Santa Camarão

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.

José Santa
Statistics
Real nameJosé Soares Santa
Nickname(s)Camarão
Weight(s)Heavyweight
Height2.02 m (6 ft 7.5 in)
Nationality Portuguese
Born(1902-12-25)25 December 1902
Ovar, Portugal
Died5 April 1968(1968-04-05) (aged 65)
Ovar, Portugal
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record
Total fights95
Wins69
Wins by KO48
Losses20
Draws4
No contests2

Life and career
Santa with wife in 1932

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 Massachussets 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]

Rua José Santa Camarão in Lisbon

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) Claudio Villar TKO 9 (10) 11 November 1934 Praca de Touros do Campo Pequeno, Lisbon, Portugal
Loss 69-19-4 (2) Victorio Campolo TKO 3 (10) 7 July 1934 Estadio Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Win 69-18-4 (2) Norman Tomasulo KO 4 (10) 16 June 1934 Estadio Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Win 68-18-4 (2) Arturo Costarelli TKO 5 (10) 5 May 1934 Estadio Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Loss 67-18-4 (2) Mario Lenzi PTS 10 1 February 1934 Estadio Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Win 67-17-4 (2) Guillermo Silva TKO 4 (10) 25 November 1933 Estadio Brasil, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Win 66-17-4 (2) Gene Brown TKO 5 (10) 2 august 1933 Chestnut St. Arena, Reno, Nevada, USA
Win 65-17-4 (2) Kenneth Lee TKO 3 (10) 28 july 1933 F.D.E.S. Hall, Newman, California, USA
Loss 64-17-4 (2) KO Christner PTS 10 12 july 1933 Auditorium, Oakland, California, USA
Loss 64-16-4 (2) Gene Stanton KO 9 (10) 24 may 1933 Casino, Fall River, Massachusetts, USA
Win 64-15-4 (2) Gene Stanton PTS 10 26 april 1933 Casino, Fall River, Massachusetts, USA
Win 63-15-4 (2) Johnny Dixon TKO 3 (6) 2 march 1933 Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Win 62-15-4 (2) Jim Maloney TKO 5 (10) 20 january 1933 Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, USA Stopped after round 4 due to a cut
Win 61-15-4 (2) Vinko Jakasa KO 2 (10) 19 December 1932 New Bedford, Massachusetts, USA
Loss 60-15-4 (2) Primo Carnera TKO 6 (10) 18 November 1932 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, United States

Santa down in the 2nd, 3rd and 6th, referee stoppage.

