Remembering Italian Heavyweight Lorenzo Zanon, A Historical Look Back
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Heavyweight Lorenzo Zanon of Italy hit the world rankings in the 1970s by opening his career 20-2-1, including beating Alfredo Evangelista, winning a rematch with Lucien Rodriguez, beating Brian O’Melia and drawing with Randy Stephens. Zanon was white, tall, had a good jab and good footwork, was hungry, and very presentable to the worldwide television public. He just missed his big chance at fighting Muhammad Ali, which would have been a unique matchup had Ali not switched opponents to Evangelista instead.
Zanon wonthe Italian Heavyweight title and lost in his first defense.Zanonwon the Italian Heavyweight title by 12 round decision over Giuseppe Ros, a fighter with over 40 wins, by decision in May 1975. Zanon lost the belt in October 1975, getting stopped by Dante Cane in the eighth round. Cane, a 65 bout veteran, had been in 16 Italian heavyweight title bouts, and had fought the likes of George Chuvalo and Joe Bugner, too much experience for the rising Zanon at that point in his career.
Zanon won another six bouts, including defeating Rodriguez and Evangelista, before losing to Ken Norton in September 1977, and losing to Jerry Quarry in November 1977. Zanon was originally supposed to fight an aging Muhammad Ali, but the Ali camp switched opponents to Alftredo Evangelista, so Zanon fought Norton instead. Norton floored Zanon twice in the fifth round. Zanon won the first seven rounds against Quarry, who had been out of the ring for two and a half years. Quarry dropping Zanon three times in the ninth round, knocking Zanon out in what would prove to be Quarry’s last significant bout at age 32. Zanon began to tire after constant sticking and moving, and got caught standing in front of Quarry along the ropes, where Quarry’s pinpoint hooks did maximum damage at close range.
Zanon came back in 1978 and 1979, going 6-0-1 and his next seven bouts, winning the European Heavyweight title in a rematch with Evangelista, and defending the European title against AlfioRighetti and Felipe Rodriguez. World Boxing Council World Heavyweight champion Larry Holmes knocked out Zanon in the sixth round of their world title bout at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas in February 1980.
After two comeback wins later in 1980, Zanon was knocked out in the fifth round in Italy by John L. Gardner trying to regain his European crown in November 1980. After an eight round comeback draw in Italy against RinaldoPelizzari in December 1981, Zanon gave up.
Probably Zanon attempted to return too fast after losing to Norton, and took the Quarry bout figuring after 30 months inactivity Quarry would be an easy win. Zanon had the technical skill to beat Quarry, but overlooked the fact Quarry, who had more hard core experience against Muhammad Ali. Joe Frazier, Jimmy Ellis, Ron Lyle, Mac Foster, Brian London, Floyd Patterson, Thad Spencer, Eddie Machen, George Johnson, Tony Alongi, Tony Doyle and other notables in long range bouts, could cut a championship tempo with pressure at a 15 round pace and wait to see how long it would take for Zanon to run out of gas. Zanon, whose career record was 27-6-3 with nine knockouts, had only a 25% knockout ratio against minor opposition. Quarry, 50-8-4 at the time with 30 knockouts, was known as a heavy hitter. Running out of gas in a main event bout against Quarry spelled doom.
Zanon got exposure on worldwide television, in particular AB Sports, because as another possible ‘great white hope’ there was the possibility in the era before Gerry Cooney that Zanon might get lucky. However, after losing to Irish Jerry Quarry, the other ‘white hope’ of the time, Zanon was fortunate to get a world title shot. Zanon made a decent accounting of himself in his television appearances, but like so many before him, he was unable to win a big bout when given major opportunities. After retiring in 1981 at age 30 to his native Novrate, Italy, in the province of Lombardy, Zanon was never heard from in the boxing world again.
In retrospect, Zanon was no Italian ‘Rocky Balboa’ in name recognition legend, but has his moment in the sun. One thought this reporter had was if Muhammad Ali had not retired and defended his WBA version of the world heavyweight title in December 1978 or January of 1979 against Zanon, the matchup would have been close. Zanon won an eight round decision over Avenamar Peralta in March 1979. Zanon’s memorable bouts can still be found on YouTube in color, including his bouts with Norton, Quarry, and Holmes.
Zanon was tracked to Pium, Brazil, in the Northern State of Tocatins, where he moved with his wife several years ago. Lorenzo trains Mixed Martial Artists, and likes to ride his dune buggy on the beach. His three full grown daughters are professional basketball players. Fight fans can still say hello to Lorenzo at [email protected] by e-mail.
A recent photo with Lorenzo with his two daughters shows he is still doing well.
English
No Comments Yet