Canzoneri had many battles with all-time great legends, his first fight with Kid Chocolate in 1931 was a classic, one of the greatest fights of all-time, great mixture of technical boxing and a slugfest. Kid Chocolate is a legend in this sport as well, he was from Cuba, a really slick boxer who was also ahead of his time stylistically, Chocolate was the reigning Super Featherweight and Jr. Lightweight champion, decided to try and move up to fight Lightweight champ Tony Canzoneri. The fight ended in a SD win for Canzoneri, it was about as close a fight as one can get, with both fighters having their moments. Their second fight in 1933 didn't disappoint either, but Canzoneri wouldn't let this fight end up in the hands the judges, he ended matters quickly.
James P. Dawson of the New York Times wrote:
"Tony Canzoneri knocked out Kid Chocolate last night in the most spectacular lightweight battle in a local ring since the night Benny Leonard stopped Richie Mitchell... Before 13,000 wildly excited boxing followers in Madison Square Garden, Chocolate suffered his first knockout loss... A right hand punch finished him after 2 minutes 30 seconds of the second round. But more blood and thunder was crowded into that five and one half minutes than has been seen here in years."
Tony Canzoneri and Jimmy McLarnin "The Belfast Spider", one of the great rivalries of the 1930s. Of course Mclarnin is an all-time great as well, he was Irish and was a murderous puncher, he had many nicknames, he was called"The Irish Lullaby" because he could put people to sleep, he was also called "The Murderous Mick" because of his KO power. By the time they met, Canzoneri was on the decline, but he still managed to beat Mclarnin once, they fought twice, with both fighters winning a bout, so the series ended a 1-1 tie.
Oct. 5, 1936: Canzoneri vs McLarnin
October 5, 2024 Robert Portis
Tony Canzoneri vs Jimmy McLarnin. Two of the very best from one of boxing’s greatest decades, the 1930’s, the Depression years, that glorious time of Kid Chocolate, Barney Ross, Henry Armstrong and Joe Louis.
Only a year separated the two greats in age and by 1936 they were both grizzled, though still-formidable, veterans. But between May of that year, when the two gave fight fans a thrilling ten round battle, and the following October when they locked up a second time, something happened to Canzoneri. A gifted pugilist in his prime, with sharp reflexes, crafty moves and dangerous power in both fists, he suddenly didn’t have it anymore. His prime was gone for good.
Canzoneri vs McLarnin
Just the year before “Canzi” was still a force to be reckoned with, seemingly not that far removed from the form he had when he was regarded as clearly the finest boxer in the game with big wins over Jackie “Kid” Berg, Kid Chocolate and Billy Petrolle. In fact, less than two years prior he had dropped a pair of close, hard-fought decision battles to Barney Ross and then in May of ’35 he regained the lightweight crown from the always tough Lou Ambers.
Meanwhile McLarnin was coming off his own great series with Ross, a trilogy of superb fifteen round battles which saw “The Baby Faced Assassin” lose the first and third clashes, leaving McLarnin empty-handed in terms of title belts. Not in terms of money, though. All three matches had been huge events and McLarnin looked to only add more funds to his bulging bank account as he set to rumble with Canzoneri at Madison Square Garden twice in the same year, both matches scheduled for ten rounds.
Canzoneri battles Ambers.
The first Canzoneri vs McLarnin match was a terrific battle that only became more dramatic with each action-packed round. It was made further memorable due to a bizarre incident just before the opening bell. After receiving the referee’s instructions, Canzoneri turned and walked into the overhead microphone hard enough to leave him slightly dazed. Naturally McLarnin took advantage, battering Tony about the ring in the opening round, but after that, “The Dublin Dynamiter” was clearly out-classed as Canzoneri recovered and went on to out-box his rival with authority. Bouncing energetically about the ring and consistently beating McLarnin to the punch, the Italian-American showed the New York fans the kind of skills which had made him one of boxing’s truly great lightweight champions. He even tried for a knockout in the last two stanzas and the judges all gave Tony the win by scores of eight rounds to two.
The two veterans pose for the
cameras.
