Italy is mourning the loss of former champion Domenico Adinolfi, who passed away yesterday at the age of 80. Born in Ceccano, he brought honor to the Ciociaria region and to Italy as a whole by building a remarkable career that saw him win the Italian title in two weight classes (light heavyweight and heavyweight) as well as the European light heavyweight championship.
Domenico was not the most elegant boxer, but he marched forward fearlessly, absorbed punches that would have floored a bull, and grew stronger as the fight went on, becoming a nightmare for anyone standing across the ring from him. His relentless, no-frills style allowed him, on October 23, 1970, after just eight professional fights, to knock out one of the great names in Italian boxing history: Giulio Rinaldi, the very same man who owned a victory over the legendary Archie Moore.
After that unexpected triumph, which prompted Rinaldi to retire from boxing, Adinolfi lost, regained, and then lost the Italian title again. Even greater glory, however, was still to come. In Campione d’Italia, he demolished Germany’s Karl Heinz Klein in just one round to capture the European light heavyweight title.
Normally, Adinolfi was a classic diesel engine—a fighter who did his best work in the second half of a contest. Yet in the biggest fight of his life, he destroyed his opponent in the blink of an eye. Perhaps, before stepping into the ring, he heard his mother’s words echoing in his mind. Referring to an incident that had taken place during World War II, whenever he faced a German opponent she would tell him: “My son, remember that your opponent could be related to the man who stole my pig.”
Adinolfi’s European reign lasted a year and a half and included three successful title defenses, all ending by knockout, before a grave injustice deprived him of his prestigious belt in front of a huge and hostile crowd in Belgrade. After struggling against the slick, technical boxing of local hero Mate Parlov in the early rounds, Domenico was beginning to turn the fight around in his trademark fashion when British referee James Brimmell stopped the bout and awarded Parlov a technical knockout after an entirely harmless punch. It remains one of the most controversial referee stoppages in boxing history.
The bitterness of that injustice did not extinguish his dreams of greatness. Adinolfi moved up to heavyweight, captured the Italian heavyweight title, and successfully defended it four times. His career came to an end in 1982 when he fell short in the monumental task of defeating European champion Lucien Rodriguez on French soil. Just four months later, Rodriguez would challenge Larry Holmes for the world heavyweight championship.
Adinolfi retired with a professional record of 51 victories (26 by knockout), 9 defeats, and 3 draws. Throughout his entire career, he was never stopped inside the distance, with the sole exception of the farcical referee’s decision in his fight against Parlov.
The same year he retired from boxing, he appeared in the film Grand Hotel Excelsior, playing the role of Bruno Bertoni, nicknamed “Bulldozer”—another example of his versatile personality, which enabled him to explore worlds far beyond the sixteen ropes.
Everyone at Boxe Punch extends its deepest condolences to Domenico’s family and to all those who loved him. We will never forget our warrior, nor the courage and generosity he displayed both inside and outside the ring.