Win 60-14-4 (2) Sammy Ward PTS 10 28 October 1932 North Street Rink, Salem, Massachusetts, USA
Win 59-14-4 (2) Jack Meyer TKO 2 (10) 14 September 1932 10th Street Arena, Modesto, California, USA
Win 58-14-4 (2) Bucky Harris TKO 2 (10) 2 September 1932 Stockton, California, USA
Loss 57-14-4 (2) Ray Impelletiere TKO 9 (10) 8 August 1932 Auditorium, Oakland, California, USA
Win 57-13-4 (2) Jack Gardner KO 2 (10) 23 July 1932 Chestnut St. Arena, Reno, Nevada, USA
Win 56-13-4 (2) Cecyl Myart KO 5 (10) 13 July 1932 Auditorium, Oakland, California, USA
Win 55-13-4 (2) Ernie Stout TKO 2 (10) 24 November 1931 Tulare County Fairgrounds, Tulare, California, USA
Loss 54-13-4 (2) Max Baer KO 10 (10) 21 October 1931 Arcadia Pavilion, Oakland, California, United States
Draw 54-12-4 (2) Tom Heeney PTS 12 5 October 1931 Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
Loss 54-12-3 (2) Tom Heeney PTS 12 10 September 1931 Mark's Stadium, Tiverton, Rhode Island, USA
Win 54-11-3 (2) Leon Chavelier PTS 10 3 August 1931 Auditorium, Oakland, California, USA
Win 53-11-3 (2) Roberto Roberti PTS 10 15 July 1931 Auditorium, Oakland, California, USA
Win 52-11-3 (2) Hans Birkie RTD 6 (10) 1 July 1931 Auditorium, Oakland, California, USA Taking a beating during the entire bout, Birkie quit at the end of round 6 claiming a broken hand
Loss 51-11-3 (2) Hans Birkie PTS 10 8 June 1931 Auditorium, Oakland, California, USA
Win 51-10-3 (2) Johnny Grosso KO 2 (10) 11 May 1931 Auditorium, Oakland, California, USA
Win 50-10-3 (2) Jack Beasley KO 1 (10) 27 April 1931 Auditorium, Oakland, California, USA
Win 49-10-3 (2) Salvatore Ruggirello KO 6 (10) 20 March 1931 Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, USA Ruggirello down 13 times
Win 48-10-3 (2) Jack Singer KO 1 (?) 12 March 1931 Clark's Audtorium, Newark, New Jersey, USA
Loss 47-10-3 (2) Salvatore Ruggirello KO 2 (10) 5 March 1931 Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
NC 47-9-3 (2) Knute Hansen NC 2 (10) 4 February 1931 Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, USA Declared a no contest when Hansen fell without being hit
Win 47-9-3 (1) Jack Silver KO 1 (?) 12 January 1931 Laurel Garden, Newark, New Jersey, USA
Win 46-9-3 (1) Roberto Roberti PTS 10 1 January 1931 Arena, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Win 45-9-3 (1) Carl Carter KO 3 (10) 31 October 1930 Providence, Rhode Island, USA
Win 44-9-3 (1) Tiny Hoffner KO 1 (10) 21 October 1930 Broadway Arena, Brooklyn, New York, USA
Win 43-9-3 (1) Gordon Munce TKO 3 (10) 13 October 1930 Providence, Rhode Island, USA
Win 42-9-3 (1) Riccardo Bertazzolo PTS 10 3 October 1930 Arena, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Win 41-9-3 (1) Otis Gardner KO 1 (10) 22 September 1930 Mark's Stadium, Tiverton, Rhode Island, USA
Win 40-9-3 (1) Umberto Torriano TKO 4 (10) 15 September 1930 Velodrome, Newark, New Jersey, USA
Win 39-9-3 (1) Emilio Solomon PTS 10 10 September 1930 Salem, Massachusetts, USA
Win 38-9-3 (1) Jack Shaw KO 2 (?) 5 September 1930 Velodrome, Newark, New Jersey, USA
Win 37-9-3 (1) Al Tottinger KO 2 (10) 22 August 1930 Bayonne, New Jersey, USA
Win 36-9-3 (1) Al Shearing KO 3 (10) 14 August 1930 Playgrounds Stadium, West New York, New Jersey, USA
Win 35-9-3 (1) Andres Castano KO 3 (10) 1 August 1930 Miller Stadium, West New York, New Jersey, USA
Loss 34-9-3 (1) Ernst Guehring PTS 10 11 April 1930 Festhalle Frankfurt, Germany
Win 34-8-3 (1) Rudi Wagener PTS 10 2 February 1930 Westfalenhalle, Dortmund, Germany
Win 33-8-3 (1) Ernst Roesemann TKO 5 (10) 5 January 1930 Westfalenhalle, Dortmund, Germany
Draw 32-8-3 (1) Jack Stanley PTS 10 17 December 1929 Royal Albert Hall, Kensington, UK
Win 32-8-2 (1) Robert Villard TKO 2 (10) 7 December 1929 Velodrome d'Hiver, Paris, France
Loss 31-8-2 (1) Hans Schoenrath PTS 8 22 November 1929 Sportpalast Schoeneberg, Germany
Win 31-7-2 (1) Jack Stanley PTS 10 1 November 1929 Estadio do Covelo, Gondomar, Portugal
Loss 30-7-2 (1) Pierre Charles PTS 15 30 June 1929 Praca de Touros do Campo Pequeno, Lisbon, Portugal European title fight
Win 30-6-2 (1) Constant Barrick KO 2 (10) 14 April 1929 Praca de Touros do Campo Pequeno, Lisbon, Portugal
Win 29-6-2 (1) Jack Humbeeck KO 6 (10) 6 March 1929 Palacio de Cristal, Porto, Portugal
Loss 28-6-2 (1) Armando de Carolis PTS 12 3 November 1928 Campo de Moraes e Silva, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Loss 28-5-2 (1) Armando de Carolis PTS 10 5 August 1928 Estadio da Floresta, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Win 28-4-2 (1) Orlando Reverberi PTS 10 9 June 1928 Campo de Moraes e Silva, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Win 27-4-2 (1) Epifanio Islas PTS 12 15 April 1928 Estadio da Floresta, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Win 26-4-2 (1) Carlos Oldani PTS 12 22 December 1927 Estadio Manoel Schwartz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Loss 25-4-2 (1) Carlos Oldani PTS 10 14 November 1927 Campo Riachuelo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Win 25-3-2 (1) Paul Rod KO 1 (10) 23 October 1927 Estadio da Floresta, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Win 24-3-2 (1) Epifanio Islas PTS 15 7 September 1927 Campo Riachuelo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Win 23-3-2 (1) Juan Moragues PTS 10 5 July 1927 Campo Riachuelo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Win 22-3-2 (1) Paul Hams KO 15 (15) 4 June 1927 Campo Riachuelo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Win 21-3-2 (1) Miguel Ferrara DQ 9 (10) 14 May 1927 Teatro Republica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Win 20-3-2 (1) Jaime Escobar KO 2 (10) 4 March 1927 Teatro Republica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Win 19-3-2 (1) Erwin Klausner TKO 2 (10) 1 January 1927 Teatro Republica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Loss 18-3-2 (1) Epifanio Islas PTS 10 1 December 1926 Estadio Manoel Schwartz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Loss 18-2-2 (1) Epifanio Islas PTS 10 17 November 1926 Estadio da Floresa, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Win 18-1-2 (1) Paul Hams PTS 10 7 September 1926 Campo do Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Draw 17-1-2(1) Miguel Ferrara PTS 10 24 July 1926 Campo do Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Win 17-1-1 (1) Roberto di Lorenzo KO 1 (10) 10 July 1926 Campo do Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Win 16-1-1 (1) Marc Lunaud KO 6 (10) 7 May 1926 Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, Portugal
Win 15-1-1 (1) Rozi KO 2 (10) 21 April 1926 Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, Portugal
Win 14-1-1 (1) Joe Mullings DQ 3 (10) 12 April 1926 Palacio de Cristal, Porto, Portugal
Draw 13-1-1 (1) Constant Barrick PTS 10 (10) 30 March 1926 Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, Portugal
NC 13-1 (1) Soldier Jones NC 1 (10) 18 February 1926 Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, Portugal

