Name: LOUIS (LOU ) SAVARESE
Born: 14 July 1965
Career: 1989 to 2007
Record: 53 fights 46 wins (38 by KO/TKO), 7 losses (3 by KO/TKO).
Division Heavyweight:
Stance: Orthodox
Titles: IBA World, IBF USBA, WBO Inter-Continental, NABF
Major Contests:
Won Against: Lyle McDowell, Buster Mathis Jr, James Douglas **, Lance Whittaker, Tom Glesby, David Bostice, Tim Witherspoon **,
Lost Against: George Foremen **, David Izonritei, Michael Grant*, Mike Tyson **, Kirk Johnson*, Leo Nolan, Evander Holyfield**
**Past/ future holder of a version of a world title
* Unsuccessful challenger for a version of a world title
Story
Born in the Bronx Lou Savarese was introduced to boxing when his father would take him to the New York Golden Gloves in Madison Square Garden. His father taught him to box but did not really want Lou to go down that path. Despite that Lou began to box in the amateur ranks in 1984 at the age of 19. He won the New York Golden Gloves novice super heavyweight division title in March 1985 and the Open title in 1986 as well as the US Olympic Festival Tournament. He lost on a stoppage against Veti Katoa in the 1987 National Golden Gloves but won gold at the National PAL championships and gold at the Empire State Games in 1987. He competed at the US Olympic Trials in 1988 but lost on a disqualification against Riddick Bowe in the semi-final-Bowe would go on to, lose to Lennox Lewis on a second round stoppage in the final of the Seoul Olympic Games.
There was no golden ticket for Lou and after winning his first fight in April 1989 he spent three years fighting in the backwaters of American boxing such as Galveston, Kansas City, Binghampton, Pasadena, Poughkeepsie, Billings, Lake Charles, Saratoga Springs, Great Falls etc. most of those fights were 4, 6 or 8 round preliminaries. He had his first scheduled ten round fight in November 1991 and he kept busy and kept winning but there were no notable names on his CV.
It was November 1996 when he finally faced a name opponent. He was 35-0 and was facing Buster Mathis Jr who was 21-1, 2 ND with the loss a third round kayo against Mike Tyson. The fight was for the IBF USBA title and there was talk of a title shot for the winner and Savarese won on a seventh round, stoppage a loss that ended Mathis Jr’s career. Savarese did indeed get a title shot in April 1997 but it was against Geore Foreman who by then held only the World Boxing Union title. After a gruelling battle that saw Savarese cut over his left eye and under his right battling hard all the way but losing a split decision on scores of 114-113 for Savarese and 118-110 and 115-112 for Foreman. Savarese lost a point for a low punch in the eleventh and the HBO’s Harold Lederman had them level at the end of the eleventh round on 104-104 but Gave Foreman the last round.
Savarese’s performance boosted his stock but he was brought to earth by a fifth round kayo loss against David Izon in November 1997. He bounced back from that by winning a “world” title The IBA, with a first round destruction of former champion James Doiuglas
A right hook sent Douglas down just a minute into the fight. He was up immediately but a right to the temple sent him down again. He made it to his feet but was down from a series of punches. He got up again but collapsed into the ropes and the referee stopped the fight.
Savarese followed the Douglas win with a victory over 18-0 Lance Whittaker but then things went sideways as he lost a wide unanimous decision against Michael Grant and in June 2000 was destroyed in 30 seconds by Mike Tyson in Glasgow. Lou continued to fight at a good level scoring wins over Tom Glesby, David Bostice and an aging Tim Witherspoon but lost to Kirk Johnson and Leon Nolan. He was inactive in 2005 then scored three inside the distance wins before losing on points to Evander Holyfield in June 2207. That was not the end of Lou Savarese’s involvement.in boxing. He moved into promoting and between 2010 and 2017 was promoter of 62 shows with his Savarese Promotions. He also competed in MMA and returned to promoting with a boxing show in June this year.
He also went into TV and cinema appearing in shows such as The Sopranos and played James J Braddock in a documentary “Cinderella Man” in which he portrayed Max Baer.