Tony Canzoneri
Titles: Lighweight champion from 1930-1935 and 1935-1936,
featherweight champion in 1928 and jr. welterweight
champion from 1931-1932
Record: 141-24-10 (44 K.O's)
Born: November 6, 1908 in Slidell, Louisiana (USA)
Years active: 1925-1939
Nickname: None
One of the few men to hold three titles when it actually meant something,
back when there was only ONE title. Canzoneri should rank as one of the
best to ever put on the gloves in the early days of boxing. An excellent
boxer with a solid if not spectacular defense, he knew the mechanics
of his profession and practiced them well enough to win over 100 fights.
Canzoneri's first pro bout came at the age of 16 and two short years later
he was fighting for his first world title at bantamweight after loosing
only 1 of his first 39 fights. That fight ended in a draw with Bud Taylor,
a rematch would see Taylor win or else Tony would have been a 4 time
champion. Canzoneri moved up in weight and won the world title from the
very tough Benny Bass but his reign would only last 7 months as his body
was forcing him to work much to hard to make the weight. He lost the title
he won from Bass to competent Andre Routis. Canzoneri's best days came at
lightweight where he won the title in record fashion knocking out Al Singer
in only 66 seconds and added the jr. welterweight crown to his trophy case
in that fight also. Before that fight however came his legendary battle
with Jack "Kid" Berg in 1931 where he lost in a thrilling fight. Canzoneri
avenged his loss to Berg two time in the next year before he lost both
crowns to legendary Barney Ross. During his great career, Tony suffered only
one knockout and nailed over 40 himself. One of the true tough guys.
Tony Canzoneri
Career record: 137 W, 24 L, 10 D, 4 N.D (44 K.O's)
1925
18 Jul Jack Gardner New York KO 1
25 Jul Henry Usse New York W 4
22 Aug Herny Usse New York W 6
5 Sep Ray Cummings New Jersey ND 4
12 Sep Paulie Porter New York KO 5
3 Oct Johnny Huber New York W 6
7 Nov Henry Molineri New York KO 1
12 Nov Harry Brandon New York W 4
26 Nov Ralph Nischo New York W 4
7 Dec Danny Terris New York W 6
23 Dec Danny Terris New York KO 4
1926
13 Jan George Nickfor New York KO 4
21 Jan Kid Rash New York W 4
26 Jan Mickey Lewis New York W 4
13 Feb Romeo Vaughn New York W 6
18 Feb Al Scorda New York W 4
6 Mar Bobby Wolgast New York W 6
11 Mar Jacinto Valdez New York W 4
20 Mar Tommy Milton New York W 6
25 Mar Mike Esposito New York D 6
8 May Benny Hall New York D 6
28 May Sammy Nable New York KO 5
16 Jun Sonny Smith New York W 6
21 Jun Willie Suess New York W 6
25 Jun Archie Bell New York KO 5
26 Jul Manny Wexler New York KO 5
8 Aug Young Montreal New York W 6
14 Aug Buck Josephs New York W 6
28 Aug Georgie Mack New York D 6
20 Sep George Marks New York W 6
5 Oct Benny Hall New York W 6
6 Nov Davey Abad New York L 10
13 Nov Enrique Saavardo New York KO 5
22 Nov Andre Routis New York W 12
17 Dec Bushy Graham New York W 10
1927
12 Jan Joe Ryder New York D 10
22 Jan Vic Burrone New York W 10
4 Feb Johnny Green New York W 8
7 Mar California Lynch New York W 10
26 Mar Bud Taylor Illinois D 10
(For NBA Bantamweight Title)
18 Apr Vic Burrone New York D 10
25 Apr Harold Smith New York KO 3
3 May Ray Rychell Illinois KO 7
24 Jun Bud Taylor Illinois L 10
(For NBA Bantamweight Title)
27 Jul California Lynch Ohio W 10
9 Aug Eddie Anderson New York W 10
17 Aug Pete Sarmiento New York KO 1
25 Aug Iowa Joe Rivers Kansas ND 10
2 Sep Eddie Anderson Illinois L D.Q 2
3 Oct Tommy Ryan New York W 10
24 Oct Joynny Dundee New York W 15
7 Nov Billy Henry Pennsylvania KO 2
22 Nov Vincent Di Leo New York KO 1
1 Dec Ignacio Fernandez New York W 10
30 Dec Bud Taylor New York W 10
1928
30 Jan Pete Nebo Pennsylvania D 10
10 Feb Benny Bass New York W 15
(Won World Featherweight Title)
23 Feb Pete Passifium New York W 4
28 May Claude Wilson Louisiana KO 1
13 Jun Vic Foley Canada W 10
27 Jun Harry Blitman Pennsylvania L 10
28 Aug Bobby Garcia New Jersey KO 1
28 Sep Andre Routis New York W 15
(Retained World Featherweight Title)
29 Oct Gaston Charles New York W 10
8 Dec Chick Suggs New York KO 6
14 Dec Al Singer New York D 10
1929
18 Jan Armando Santiago Illinois KO 5
6 Feb Joey Sangor Illinois KO 7
26 Feb Ignacio Fernandez Illinois W 10
8 Mar Cecil Payne Michigan W 10
9 Apr Eddie Anderson Wisconsin ND 10
