Canzoneri, Tony
Boxing
b. Nov. 6, 1908, Slidell, LA
d. Dec. 9, 1959
Canzoneri began boxing as a young teenager in New Orleans. His family moved to Brooklyn in 1923 and the following year he won the New York state amateur bantamweight championship.
He turned professional early in 1925 and twice fought Bud Taylor for the world bantamweight title in 1927. Both fights were in Chicago. The first, on March 26, was a draw, and Taylor won a 10-round decision in the second, on June 24.
The 5-foot-4 Canzoneri, a non-stop puncher, moved up to the featherweight division in 1928 and won the world title on February 10 with a 16-round decision over Benny Bass in New York City. He lost the championship to Andre Routis of France on September 28, 1928, on a 10-round decision.
His next step was into the lightweight division. He lost a title fight to Sammy Mandell in 1929 but on November 14 of the following year he pulled a major upset by knocking out heavily-favored Al Singer in the first round to win the championship. Canzoneri also became junior welterweight champion with a 3rd-round knockout of Jack "Kid" Berg on April 24, 1931.
He lost the junior welter title to Johnny Jadick on a 10-round decision on January 18, 1932, in Philadelphia but regained it by winning a 10-rounder against Battling Shaw on May 21, 1933, in New Orleans.
Barney Ross easily outpointed Canzoneri to win both titles on June 23, 1933, in Chicago. After Ross vacated the lightweight title to become a welterweight, Canzoneri won a tournament, decisioning Lou Ambers in 15 rounds on May 10, 1935, to become champion once again. However, Ambers took the title from on a 15-round decision on September 3, 1936.
Canzoneri's last fight was on November 1, 1939, when he was knocked out by Al Davis in the 3rd round. He won 139 of his 176 bouts, 44 by knockout; lost 24, 1 by knockout; and fought 10 draws and 3 no-decisions.
