Gogea Mitu
Gogea Mitu | |
---|---|
Statistics | |
Nickname(s) |
Giant of Mârşani Goliath of Romania |
Weight(s) | Heavyweight, 150 kg (330 lb) |
Height | 2.36 m (7.7 ft)[1] or 2.42 m (7.9 ft)[2] |
Nationality |
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Born |
Mârșani, Romania | July 14, 1914
Died | June 22, 1936 21) | (aged
Stance | Orthodox |
Boxing record | |
Total fights | 2 |
Wins | 2 |
Wins by KO | 2 |
Losses | 0 |
Draws | 0 |
No contests | 0 |
Gogea Mitu (born July 14, 1914 in Mârșani) was a Romanian boxer and the tallest Romanian in history (followed by Ghiţă Mureșan). Gogea Mitu is also listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the tallest professional boxer.[3]
Biography
Mitu was born in Mârșani, near Craiova in 1914, the oldest of eleven children, his mother being only 16 when she delivered him.[4] Mitu became world-famous because of his enormous stature. He is listed with various heights, among them 2.36 m (7.7 ft)[1] and 2.42 m (7.9 ft)[2]
Because of these characteristics he was very sought after by doctors and scientists who wanted to know the reason for his gigantism and by people who wanted to profit from his stature. It was said that he was highly intelligent; despite not going to school, he learned to read by himself at the age of three, as he had the stature of a five — six year old child.[4] By age 17 he had become so famous that a circus owner from Prague offered him a job, to be presented as a human rarity.[4] He also presented shows at the Globus Circus in Monaco. His circus career was brief, but very fortuitous, because he was spotted by the successful Italian boxer and talent scout Umberto Lancia, who taught Mitu how to box and later became his manager.[4] Gogea Mitu went to Paris to attend the famous Paris School for Boxing and after graduating he started his boxing career. He also had a brother named Tudorel, who had the same gigantism as Gogea, but he died at the age of seven. He was 1.8 m (5.9 ft) tall.[1]
Boxing career
His first boxing match took place on the Venus Stadium in Bucharest and his opponent was the experienced Italian boxer Severio Gizzo. Mitu won by knockout in the first round.[4] His second fight was against former Romanian heavyweight champion Dumitru Pavelescu, which Mitu won again by knockout in the first round. It was also Mitu's last fight as a professional boxer.[4]
Death
Returning from Istanbul to Bucharest by train, he caught a cold and his manager suggested that before going home to Mârșani, he should remain in Bucharest for a few days to recover, but his condition got worse, and he was taken to Filantropia Hospital, where he later got poisoned.[4] On June 22, 1936, he died due to tuberculosis. He was 21.
Professional boxing record
Professional record summary | ||
2 fights | 2 wins | 0 losses |
By knockout | 2 | 0 |
No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round | Date | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 | Win | 2-0 | ![]() |
KO | 1 (10) | 1935-10-27 | ![]() |
|
1 | Win | 1-0 | ![]() |
KO | 1 (6) | 1935-06-07 | ![]() |
Professional debut |
References
- 1 2 3 "Cine a fost cu adevărat Gogea Mitu?" (in Romanian). Retrieved April 14, 2014.
- 1 2 "Misterul mortii celui mai inalt roman din istorie! Gogea Mitu a trait in 4 ani cat altii in 100! A fost UCIS de mafia din box?" (in Romanian). Retrieved April 14, 2014.
- ↑ Donald McFarlan, David A. Boeh, Norris Dewar McWhirter (1990). Guinness Book of World Records 1990 (28 ed.). Sterling. p. 464. ISBN 9780806957906. Retrieved 2009-02-02.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "GIGANTUL ROMÂNIEI". Venera Dumitrescu-Staia (in Romanian). Agero magazine. Retrieved 2009-01-30.