Michele Bavaglia – Wikipedia

Michele Bavaglia (Druento, 5 July 1905 – Venaria Reale, 3 March 1944) was an Italian boxer.

Amateur career [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

Michele Bonaglia as amateur boxing reached his peak in April 1925 when at only 20 he first became the first champion of the northern Italy of the Highs Light Share Lights (defeating Amedeo Grillo, Capocchi and Nando Tassie) and then Italian champion in Florence with one Victory on points in the final on Primo Ubaldi. He then entered the Italian boxing national team with which he defeated the Austrian Vybiral on points in international meetings and, always in points, the French Leon Sebilo.

Professional career [ change | Modifica Wikitesto ]

Bonaglia, nicknamed “The Spaccapietre di Druento” (Alto Piemonte) ^[first] , he moved to professionalism in the autumn of 1925 fighting his first meeting on September 27, 1925 in Milan defeating the Belgian Jean Leroy on the points. He then was unbeaten in 23 fights in a row, marking 22 wins and a draw.

On June 29, 1926 in Rome with a victory on the points after 11 rounds with Rinaldo Palmucci became Italian champion of the lightweights light professionals. Then defended the title on October 3, 1926 in Milan winning for the technical KO on the 12th round Armando De Carolis. Then began a series of international fights in Argentina: on March 19, 1927 in Buenos Aires against Cuban Kid Charol. On May 22, 1927, in Milan, he won the points with the British Frank Moody, who was several times British champion and champion of the British Empire and the Commonwealth. On July 2, 1927 in Turin the title of Campione d’Italia defended by preserving it after 15 rounds always with Rinaldo Palmucci.

On January 6, 1928 Michele Bonaglia in the Schöneberg sports hall in Berlin against the German Max Schmeling held a meeting for the European title he lost in the 1st round for K.O. That was his first defeat as a professional boxer. He then returned to Argentina for some meetings where he managed to win against Kid Charol, against whom he had always drew the previous year in Buenos Aires. On November 4, 1928 he returned to Milan where in an amazing meeting he won the points on the former Italian champion of the heavyweight Giuseppe Spalla who defeated two more times in later meetings.

On February 10, 1929 Bonaglia after 15 rounds beat the Belgian Jack Etienne, in Milan becoming European champion. On June 27, 1929, in Germany, the title defended by winning for technical KO on the 4th round against Hein Müller. On October 12, 1929, the Englishman Gipsy Daniels also defeated, which on February 25, 1928 had put the former champion Max Schmeling. ^[2]

On February 26, 1930, Michele Bonaglia successfully defended his European title for the last time in Turin with a victory on points on Jack Etienne. He gave up the title without fighting and had the last meetings in this category on 11 April 1930 against German boxers: in Cologne against Hein Müller, on July 5, 1930 always in Cologne against Hein Domgörgen and on July 5, 1931 where he was defeated in Hamburg against The new European light weight champion Ernst Pisticlla.

Moved to the category of heavyweights on April 24, 1932 in Genoa he fought against Innocente Baiguera for the title of Italian champion, but in the 6th round he lost the meeting for disqualification. Against the same opponent he tried to conquer the title on June 25, 1932 always in Genoa, but this time he ended up in K.O. in the 1st round. A month later, on July 21, 1932, in Turin returned to the category of mediomassimi he regained the title of Campione d’Italia defeating Ubaldo first. On October 15, 1932, however, he lost this title in Varese for Ko in the 3rd round against Emilio Bernasconi. He fought his last meeting on September 26, 1934 in Barcelona against Isidoro Gasstanaga ending up on the carpet losing for K.O. in the 1st round.

In March 1944 the boxer was approached by two individuals belonging to local partisan training ^{[3] [4]} while it is located near Venaria Reale; The two, recognized as the former champion, cold on him on charges of being a supporter and collaborator of the fascist regime. ^[5] The philosopher and writer Guido Ceronetti dedicated to the boxer and his tragic death in his text “The ballads of the wounded angel” some verses ^[6] .

• Massimo Novelli, Bruno Neri, the partisan footballer and other stories of sport and war , Grapoth Editore, 2002
• Guido Ceronetti, The ballads of the wounded angel , The Magic Notes, 2009