Syracuse, N.Y. -- A local production company will film a movie about boxing legend Carmen Basilio this summer in Central New York.
Media 64 Entertainment Group will begin work on "BASILIO'' this summer. Owen Shapiro, a professor in Syracuse University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts, will direct the movie.
The movie will be based on Basilio’s life growing up in Canastota, N.Y., where he worked in the onion fields and his boxing career as chronicled in the book "The Onion Picker'' by Gary Youmans.
Basilio won three world titles in two divisions during the 1950s. His championship bouts with Sugar Ray Robinson and Tony DeMarco are still considered as some of the greatest fights in boxing history.
Basilio’s first world title came when he knocked out Tony DeMarco for the welterweight crown on June 10, 1955 at the War Memorial in Syracuse.
In perhaps his greatest fight, Basilio stunned middleweight champ Sugar Ray Robinson on Sept. 23, 1957 at Yankee Stadium. Basilio retired with a career record of 56 wins, 16 losses and 7 draws, with 27 wins coming by knockout.
Born in 1927, Basilio passed away on Nov. 7, 2012.
The film is funded by Innovative Group of CNY Arts, LLC, and Star Boxing.
The International Boxing Hall of Fame is located in Basilio’s hometown of Canastota. He was a member of the Hall’s inaugural induction class.
Thousands lined the streets of downtown Canastota on Sunday June 10, 2012 for the Boxing Hall of Fame Parade that preceded the International Boxing Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies to see returning Hall of Fame members like former world champion and Canastota’s own Carmen Basilio. Stephen D. Cannerelli / The Post-Standard
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