Tony Canzoneri’s 7-4 record in lineal title fights gets more impressive the more you look; it is very clear that his first match with Barney Ross could have gone for rather than against him and even the decision in their rematch was seen by some as an injustice. An astonishing fighter, Canzoneri (seeded 9)opened up a new avenue for boxing technique but was followed by almost nobody due to the difficulty of mastering it. All feints and leans and surprising punches, I have, in the past, described his style as vaporous, a hellish blend of vanishing physicality and punishing power. Having lost his featherweight title in 1928 he spared little time in assaulting the lightweight division but was turned away by Sammy Mandell in 1929. This did not discourage him, and when Al Singer came to the title, a man with whom Canzoneri had already boxed a draw right after dropping his featherweight crown, his time had come. In what The New York Times deemed “one of the most startling upsets” of all time, he blasted Singer out in a single round. He was no less brilliant in twice turning away his old nemesis Jack “Kid” Berg, absolutely butchering the man who had crushed him in 1930. The wonderful Kid Chocolate dropped a close decision to him in 1931 and fell to him in just two in 1933; footage of one of these contests is readily available and is as beautiful an exhibition of box-punching as can be seen anywhere. One more successful defense against Billy Petrolle preceded his losing the lightweight title to Barney Ross by way of controversial decision; when Ross moved up, Canzoneri took the title once more, this time against no less a figure than Ambers. Ambers immediately beat it from him, and repelled him in a defense to win their rubber, but by then his legacy was secure. This content is protected Freddie Welsh was crazy. Whilst his compatriot Jim Driscoll was born into poverty and turned to boxing as a means to elevate himself, Welsh came from a family of wealth and when he went to America to ride the rails and fight as a professional he was still just a boy, bound by some savage impulse most of us cannot understand. On paper his best run came before the title. In 1907 he turned the corner, boxing an ND over six rounds with the more established Jim Driscoll before adding an additional 17-0-1. In 1908, he took his step up but dropped a ten-round decision to emerging demi-god Packey McFarland. At this point the press was still less than impressed with Welsh who the New York Sun named a “second-rater,” criticizing McFarland for failing to put him away. He would change minds by going 6-0-2 for the rest of the year, boxing a draw with McFarland and picking up a win over the reigning featherweight champion Abe Attell. When he headed home in 1909 it was as one of the best lightweights anywhere in the world, and picking up the European and British titles against the excellent Johnny Summers seemed almost a routine matter. He got another stab at McFarland, the man he never could best, boxing a controversial draw but in the fifty-six fights that had followed his loss to his nemesis, Welsh slipped up just once, against Matt Wells. Future champion Willie Ritchie, Pal Moore, Matty Baldwin, future welterweight champion Jim Duffy and Jim Driscoll all fell to him in this time. After he lifted the title in 1914, Welsh took something of a low-road, preferring non-title fights and no-decision fights to legitimate title affairs, but perhaps he had earned it. Regardless, he continued to hoover up top-draw scalps including Jimmy Anderson, Charley White, Frank Fleming, Ad Wolgast, and best of all, Benny Leonard in a non-title fight in 1916. Welsh “not only boxed with wonderful cunning but he sent in several blows that [shot] Leonard’s head back,” reported The New York Tribune. “Round after round the confident smile of Leonard dwindled whilst the surly grin of Welsh widened.” It was his finest moment. Leonard would eventually get the best of him, and McFarland, too, shaded their series, but these are two of the most wonderful lightweights in history. The surviving film of Welsh reveals a boxer equal to the legend in print, difficult to hit, quality of jab, capable of direct punching and as tough as they come. This content is protected Who will win under the following rules? 15 round fight. 1915 referee. 8oz boxing gloves. 10 points must. Cast your vote and explain yourself in a post below! You have 3 days.
Canzoneri fought in a style so unique a lot of people look back and call him a defenceless brawler. He's usually one of the victims of the modern brigades assessment of early fighters. His use of angles, timing, head movement, it's all amazing. For my money he's one of the best to ever lace em up and I don't say that lightly. Thankfully his full fight against Chocolate is there for all to see and that's exactly how I see this going. Canzoneri edging a close but clear decision.
Canzoneri is one of the earliest fighters, that I'm really, really impressed with... so I'll take him to outpoint Welsh fairly clearly.
@McGrain The one saving grace is from WW up your threads will be very busy. 135 and below will struggle to catch the interest for some reason
It seems in my experience LW and below is not as commonly followed as WW and above. Assuming you carry on into the higher divisions I expect the thread participants to increase. I worded it very poorly though.
Ah I see. Involvement is actually down the higher we go so far, but I agree WW and MW will be better attended. Probably I'll take a break after LW though.
