The ‘Canastota Clouter,’ as he was fondly known, began his career in 1948, winning world belts in 1955 against Tony DeMarco and more famously, against Sugar Ray Robinson in 1957, before retiring in 1961.
President of the Rochester Boxing Hall of Fame, Tony Liccione stated that all were ‘devastated’ as the news of Basilio, who died at Rochester General Hospital at 3am this morning.