carmine made sonny the official underboss around 2003 maybe earlier maybe later. there was a bunch of street bosses and or acting bosses while sonny was underboss some reasson carmione never made him street boss or acting. technically underboss is still a higher position then street boss or acting boss( see gerry catena reading tom eboli the riot act) sonny was on wire around 2005 praising michael persico with out really letting who he was talking to know just how powerfull michael was or is. he also said carmine was a stone cold killer or gangster. think they have a mutual respect. carmine in the 80tys could have took sonny out if he felt someway. it is interesting. sonny missed his shot after colombo was shot and tom dibella took power. i dont think gambino would have backed sonny. he was locked up from 1970 till 79 or close kinda why he never got up in the hierarchy plu50 yrs parole he cant associate with anyone