Santa Camarão
José Santa | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Born | José Soares Santa (1902-12-25)25 December 1902 Ovar, Portugal |
Died | 5 April 1968(1968-04-05) (aged 65) Ovar, Portugal |
Nationality | ![]() |
Other names | Camarão |
Statistics | |
Weight(s) | Heavyweight |
Height | 2.02 m (6 ft 7.5 in) |
Stance | Orthodox |
Boxing record | |
Total fights | 95 |
Wins | 69 |
Wins by KO | 48 |
Losses | 20 |
Draws | 4 |
No contests | 2 |
José Soares Santa (25 December 1902 – 5 April 1968), known as Santa Camarão ("Camarão" being a family nickname meaning Shrimp in English)[1] or Zé Santa in Portugal, and as Jose Santa or Joe Santa in the United States, was a Portuguese boxer. At 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) he was one of the tallest heavyweight boxers in history.
Life and career
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/Santa_Camar%C3%A3o_with_wife_Mary_Loreta_de_Oliveira.jpg/220px-Santa_Camar%C3%A3o_with_wife_Mary_Loreta_de_Oliveira.jpg)
Son of António Soares Santa and Josefa Pereira dos Santos, Santa was a remarkable individual growing up to 2.02 m (6 ft 8 in) at a time when the average height for a man in Portugal was 1.64 m (5 ft 5 in). He was born in Ovar, and in 1911 moved to Lisbon, where his father was earning for his family. There he had a brief career in wrestling, before changing to professional boxing in 1922.[1]
Santa's professional boxing career lasted until 1934, which he mostly spent in Portugal (1922–26, with a few fights later in 1929), Brazil (1926–28 and 1933–34), and the United States (1930–33) where he was widely popular with the Portuguese immigrants livings in southern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. He contested the European title in 1929 against Pierre Charles, but lost by points; he also lost to heavyweight champions Max Baer and Primo Carnera. He also signed for a three-round exhibition fight with former heavyweight champion Jack Johnson late in Johnson's career but the commission nixed it, fearing for Johnson's life.[2]
Santa played himself in two boxing movies, Love in the Ring (1930) and The Prizefighter and the Lady (1933), alongside the boxing celebrities Max Schmeling, Max Baer and Jack Dempsey.[3] Love in the Ring was the first international movie where Portuguese was spoken on screen, by Santa Camarão. He received US$8,000 for The Prizefighter and the Lady, which was his largest ever single payment.[1]
In 1932, while fighting in the United States, Santa married the Portuguese American woman Mary Loreta de Oliveira. After retiring from the ring, in 1935 he took her back to his hometown. The same year Mary Loreta gave birth to his son, Renaldo José Santa. She separated from her husband in 1949, taking Renaldo with her.[1]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/Alfama_%28by_Awersowy%29_26.jpg/220px-Alfama_%28by_Awersowy%29_26.jpg)
Santa Camarão died in 1968 in Ovar, in the same house where he was born.[1] Later a street in Lisbon was named Rua José Santa Camarão in his honor.[4] In 2003, he was posthumously awarded the Medal for Good Sports Services (Medalha de Bons Serviços Desportivos) by the Government of Portugal.[5]
Until Nikolay Valuev (2.14 m (7 ft 0 in)) became a professional boxer in 1993, Santa was the tallest heavyweight in boxing history. He enjoyed a sizable reach advantage over most rivals, and when seen on fight footage, he seems like a towering giant compared to many heavyweights of his era, who were usually shorter than him.
