LONG OVERDUE
A review-appreciation by Roger Zotti of Mark Allen Baker’s Tony Canzoneri: The Boxing Life of a Five-Time World Champion,
followed by a Q & A with the author Mark Allen Baker.
Yes, I will include every fight. My subjects are worth the time and effort, plus my readers expect it. Yes, I will try to anticipate questions and provide the answers in the same book. Yes, I am also concerned about who is reading the book and how I am presenting the material.
Finally, I am very grateful to my readers, many of whom I have personally met over the years and even stay in contact with. “Canzy” was an incredible man, and I am honored to have the opportunity to write about him.
Mark Allen Baker
“FEW PEERS”
Boxing scholar Mark Allen Baker’s latest book, Tony Canzoneri: The Boxing Life of a Five-Time World Champion (McFarland & Company, 2023), is his 27th and l0th boxing title. It’s an astute biography of one of boxing’s greatest fighters.
As he writes in his Introduction: “For more than six decades the illustrious ring career of Anthony Canzoneri has been neglected . . . Yet when The Ring celebrated its centenary by ranking the greatest fighters by performance, there was Anthony Canzoneri, with that trademark smile, at number four. His position yielded only to Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Louis, and Muhammad Ali. . . . Having won the lightweight championship, the junior welterweight championship, and the featherweight championship, Tony Canzoneri had few peers.”
Deeply researched and narratively fast-paced, Baker’s book is enhanced by photographs of Canzoneri and many of his opponents, and brings to light the fistic accomplishments of one of boxing’s greatest competitors. Reading it you’ll know you’re in the hands of a boxing historian who has done his homework.
SEVERAL NOTABLE OPPONENTS
Nicknamed “Canzy,” Canzoneri had 175 fights, was active from 1925-1939, and compiled a stunning record of 137-24-10 (44 KOs/ 1 KO’ by/ 4ND). Johnny Dundee, Bud Taylor, Lou Ambers, Kid Chocolate, Barney Ross, Jimmy McLarnin, Jackie “Kid” Berg, Billy Petrolle, and Al “Bummy” Davis were among his many notable opponents.
Turning to Dundee, who was born Giuseppe Curreri on the West Side of Manhattan and began fighting professionally in 1910, he fought an eighteen-year-old Canzoneri on October 24, 1927 at Madison Square Garden.
(“Canzoneri had heard stories about Dundee when he was a youngster growing up and never dreamed of meeting him,” Baker writes, “yet alone inside a boxing ring. And the pair would become good friends.”)
Baker adds that Canzoneri’s trainer, Sam Goldman, before the fight “whispered in his ear that he wanted him to knock Dundee down, then pick him back up. Although Canzoneri felt the request was peculiar, he did not argue. He spent fifteen rounds trying to knock down Dundee. While failing to win at the mission he won the war.”
Weighing 124 to Dundee’s 125½, Canzoneri was awarded a fifteen round decision. “Of all his career battles, the one he always talked about was his bout against Johnny Dundee. Having fought many an elite pugilist, including Benny Leonard nine times, Dundee appeared in more than 300 professional fights.”
Bud Taylor and Canzoneri fought three times in 1929. Their first battle took place at the Chicago Coliseum, on March 27, for the vacant NBA bantamweight title. Taylor won a unanimous decision.
Second fight: June 24, at Chicago’s Wrigley Field, and it was, Baker writes, “an old-fashioned shoot-out.” Taylor again won a unanimous decision. Third fight: December 30, at Madison Square Garden, for the New York State Athletic Commission world featherweight title, and this time Canzoneri, weighing 128 ½ to Taylor’s 121, was awarded a unanimous decision, despite being seriously hurt in the seventh round by a left hook to the jaw.”
More: “ . . . by the end of the bout,” Baker writes, “it was clear that Taylor had been outpunched. Scoring with flurries that rattled the Indiana pugilist, Canzoneri had enough power to win rounds even if he lacked the strength to knock out his rival.”
The talented Kid Chocolate, who entered the ring with a 67-3-1 record, and Canzoneri fought for the NBA World Lightweight and NBA World Junior Welterweight Titles, on November 20, 1931. “It would be hailed as one of, if not the, greatest championship battles is Madison Square Garden history.”
Though the decision went to Canzoneri, it wasn’t popular: “A portion of the crowd stayed for ten minutes after the verdict to voice their dissatisfaction,” and Chocolate’s manager was adamant in his belief “his fighter was framed.”
On May10, 1935, Lou Ambers and Canzoneri mixed it up for the vacant world lightweight title at Madison Square Garden. “To the surprise of many,” Baker writes, “Tony Canzoneri dominated 15 rounds of boxing and defeated Ambers by unanimous decision” before a boisterous crowd of 17,433.
The third round was, as Baker puts it, “the game-changer.” Ambers, who came from Herkimer, New York, and nicknamed the Herkimer Hurricane, hit the canvas two times in the round, but “Instead of staying down for a full-nine count each time, the embarrassed pugilist arose after a two count.”
With the win Canzoneri “became the first ex-lightweight to regain the lightweight championship (vacated by Barney Ross).”
A year later, on September 3, at Madison Square Garden, they fought again. This time the great Ambers emerged victorious. Writes Baker: “Self-assured, regimented, and systematic, Ambers stayed away from Canzoneri’s arsenal and countered every lead with precision. . . . “As fights go it wasn’t invigorating, nor were spectators on the edge of their seats. It was simply a well-fought, systematic exchange of the lightweight title.”
Would they fight again? Answer: Yes! May 7, 1938, was the date and at stake was Ambers ‘world lightweight title. The place: Madison Square Garden, where eleven thousand fans watched Ambers win a unanimous decision.