But as it turned out, that was Canzoneri’s last great performance. Four months later he defended his lightweight title against Ambers and he suddenly appeared aged beyond his years, dropping a one-sided points loss that saw “The Herkimer Hurricane” win almost every round. Afterwards, no less an expert than Benny Leonard judged Canzoneri finished as an elite fighting force. “Youth licked Tony tonight,” he told the press. “After all, he’s been tossing leather for eleven years.”
But Canzoneri was far from ready to pack it in. A month later, it was time for a rematch with McLarnin, but the second meeting of these two ring legends would be of a very different order from their first. The match in May had been a thrilling shoot-out with both men looking to land big shots, but McLarnin’s aggressiveness had given Canzoneri chances to counter and land solid blows.
Canzoneri vs McLarnin
This time McLarnin boxed conservatively behind his left jab and it proved a winning strategy. Canzoneri couldn’t get past the left hand of “The Belfast Spider” and in the later rounds he bore the wounds of war: a swollen and bleeding right eye and a split lip. He was such a gory sight that by the seventh round fans were calling for the match to be stopped, but the proud former champion survived to hear the final bell.
The decision went to McLarnin, who would compete just once more, winning a ten round non-title match against Ambers, before he walked away from boxing for good. But his adversary, despite the fact he just no longer had the spark that made him an all-time great, journeyed on, losing another bid for the world title against Ambers and then answering the bell twenty-two more times before Al “Bummy” Davis knocked him out with his powerful left hook and finally ended the amazing career of the one-and-only Tony Canzoneri. — Robert Portis
Tony Canzoneri and Lou Ambers, "The Herkimer Hurricane." If you're not familiar with Ambers, he's an all-time great, and he idolized Canzoneri, he was actually a sparring partner with Canzoneri at one point in time, so the two got to know eachother very well, personally and in the ring. It was quite the rivalry, a fighter going toe-to-toe with his idol.
Sept. 3, 1936: Ambers vs Canzoneri
September 3, 2025 Robert Portis
Tony Canzoneri was already a lock for the Hall of Fame, not to mention an all-time great lightweight when he entered Madison Square Garden in May of 1935 to face a fresh-faced Lou Ambers for the vacant championship of the world. The great Barney Ross had walked away from the 135 pound title to compete at welterweight and Ambers vs Canzoneri was the obvious pairing to decide the next champion. But “The Herkimer Hurricane” was five years younger and his elder had a lot of hard miles on those frail-looking legs; the wiseguys pegged Canzoneri as the underdog.
Canzoneri in his prime.
So imagine their surprise when it was Canzoneri, not Ambers, who came flying out of his corner at the opening bell, throwing lethal right hands. He scored two knockdowns in round three and after holding off a late-round charge from Ambers he heard the cheers as he was awarded a lop-sided points win and his fifth world title. Ambers had been Tony’s sparring partner not that long before, but he hadn’t yet learned enough to better his old mentor. The first Ambers vs Canzoneri tilt surprised many and appeared to prove that there was still plenty of life left in the veteran scrapper.
Little did anyone know at the time, but it would prove to be one of Canzoneri’s last great performances. While only twenty-six, he had competed in over 130 pro bouts, including some grueling battles with Ross, Benny Bass, Kid Chocolate, Frankie Klick, Billy Petrolle and many others. And in fact, between that first clash with Ambers and the second, Canzoneri answered the bell eleven times, all victories, but there were some punishing scraps along the way, including tough distance battles with Klick and Jimmy McLarnin. Meanwhile Ambers, with only fifty matches to his credit, was just getting started.
Lou Ambers
But the oddsmakers saw only Canzoneri’s hot streak of fourteen straight wins and his one-sided victory over Ambers the previous May, and decided it was now the man from Herkimer, New York who was the underdog. How wrong they were, as that night it was clear to a near-capacity crowd in Madison Square Garden that Canzoneri just didn’t have it anymore.
This time it was Ambers who seized the initiative early, shaking Tony with a hard one-two in the third round and by the fifth the champion was bleeding from the nose. In contrast to their first meeting, Canzoneri had great difficulty finding the target with his dangerous right, though he staged a rally in rounds nine and ten to stay in it. But the late going saw Ambers back in control and when the final decision in his favour was announced none disputed it. Ambers was clearly the sharper, fresher and more effective fighter.
Two all-time greats mix it up.
“I was slow tonight,” lamented the former champ in his dressing room, blaming his showing on a four month layoff. “Guess I needed a fight under my belt. I’d like to take him right back tomorrow.”