Professional boxing record
69 Wins (48 knockouts), 20 Losses (7 knockouts), 4 Draws, 2 No Contests[6] | |||||||
Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round | Date | Location | Notes |
Loss | 69-20-4 (2) | ![]() | TKO | 9 (10) | 11 November 1934 | ![]() | |
Loss | 69-19-4 (2) | ![]() | TKO | 3 (10) | 7 July 1934 | ![]() | |
Win | 69-18-4 (2) | ![]() | KO | 4 (10) | 16 June 1934 | ![]() | |
Win | 68-18-4 (2) | ![]() | TKO | 5 (10) | 5 May 1934 | ![]() | |
Loss | 67-18-4 (2) | ![]() | PTS | 10 | 1 February 1934 | ![]() | |
Win | 67-17-4 (2) | ![]() | TKO | 4 (10) | 25 November 1933 | ![]() | |
Win | 66-17-4 (2) | ![]() | TKO | 5 (10) | 2 August 1933 | ![]() | |
Win | 65-17-4 (2) | ![]() | TKO | 3 (10) | 28 July 1933 | ![]() | |
Loss | 64-17-4 (2) | ![]() | PTS | 10 | 12 July 1933 | ![]() | |
Loss | 64-16-4 (2) | ![]() | KO | 9 (10) | 24 May 1933 | ![]() | |
Win | 64-15-4 (2) | ![]() | PTS | 10 | 26 April 1933 | ![]() | |
Win | 63-15-4 (2) | ![]() | TKO | 3 (6) | 2 March 1933 | ![]() | |
Win | 62-15-4 (2) | ![]() | TKO | 5 (10) | 20 January 1933 | ![]() | Stopped after round 4 due to a cut |
Win | 61-15-4 (2) | ![]() | KO | 2 (10) | 19 December 1932 | ![]() | |
Loss | 60-15-4 (2) | ![]() | TKO | 6 (10) | 18 November 1932 | ![]() | Santa down in the 2nd, 3rd and 6th, referee stoppage. |
Win | 60-14-4 (2) | ![]() | PTS | 10 | 28 October 1932 | ![]() | |
Win | 59-14-4 (2) | ![]() | TKO | 2 (10) | 14 September 1932 | ![]() | |
Win | 58-14-4 (2) | ![]() | TKO | 2 (10) | 2 September 1932 | ![]() | |
Loss | 57-14-4 (2) | ![]() | TKO | 9 (10) | 8 August 1932 | ![]() | |
Win | 57-13-4 (2) | ![]() | KO | 2 (10) | 23 July 1932 | ![]() | |
Win | 56-13-4 (2) | ![]() | KO | 5 (10) | 13 July 1932 | ![]() | |
Win | 55-13-4 (2) | ![]() | TKO | 2 (10) | 24 November 1931 | ![]() | |
Loss | 54-13-4 (2) | ![]() | KO | 10 (10) | 21 October 1931 | ![]() | |
Draw | 54-12-4 (2) | ![]() | PTS | 12 | 5 October 1931 | ![]() | |
Loss | 54-12-3 (2) | ![]() | PTS | 12 | 10 September 1931 | ![]() | |
Win | 54-11-3 (2) | ![]() | PTS | 10 | 3 August 1931 | ![]() | |
Win | 53-11-3 (2) | ![]() | PTS | 10 | 15 July 1931 | ![]() | |
Win | 52-11-3 (2) | ![]() | RTD | 6 (10) | 1 July 1931 | ![]() | Taking a beating during the entire bout, Birkie quit at the end of round 6 claiming a broken hand |
Loss | 51-11-3 (2) | ![]() | PTS | 10 | 8 June 1931 | ![]() | |
Win | 51-10-3 (2) | ![]() | KO | 2 (10) | 11 May 1931 | ![]() | |
Win | 50-10-3 (2) | ![]() | KO | 1 (10) | 27 April 1931 | ![]() | |
Win | 49-10-3 (2) | ![]() | KO | 6 (10) | 20 March 1931 | ![]() | Ruggirello down 13 times |
