At 6'6" 250 pounds Primo Carnera was a mountain of a man who possessed great strength and was quite mobile for his size. However his chin was vulnerable to the type of power punch that some of the top heavyweight fighters were able to deliver.His punching was hindered somewhat by his muscular physique but nevertheless he scored many knockouts due to his considerable strength and power. Primo began fighting in Europe and then migrated to the United States; Many observers felt that many of his wins were "fixed" due to some connections held by those managing him; This shadow of doubt has caused boxing people to question his true ability as a fighter. Carnera lived much of his life in the Los Angeles area in close proximity to the Helms Athletic Foundation and Helms Hall. In the 1940s he and his family lived in a ranch - style house in the San Fernando Valley; In the 1950s he owned an Italian restaurant on Pico Blvd in Los Angeles near 20th Century - Fox Studios; In the 1960s he owned a liquor store on South Brand Blvd in Glendale Ca. He and his wife spent their last years in Los Angeles living in an apartment in Culver City Ca before moving back to Italy in 1966.

During his career Carnera won the Heavyweight Championship of the World and defeated such men as Jack Sharkey Tommy Loughran George Godfrey W.L. "Young" Stribling Franz Diener Paulino Uzcudun Pierre Charles Ernie Schaaf King Levinsky Vittorio Campolo George Cook and Jose Santa. The enormous (approx. size 16) leather boxing shoes date from the prime of Carnera's career. The leather high top shoes show excellent usage wear. The original lace is present on the right shoe and absent on the left. Primo was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.

Includes a Letter of Provenance from the Helms Athletic Foundation/LA84 Collection.