Antonio Perugino

Antonio Perugino was born into a family of boxers and, when he was a youngster, began boxing under the guidance of his father Giuseppe, a boxing master. Perugino went on to win all 23 of his professional bouts (8 by KO) but, unfortunately, he is better known for personal and tragic family events.

As an amateur, Perugino was the Italian light-middleweight champion from 1992-95 and he competed in that division at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, where he lost to the eventual silver medallist, the Cuban Alfredo Duvergel, in the quarter-finals. Perugino turned professional in 1997 and on 30 July 1998 won the Italian middleweight title by beating Valentino Manca, retaining it against the same opponent five months later. He vacated the title in 1999 in an attempt to further his career internationally. O 11 February 2003, however, Perugino’s career came to an end.

Fighting Argentinian Orlando Javier Acuna at Bormio, Perugino won his 23rd consecutive bout with a unanimous decision. He received a lot of punches, however, which was a rarity for the Italian, and upon returning to his hotel room collapsed and was taken to hospital. He underwent six hours of surgery, was in a coma for 12 days and then underwent a month of rehabilitation before returning to his native city, San Prisco, where he was welcomed home as a champion for winning his latest battle, against possible death.

Perugino never went back into the ring, and his younger brother Claudio, an Italian amateur champion, also gave up the sport following his brother’s accident. Two years earlier, another brother, Prisco, an Italian featherweight champion, was found dead in mysterious circumstances alongside a railway track.