKO5 (12)May 17, 19246Win6–0Paul JourneeKO1 (10), May 11, 19245Win5–0Laurent MahieuKO1 (10)Apr 19, 19244Win4–0Alex TouroffKO2 (10)Apr 4, 19243Win3–0Herman SjouwermanTKO5 (10)Jan 2, 19242Win2–0Paul JourneePTS10Sep 26, 19231Win1–0Alex TouroffKO3 (10)Sep 16, 1923
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