A powerfully-built, 6 ft. 3 ins. Zulu with massive shoulders – Kay Masaki, of Barberton figured in a sensational three-minute fight with Primo Carnera, the former heavyweight champion of the world, in a specially constructed ring in a prisoner of war camp in Italy during 1944. Kay, who was taken prisoner of Sidi Rezegh, told his story through an interpreter to an official military observer, both in Zulu and Italian, which he spoke fairly fluently. A comrade of his, who witnessed the fight, confirmed all the details.
The fight was filmed by the Fascist Italian authorities to provide a propaganda story of the superiority of the Italian race over the African. And to make sure of this superiority, Kay Masaki was starved for three days. He then entered the ring against the former world’s champion in a weakened condition.
In the first minute of the fight, Carnera floored the Zulu, who was quite unschooled in the fistic art, and the cameramen ground out this scene triumphantly. But Masaki displayed great courage and struggled to his feet. He warded off the renewed attack until a chance came.
Masaki swung with his right and, receiving a terrific right to the jaw, the great bulk of flesh that was Carnera sank to the ground. He did not rise. The cameras stopped clicking, for this was not good propaganda.
Abandoning the project, the Italians took Kay back to his camp where, battered but happy, he was greeted by his comrades with pride and joy.
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A powerfully-built, 6 ft. 3 ins. Zulu with massive shoulders – Kay Masaki, of Barberton figured in a sensational three-minute fight with Primo Carnera, the former heavyweight champion of the world, in a specially constructed ring in a prisoner of war camp in Italy during 1944. Kay, who was taken prisoner of Sidi Rezegh, told his story through an interpreter to an official military observer, both in Zulu and Italian, which he spoke fairly fluently. A comrade of his, who witnessed the fight, confirmed all the details.
The fight was filmed by the Fascist Italian authorities to provide a propaganda story of the superiority of the Italian race over the African. And to make sure of this superiority, Kay Masaki was starved for three days. He then entered the ring against the former world’s champion in a weakened condition.
In the first minute of the fight, Carnera floored the Zulu, who was quite unschooled in the fistic art, and the cameramen ground out this scene triumphantly. But Masaki displayed great courage and struggled to his feet. He warded off the renewed attack until a chance came.
Masaki swung with his right and, receiving a terrific right to the jaw, the great bulk of flesh that was Carnera sank to the ground. He did not rise. The cameras stopped clicking, for this was not good propaganda.
Abandoning the project, the Italians took Kay back to his camp where, battered but happy, he was greeted by his comrades with pride and joy.