26 Apr Sammy Dorfman New York W 10
10 May Andre Routis Illinois W 10
4 Jun Ignacio Fernandez New York W 10
9 Jul Phil McGraw New York W 10
2 Aug Sammy Mandell Illinois L 10
(For World Lightweight Title)
20 Sep Eddie Wolf Louisiana W 10
27 Sep Eddie Mack Illinois KO 8
18 Oct Johnny Farr New York W 10
30 Oct Estanisla Loayza Illinois W 10
1930
17 Jan Jackie Berg New York L 10
4 Mar Solly Ritz New York KO 1
14 Mar Estanisla Loayza New York W 10
1 Apr Steve Smith Connecticut KO 7
8 Apr Frankie La Fay New York KO 1
5 May Harry Carlton New York W 10
14 May Johnny Farr Connecticut W 10
4 Jun Joe Glick New York W 10
24 Jun Tommy Grogan New York W 10
21 Jul Benny Bass Pennsylvania W 10
26 Aug Goldie Hess New York W 10
11 Sep Billy Petrolle Illinois L 10
14 Nov Al Singer New York KO 1
(Won World Lightweight Title)
1931
26 Jan Johnny Farr Louisiana ND 10
25 Feb Joey Kaufman New Jersey KO 1
6 Mar Sammy Fuller Massachusetts L 10
23 Mar Tommy Grogan Pennsylvania W 10
24 Apr Jackie Berg Illinois KO 3
(Retained World Lightweight Title; Won World Jr.Welterweight Title)
25 Jun Herman Perlick Connecticut W 10
13 Jul Cecil Payne California W 10
(Retained World Jr. Welterweight Title)
10 Sep Jackie Berg New York W 15
(Retained World Lightweight and Jr. Welterweight Titles)
29 Oct Phillie Griffin New Jersey W 10
(Retained World Jr. Welterweight Title)
20 Nov Kid Chocolate New York W 15
(Retained World Lightweight and Jr. Welterweight Titles)
1932
18 Jan Johnny Jadick Pennsylvania L 10
(Lost World Jr. Welterweight Title)
15 Feb Lew Massey Pennsylvania W 10
4 Apr Ray Kiser Louisiana W 10
23 May Battling Gizzy Pennsylvania KO 5
16 Jun Harry Dublinsky Illinois W 10
18 Jul Johnny Jadick Pennsylvania L 10
(For World Jr. Welterweight Title)
29 Sep Lew Kersch New York KO 3
12 Oct Frankie Petrolle New York KO 3
4 Nov Billy Petrolle New York W 15
(Retained World Lightweight Title)
1933
3 Feb Billy Townsend New York KO 1
23 Feb Pete Nebo Florida W 10
20 Apr Wesley Ramey Michigan L 10
21 May Battling Shaw Louisiana W 10
(For World Jr. Welterweight Title)
23 Jun Barney Ross Illinois L 10
(Lost World Lightweight & Jr. Welterweight Titles)
12 Sep Barney Ross New York L 15
(For World Lightweight and Jr. Welterweight Titles)
28 Oct Frankie Klick New York W 10
24 Nov Kid Chocolate New York KO 2
4 Dec Cecil Payne Ohio KO 5
15 Dec Anacleto Locatelli New York W 10
1934
2 Feb Anacleto Locatelli New York W 12
1 Mar Pete Nebo Kansas W 10
13 Mar Baby Arizmendi California W 10
28 Jun Frankie Klick New York KO 9
28 Aug Harry Dublinsky New York L 10
26 Sep Harry Dublinsky New York W 10
1935
7 Jan Eddie Ran New Jersey KO 2
21 Jan Harold Hughes New York W 8
31 Jan Leo Rodak Illinois W 10
26 Feb Chuck Woods Michigan L 10
15 Mar Chuck Woods Illinois W 10
25 Apr Eddie Zivic Pennsylvania KO 7
10 May Lou Ambers New York W 15
(Regained World Lightweight Title)
10 Jun Frankie Klick Washington DC W 10
25 Jul Bobby Pacho Illinois W 10
19 Aug Frankie Klick California W 10
13 Sep Joe Ghnouly Missouri W 10
4 Oct Al Roth New York W 15
(Retained World Lightweight Title)
1936
23 Jan Bricio Garcia New York KO 9
30 Jan Toots Bashara Pennsylvania KO 3
15 Feb Billy Hogan New York KO 4
2 Mar Steve Halaiko New York KO 2
9 Apr Johnny Jadick New York W 10
8 May Jimmy McLarnin New York W 10
3 Sep Lou Ambers New York L 15
(Lost World Lightweight Title)
5 Oct Jimmy McLarnin New York L 10
1937
5 Apr George Levy New Jersey KO 7
13 Apr Frankie Wallace New York W 8
24 Apr Joey Zodda New York KO 7
7 May Lou Ambers New York L 15
(For World Lightweight Title)
1938
17 Oct Eddie Zivic Pennsylvania L 10
26 Oct Howard Scott New Jersey W 8
1 Nov Al Dunbar New Jersey KO 3
22 Nov Howard Scott New York W 8
10 Dec Jimmy Murray New York W 8
30 Dec Eddie Zivic New York W 10
1939
19 Jan Wally Hally Colorado W 10
27 Jan Joe Gavras California KO 2
31 Jan Everett Simington California KO 3
7 Feb Bobby Pacho California W 10
7 Mar Eddie Brink New York W 8
28 Mar Eddie Brink New York L 10
11 Apr Jimmy Vaughn New York D 8
1 May Jimmy Tygh Pennsylvania L 10
15 May Nick Camarata Louisiana D 10
5 Jun Harris Blake New York L 10
6 Jul Joe De Jesus New York W 8
17 Jul Ambrose Logan New York W 8
3 Aug Joe De Jesus New York W 8
18 Aug Joey Wallace New York W 8
26 Aug Gerald D'Elia New York W 8
19 Sep Eddie Brink New York W 8
1 Nov Al "Bummy" Davis New York KO by 3