Q 01/05

How did up to 18 million Italians follow Nino Benvenuti's 1967 world title win in America as it happened?

A) On live television

B) On the radio

C) On cinema big screens

D) By telegraph bulletins

Answer · why

B) On the radio

On the radio, because the authorities chose not to show the fight live on television so the country would get some sleep. Whole families stayed up thr...

Q 02/05

Which American rival, beaten twice by Nino Benvenuti in world title fights, later became godfather to his son?

A) Emile Griffith

B) Don Fullmer

C) Joey Giardello

D) Sugar Ray Robinson

Answer · why

A) Emile Griffith

Emile Griffith was asked to be godfather in 1980, years after their three bruising fights. When the American later fell on hard times, his old rival h...

Q 03/05

Which future heavyweight legend did Nino Benvenuti pip to the best-boxer award at the 1960 Olympics?

A) Joe Frazier

B) George Foreman

C) Cassius Clay

D) Floyd Patterson

Answer · why

C) Cassius Clay

Cassius Clay, the future Muhammad Ali, won light heavyweight gold at the same Games but lost out on the prize for the best stylist. Both men went on t...

Q 04/05

What kind of character did Nino Benvenuti play in a popular series of 1960s Italian television adverts?

A) A masked avenger

B) A singing cowboy

C) A Roman gladiator

D) A secret agent

Answer · why

D) A secret agent

A secret agent named 00SIS was his role, the code name taken from the drinks firm whose brandy he was selling. The sketches ran on Carosello, Italy's ...

Q 05/05

What freak mishap halted Nino Benvenuti's 1966 world title defence in Asia for several minutes?

A) The arena lights failed

B) The ropes gave way

C) The crowd stormed in

D) The timekeeper's bell broke

Answer · why

B) The ropes gave way

The ropes gave way late in the fight, and the long repair gave the local challenger a breather. He went on to take a split decision that ended the Ita...