Win | 48-10-3 (2) | ![]() | KO | 1 (?) | 12 March 1931 | ![]() | |
Loss | 47-10-3 (2) | ![]() | KO | 2 (10) | 5 March 1931 | ![]() | |
NC | 47-9-3 (2) | ![]() | NC | 2 (10) | 4 February 1931 | ![]() | Declared a no contest when Hansen fell without being hit |
Win | 47-9-3 (1) | ![]() | KO | 1 (?) | 12 January 1931 | ![]() | |
Win | 46-9-3 (1) | ![]() | PTS | 10 | 1 January 1931 | ![]() | |
Win | 45-9-3 (1) | ![]() | KO | 3 (10) | 31 October 1930 | ![]() | |
Win | 44-9-3 (1) | ![]() | KO | 1 (10) | 21 October 1930 | ![]() | |
Win | 43-9-3 (1) | ![]() | TKO | 3 (10) | 13 October 1930 | ![]() | |
Win | 42-9-3 (1) | ![]() | PTS | 10 | 3 October 1930 | ![]() | |
Win | 41-9-3 (1) | ![]() | KO | 1 (10) | 22 September 1930 | ![]() | |
Win | 40-9-3 (1) | ![]() | TKO | 4 (10) | 15 September 1930 | ![]() | |
Win | 39-9-3 (1) | ![]() | PTS | 10 | 10 September 1930 | ![]() | |
Win | 38-9-3 (1) | ![]() | KO | 2 (?) | 5 September 1930 | ![]() | |
Win | 37-9-3 (1) | ![]() | KO | 2 (10) | 22 August 1930 | ![]() | |
Win | 36-9-3 (1) | ![]() | KO | 3 (10) | 14 August 1930 | ![]() | |
Win | 35-9-3 (1) | ![]() | KO | 3 (10) | 1 August 1930 | ![]() | |
Loss | 34-9-3 (1) | ![]() | PTS | 10 | 11 April 1930 | ![]() | |
Win | 34-8-3 (1) | ![]() | PTS | 10 | 2 February 1930 | ![]() | |
Win | 33-8-3 (1) | ![]() | TKO | 5 (10) | 5 January 1930 | ![]() | |
Draw | 32-8-3 (1) | ![]() | PTS | 10 | 17 December 1929 | ![]() | |
Win | 32-8-2 (1) | ![]() | TKO | 2 (10) | 7 December 1929 | ![]() | |
Loss | 31-8-2 (1) | ![]() | PTS | 8 | 22 November 1929 | ![]() | |
Win | 31-7-2 (1) | ![]() | PTS | 10 | 1 November 1929 | ![]() | |
Loss | 30-7-2 (1) | ![]() | PTS | 15 | 30 June 1929 | ![]() | European title fight |
Win | 30-6-2 (1) | ![]() | KO | 2 (10) | 14 April 1929 | ![]() | |
Win | 29-6-2 (1) | ![]() | KO | 6 (10) | 6 March 1929 | ![]() | |
Loss | 28-6-2 (1) | ![]() | PTS | 12 | 3 November 1928 | ![]() | |
Loss | 28-5-2 (1) | ![]() | PTS | 10 | 5 August 1928 | ![]() | |
Win | 28-4-2 (1) | ![]() | PTS | 10 | 9 June 1928 | ![]() | |
Win | 27-4-2 (1) | ![]() | PTS | 12 | 15 April 1928 | ![]() | |
Win | 26-4-2 (1) | ![]() | PTS | 12 | 22 December 1927 | ![]() | |
Loss | 25-4-2 (1) | ![]() | PTS | 10 | 14 November 1927 | ![]() | |
Win | 25-3-2 (1) | ![]() | KO | 1 (10) | 23 October 1927 | ![]() | |
Win | 24-3-2 (1) | ![]() | PTS | 15 | 7 September 1927 | ![]() | |
Win | 23-3-2 (1) | ![]() | PTS | 10 | 5 July 1927 | ![]() | |
Win | 22-3-2 (1) | ![]() | KO | 15 (15) | 4 June 1927 | ![]() | |
Win | 21-3-2 (1) | ![]() | DQ | 9 (10) | 14 May 1927 | ![]() | |