But most observers agreed that activity was not the reason for Canzoneri’s less-than-impressive performance.
“Youth licked Tony tonight,” declared former lightweight king Benny Leonard to the press. “After all, he’s been tossing leather for eleven years.”
Canzoneri and Ambers exchange jabs in the late going.
The new champion echoed that sentiment: “Tony beat me a year ago because he was too fast and experienced. Tonight he punched as hard as ever but he was terribly slow and I had no trouble hitting him. Of course I’ll give him another fight if he wants it, because I know he’ll never be the old Canzoneri again.”
And indeed “Canzi” took a bloody battering from McLarnin in his next outing and when he got another crack at Ambers in May of the following year, the result was an even more one-sided fifteen round win for “The Herkimer Hurricane.” Canzoneri was an all-time great, a legend, a fighter whose name and reputation would never be forgotten. But no one could deny: the glory days were fading fast.
A happy Ambers after his big win.
As for Ambers, he was, without a doubt, the best 135-pounder on the planet, the new king of the lightweight castle as Canzoneri, Ross and Petrolle all contemplated the sands of time and retirement. And indeed it would take a fighter as great as the immortal Henry Armstrong to get the better of him in 1938 and, after a grueling fifteen round war, relieve him of the title he had taken from “Canzi.” — Robert Portis
Tony Canzoneri knocks out Al Singer in the first round to win the World Lightweight Championship on November 14, 1930. The knockout occurred just 56 seconds into the fight at Madison Square Garden.
Tony Canzoneri in the cover of Ring magazine in July 1927. These old issues of Ring magazine can be pretty hard to come by and often go for steep prices.
Just heard the terrible news that Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton passed away. Sad news, he is one of my favorites, one of the most vicious and greatest body punchers in the history of the sport, and a real gladiator.
I like to call Ricky Hatton "The Mad Hatter", that's the nickname I made up for him, it's just a cool nickname. Anyway, this is Ricky Hatton vs Jose Luis Castillo in 2007, and Hatton catches Castillo with a body shot to the liver and Castillo goes to one knee and the pain from the body shot will not allow his body to physically rise and beat the count, it's a thing of beauty watching a great body puncher.
Comments
Canzoneri had many battles with all-time great legends, his first fight with Kid Chocolate in 1931 was a classic, one of the greatest fights of all-time, great mixture of technical boxing and a slugfest. Kid Chocolate is a legend in this sport as well, he was from Cuba, a really slick boxer who was also ahead of his time stylistically, Chocolate was the reigning Super Featherweight and Jr. Lightweight champion, decided to try and move up to fight Lightweight champ Tony Canzoneri. The fight ended in a SD win for Canzoneri, it was about as close a fight as one can get, with both fighters having their moments. Their second fight in 1933 didn't disappoint either, but Canzoneri wouldn't let this fight end up in the hands the judges, he ended matters quickly.
James P. Dawson of the New York Times wrote:
"Tony Canzoneri knocked out Kid Chocolate last night in the most spectacular lightweight battle in a local ring since the night Benny Leonard stopped Richie Mitchell... Before 13,000 wildly excited boxing followers in Madison Square Garden, Chocolate suffered his first knockout loss... A right hand punch finished him after 2 minutes 30 seconds of the second round. But more blood and thunder was crowded into that five and one half minutes than has been seen here in years."
Tony Canzoneri and Jimmy McLarnin "The Belfast Spider", one of the great rivalries of the 1930s. Of course Mclarnin is an all-time great as well, he was Irish and was a murderous puncher, he had many nicknames, he was called"The Irish Lullaby" because he could put people to sleep, he was also called "The Murderous Mick" because of his KO power. By the time they met, Canzoneri was on the decline, but he still managed to beat Mclarnin once, they fought twice, with both fighters winning a bout, so the series ended a 1-1 tie.
Oct. 5, 1936: Canzoneri vs McLarnin
October 5, 2024 Robert Portis
Tony Canzoneri vs Jimmy McLarnin. Two of the very best from one of boxing’s greatest decades, the 1930’s, the Depression years, that glorious time of Kid Chocolate, Barney Ross, Henry Armstrong and Joe Louis.