Fight stopped after first round due to very poor quality

Win 13-1 Guardsman Charlie Penwill KO 3 (10) 11 February 1926 Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, Portugal
Win 12-1 Constant Barrick PTS 10 8 January 1926 Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, Portugal
Win 11-1 Jack Taylor PTS 12 22 December 1925 Porto, Portugal
Loss 10-1 Jack Humbeeck PTS 10 3 November 1925 Palacio de Cristal Porto, Portugal
Win 10-0 Jack Humbeeck PTS 10 9 September 1925 Palacio de Cristal Porto, Portugal
Win 9-0 Andres Balsa TKO 2 (10) 19 August 1925 Palacio de Cristal Porto, Portugal
Win 8-0 Laurent Mahieu TKO 1 (10) 4 August 1925 Porto, Portugal
Win 7-0 Marcel Nilles TKO 3 (10) 26 July 1925 Estadio do Lumiar, Lisbon, Portugal
Win 6-0 Paul Journee KO 2 (10) 20 June 1925 Porto, Portugal
Win 5-0 Laurent Mahieu PTS 10 4 June 1925 Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, Portugal
Win 4-0 Leon Derensy KO 1 (10) 12 May 1925 Porto, Portugal
Win 3-0 Arthur Vermaut TKO 2 (10) 22 April 1925 Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, Portugal
Win 2-0 Georges Morgan TKO 4 (10) 8 April 1925 Coliseu dos Recreios, Lisbon, Portugal
Win 1-0 Albert Demoor KO 2 3 April 1925 Palacio de Cristal, Porto, Portugal

References
  1. Luis Pedro Cabral (21 January 2018) O gancho de Deus. tribunaexpresso.pt
  2. Luis Pete Ehrmann (24 December 2015) Yes, Virginia, there was a Santa. boxing.com
  3. José Santa (III) (1902–1968). IMDb
  4. O pugilista que nasceu no Natal. wordpress.com (21 December 2012)
  5. 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.
  6. Jose Santa. Boxrec.com. Retrieved on 4 May 2014.
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