Both fighters weighed 135 pounds. “Ambers’ offensive commitment upstaged his adversary’s defensive tactics. Canzoneri appeared as if he only wanted to make the distance . . . in what turned out to be a lackluster event.”
At one point in Barney Ross’s life he was employed by Al Capone. Enough said, right? But in time he turned his life around when he discovered boxing.
He and Canzoneri fought twice. In their first bout—which was held at the Chicago Stadium in 1933—Ross won the decision. In their second battle, three months later, at New York’s Polo Grounds, Ross again won a decision. (Both fights were for the World Lightweight and Junior Welterweight titles.)
Canzoneri’s last professional fight took place in 1939, at Madison Square Garden. His opponent was the popular Al “Bummy” Davis. A southpaw, Davis had stiffened 20 of his thirty-five opponents. “His portside wallop was one of the finest fight fans had seen in years,” Baker writes.
The end of the fight occurred at 2:13 of round three. Baker describes the action this way: “. . . a tremendous left hook to the stomach. Another smash to the chin, followed by a punch to the head, dropped Canzoneri to a four count. Upright, Canzoneri was an instant target.”
Battered and bleeding profusely, Canzoneri was knocked down a second time. Referee Art Donovan had seen enough and halted the fight. It was the first time in Canzoneri’s long career that he had been stopped.
RETIREMENT
Canzoneri retired from professional boxing after his loss to Davis, and in 1990 was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
In 1952 he and his wife Rita divorced. They had one daughter, Denise.
Several of his business ventures were unsuccessful, but fortunately he turned his talents to entertainment: He always had a bit of theater in him. (See the Q & A with Baker.)
Canzoneri died December 9, 1959 of “natural heart disease.” He was 51 years old. “Abe Attell, Phil Kaplan, Jimmy McLarnin, and Barney Ross were honorary pallbearers.”
Of his death, Joey Adams, his comedy act partner, believed he “suffered from a broken heart because of his divorce from Rita Roy. The former champion was lonely and economically concerned.”
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Q & A with Mark Allen Baker
Roger Zotti: First off, Mark, just how good—great—was Tony Canzoneri?
Mark Allen Baker: When The Ring was compiling a century’s worth of existence, the old 8×10 glossy of Anthony Canzoneri, with that trademark smile, needed to be pulled from the files, touched up, scanned, and placed in the fourth ranking position of the one hundred greatest fighters ranked by performance using their divisional ratings.
Only Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Louis, and Muhammad Ali were ranked ahead of him.
Author and historian Bert Randolph Sugar, in his book Boxing’s (100) Greatest Fighters, ranks Tony Canzoneri number twelve.
He was inducted into Ring Magazine‘s Boxing Hall of Fame in 1956. In 1990, he was inducted into the International boxing Hall of Fame. In 1999, the Associated Press ranked him as the fourth best featherweight, the third best lightweight, and the third best junior welterweight of the twentieth century. The September 2001 issue of Ring Magazine ranked him as the eighth greatest lightweight of all-time.
Think of this for a second. The average fight fan can speak to Robinson, Louis, or Ali, like they had dinner with them last night. Yet few could tell you why Tony Canzoneri, a compact fighting machine, was considered for any list, yet alone what weight class he fought in, or who he fought against. This had to change.
RZ: Life after boxing for Canzoneri . . .
MAB: Canzoneri was one of the few pugilists who transformed himself into a successful entertainer. When he teamed up with Joey Adams, they were the perfect addition to any vaudeville show. They played all the major vaudeville houses, theaters, and popular night spots. From Leon & Eddies, over on West 52nd (New York City), to the Kitty Davis Theatre, on Alton Road (Miami Beach), they were constantly in demand.
They played the Las Vegas Strip and even the Golden Gate theater in San Francisco. When Hollywood called, Canzoneri answered; moreover, he acted in films like Ringside, and appeared on numerous television shows.
RZ: Elaborate on the purpose of your book, which, may I add, is available at McFarland Publishing, Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and many retail outlets.
MAB: First off, the book chronicles Canzoneri’s life, starting from his birth and early rounds in the ring, with chapters detailing his wins, losses, championships, and life as an entertainer.
Secondly, Boxing historians have longed for a comprehensive reference book on Tony Canzoneri. This talented fighter, who helped define an era in boxing history, seemed to slip into obscurity. He was far too important a figure to allow that to happen, My purpose was to do something about it. Hence my book.
At age 23, by the way, Tony Canzoneri already had three division titles under his belt and was widely considered one of the pound-for-pound best fighters in the world. He had registered victories over such fighters as Johnny Dundee, Charles “Bud” Taylor, Benny Bass, Jack “Kid” Berg, Kid Chocolate, Billy Petrolle, Lou Ambers, and Jimmy McLarnin.
Interesting point: Although no boxer was permitted to fight for the title under age 21 in New York State, Tony Canzoneri kept his crown. And he wore it proudly. In his first defense of the world featherweight title, he took a split decision loss to Frenchman André Routis on September 28, 1928. He had won and lost a major title before the rules even permitted.
In his long and illustrious career, he was a five-time world champion. And, remember, this was back in the days when you could count the divisions on your hands, without resorting to your feet.
RZ: I take it that the book was in large part a labor of love.
MAB: Boxing biographies, at least for me, are always a labor of love. This book was important to me because I believe Tony Canzoneri’s career and his contribution to the sport has been overlooked. Because success came so early to him, you forget what a powerhouse he was as a pugilist.
Roger Zotti is a regular contributor to the IBRO Journal and has written two books on boxing, Friday Night World and The Proper Pugilist. To praise his writing, contact him at rogerzotti@aol.com.