Win | 20-3-2 (1) | ![]() | KO | 2 (10) | 4 March 1927 | ![]() | |
Win | 19-3-2 (1) | ![]() | TKO | 2 (10) | 1 January 1927 | ![]() | |
Loss | 18-3-2 (1) | ![]() | PTS | 10 | 1 December 1926 | ![]() | |
Loss | 18-2-2 (1) | ![]() | PTS | 10 | 17 November 1926 | ![]() | |
Win | 18-1-2 (1) | ![]() | PTS | 10 | 7 September 1926 | ![]() | |
Draw | 17-1-2(1) | ![]() | PTS | 10 | 24 July 1926 | ![]() | |
Win | 17-1-1 (1) | ![]() | KO | 1 (10) | 10 July 1926 | ![]() | |
Win | 16-1-1 (1) | ![]() | KO | 6 (10) | 7 May 1926 | ![]() | |
Win | 15-1-1 (1) | ![]() | KO | 2 (10) | 21 April 1926 | ![]() | |
Win | 14-1-1 (1) | ![]() | DQ | 3 (10) | 12 April 1926 | ![]() | |
Draw | 13-1-1 (1) | ![]() | PTS | 10 (10) | 30 March 1926 | ![]() | |
NC | 13-1 (1) | ![]() | NC | 1 (10) | 18 February 1926 | ![]() | Fight stopped after first round due to very poor quality |
Win | 13-1 | ![]() | KO | 3 (10) | 11 February 1926 | ![]() | |
Win | 12-1 | ![]() | PTS | 10 | 8 January 1926 | ![]() | |
Win | 11-1 | ![]() | PTS | 12 | 22 December 1925 | ![]() | |
Loss | 10-1 | ![]() | PTS | 10 | 3 November 1925 | ![]() | |
Win | 10-0 | ![]() | PTS | 10 | 9 September 1925 | ![]() | |
Win | 9-0 | ![]() | TKO | 2 (10) | 19 August 1925 | ![]() | |
Win | 8-0 | ![]() | TKO | 1 (10) | 4 August 1925 | ![]() | |
Win | 7-0 | ![]() | TKO | 3 (10) | 26 July 1925 | ![]() | |
Win | 6-0 | ![]() | KO | 2 (10) | 20 June 1925 | ![]() | |
Win | 5-0 | ![]() | PTS | 10 | 4 June 1925 | ![]() | |
Win | 4-0 | ![]() | KO | 1 (10) | 12 May 1925 | ![]() | |
Win | 3-0 | ![]() | TKO | 2 (10) | 22 April 1925 | ![]() | |
Win | 2-0 | ![]() | TKO | 4 (10) | 8 April 1925 | ![]() | |
Win | 1-0 | ![]() | KO | 2 | 3 April 1925 | ![]() |
References
- ^ a b c d e Luis Pedro Cabral (21 January 2018) O gancho de Deus. tribunaexpresso.pt
- ^ Luis Pete Ehrmann (24 December 2015) Yes, Virginia, there was a Santa. boxing.com
- ^ José Santa (III) (1902–1968). IMDb
- ^ O pugilista que nasceu no Natal. wordpress.com (21 December 2012)
- ^ Presidência do Conselho de Ministros – Gabinete do Secretário de Estado do Desporto e Juventude (13 May 2003). "Despacho n.º 9301/2003 (2.ª série)". Diário da República. 110 (2): 7187.
- ^ Jose Santa. Boxrec.com. Retrieved on 4 May 2014.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- José Santa (III) (1902–1968). IMDb
- Movie clip with Max Schmeling and Jose Santa (YouTube)
- [1] "Com o Mundo nos Punhos", by Luís Filipe Maçarico. CML Edition (2003). N. Dep. Legal 200844/03 PT
- [2] "Santa Camarão", by Xavier Almeida. Chili com Carne Edition (2017)