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Tuesday, June 5, 2001
Maxim, who KO'd Robinson in '50, dies
Associated Press
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Joey Maxim, a former light
heavyweight champion who outlasted Sugar Ray Robinson in a
sweltering title fight in 1952, died at 79.
|  | | Joey Maxim, who died Saturday, stands over Sugar Ray Robinson during their 1952 fight. |
Maxim, a Hall of Famer who had a stroke four months ago, died Saturday, a local Veterans Administration hospital official said
Monday. He had been hospitalized in Cleveland but came to Florida to be with his two daughters.
"I felt like I said my goodbye to him six weeks ago," brother
Manny Berardinelli told The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer. "He had the
stroke and never recovered from it."
Maxim, whose real name was Giuseppe Antonio Berardinelli, won
the 175-pound world title by stopping champion Freddie Mills in the
10th round in London on Jan. 24, 1950.
He made an unsuccessful bid for the heavyweight title against
Ezzard Charles in 1951. Then Maxim defended his 175-pound title
against Robinson on June 25, 1952 at Yankee Stadium.
With temperatures well over 100, Robinson was ahead on points.
But the heat sapped his strength and he was unable to come out for
the 14th round. It was scored a technical knockout for Maxim, the
only time Robinson failed to last the distance in 201 bouts.
Maxim lost his title to Archie Moore later that year and failed
to reclaim it in two subsequent title bids. He went on to defeat
future heavyweight champ Floyd Patterson in 1954.
He retired from boxing in 1958 with a record of 82-29-4 with 21
knockouts. He was stopped only once.
Maxim established himself in Cleveland's amateur ranks, winning
the national Golden Gloves championship in 1939.
"Since he was 12, he was always looking for a fight,"
Berardinelli told The Plain Dealer. "I could see he had talent
because he was beating guys six and seven years older. We'd fight
and it was exasperating. I'd go to hit him and he wouldn't be
there. I gave up."
Turning professional in 1940, Maxim fought the best of his era -- Gus Lesnevich, Moore, Charles, Jersey Joe Walcott and Willie
Pastrano. He split two decisions against Cleveland rival Jimmy
Bivins.
"He was one of the guys who always wanted to get in there with
me," said Bivins, 81, a Hall of Famer. "He was no pushover."
After retiring, Maxim worked as a cab driver in Florida for
several years before spending nearly 20 years as a greeter in Las
Vegas hotels.
He returned to the Cleveland area several years ago to live with
his mother, Henrietta Berardinelli, 97.
In addition to his mother, he is survived by daughters Charlene
Bagnall and Maxine Murphy, both of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; six
grandchildren; three brothers; and a sister.
Maxim will be buried Thursday in Florida.
A memorial Mass will be celebrated in Cleveland on Saturday.
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