Dec. 14, 1964 - Joey Giardello was the underdog as he sought to beat back a challenge from Rubin (Hurricane) Carter tonight at Philadelphia’s Convention Hall, but the estimated 6,000 ringsiders saw the Brooklyn-born veteran successfully defend his middleweight championship after weathering a rough fourth round in which the young slugger from Paterson, N.J., rapped him solidly with a left hook to the head and cut open his left eye.
There were no knockdowns in the 15-round title scrap, a first defense for 34-year-old Joey since he won the 160-pound crown from Dick Tiger, Dec. 7, 1963, at Atlantic City. The verdict of the three officials was unanimous.
Shrieks from a partisan crowd and a loaded milk container hurled from the balcony saluted their judgments.
Dark reports of a “dump” had swept the cavernous arena before the fight. They were based on a sudden change in the betting odds.
Giardello had been installed a 9-5 favorite last week, but yesterday Carter became an 11-10 favorite, and before fight time he was 7-5. The whisper was that smart money from Scranton, Pa., had fallen in piles on Carter.
After the bout, Giardello insisted he was “sure” he beat Carter, while the disappointed challenger was equally positive he won.
“I wasn’t the least bit surprised by the decision,” said Giardello. “I thought I lost only three rounds at most.”
Less than 20 feet away, in his dressing quarters, the disgusted Carter said he thought he had won the bout easily.
“I think it was mine, 9 to 6,” Carter muttered. “I feel I can go another 15 rounds right now.”
Carter looked as if he could with not a single mark on him, while Giardello’s features were puffed so that his face resembled a Halloween mask.
“He never hurt me,” Joey insisted. “And I think I hurt him with a punch in the belly in the 13th.”
Meanwhile, Carter and his handlers declared they had been the victims of “a Philadelphia decision.”
“Fighting inside won it for me,” said Giardello. “He’s a tough fighter, but he didn’t press as much as I thought.”
“That cut over my left eye didn’t come from one of Carter’s punches,” the champion continued. “It came from a head butt. Carter told me he was sorry right after he did it.”
Giardello suddenly interrupted all questions to emphasize that many people got the wrong impression of Carter. “He’s a good fighter and a gentleman,” Giardello said. “I know some of my buddies gave him a hard time while he was training here in Philadelphia, but he’s a fine fellow, and they shouldn’t have done anything like that.”
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