Only a year separated the two greats in age and by 1936 they were both grizzled, though still-formidable, veterans. But between May of that year, when the two gave fight fans a thrilling ten round battle, and the following October when they locked up a second time, something happened to Canzoneri. A gifted pugilist in his prime, with sharp reflexes, crafty moves and dangerous power in both fists, he suddenly didn’t have it anymore. His prime was gone for good.
Canzoneri vs McLarnin
Just the year before “Canzi” was still a force to be reckoned with, seemingly not that far removed from the form he had when he was regarded as clearly the finest boxer in the game with big wins over Jackie “Kid” Berg, Kid Chocolate and Billy Petrolle. In fact, less than two years prior he had dropped a pair of close, hard-fought decision battles to Barney Ross and then in May of ’35 he regained the lightweight crown from the always tough Lou Ambers.
Meanwhile McLarnin was coming off his own great series with Ross, a trilogy of superb fifteen round battles which saw “The Baby Faced Assassin” lose the first and third clashes, leaving McLarnin empty-handed in terms of title belts. Not in terms of money, though. All three matches had been huge events and McLarnin looked to only add more funds to his bulging bank account as he set to rumble with Canzoneri at Madison Square Garden twice in the same year, both matches scheduled for ten rounds.
Canzoneri battles Ambers.
The first Canzoneri vs McLarnin match was a terrific battle that only became more dramatic with each action-packed round. It was made further memorable due to a bizarre incident just before the opening bell. After receiving the referee’s instructions, Canzoneri turned and walked into the overhead microphone hard enough to leave him slightly dazed. Naturally McLarnin took advantage, battering Tony about the ring in the opening round, but after that, “The Dublin Dynamiter” was clearly out-classed as Canzoneri recovered and went on to out-box his rival with authority. Bouncing energetically about the ring and consistently beating McLarnin to the punch, the Italian-American showed the New York fans the kind of skills which had made him one of boxing’s truly great lightweight champions. He even tried for a knockout in the last two stanzas and the judges all gave Tony the win by scores of eight rounds to two.
The two veterans pose for the
cameras.
But as it turned out, that was Canzoneri’s last great performance. Four months later he defended his lightweight title against Ambers and he suddenly appeared aged beyond his years, dropping a one-sided points loss that saw “The Herkimer Hurricane” win almost every round. Afterwards, no less an expert than Benny Leonard judged Canzoneri finished as an elite fighting force. “Youth licked Tony tonight,” he told the press. “After all, he’s been tossing leather for eleven years.”
But Canzoneri was far from ready to pack it in. A month later, it was time for a rematch with McLarnin, but the second meeting of these two ring legends would be of a very different order from their first. The match in May had been a thrilling shoot-out with both men looking to land big shots, but McLarnin’s aggressiveness had given Canzoneri chances to counter and land solid blows.
Canzoneri vs McLarnin
This time McLarnin boxed conservatively behind his left jab and it proved a winning strategy. Canzoneri couldn’t get past the left hand of “The Belfast Spider” and in the later rounds he bore the wounds of war: a swollen and bleeding right eye and a split lip. He was such a gory sight that by the seventh round fans were calling for the match to be stopped, but the proud former champion survived to hear the final bell.
The decision went to McLarnin, who would compete just once more, winning a ten round non-title match against Ambers, before he walked away from boxing for good. But his adversary, despite the fact he just no longer had the spark that made him an all-time great, journeyed on, losing another bid for the world title against Ambers and then answering the bell twenty-two more times before Al “Bummy” Davis knocked him out with his powerful left hook and finally ended the amazing career of the one-and-only Tony Canzoneri. — Robert Portis
Tony Canzoneri and Lou Ambers, "The Herkimer Hurricane." If you're not familiar with Ambers, he's an all-time great, and he idolized Canzoneri, he was actually a sparring partner with Canzoneri at one point in time, so the two got to know eachother very well, personally and in the ring. It was quite the rivalry, a fighter going toe-to-toe with his idol.
Sept. 3, 1936: Ambers vs Canzoneri
September 3, 2025 Robert Portis
Tony Canzoneri was already a lock for the Hall of Fame, not to mention an all-time great lightweight when he entered Madison Square Garden in May of 1935 to face a fresh-faced Lou Ambers for the vacant championship of the world. The great Barney Ross had walked away from the 135 pound title to compete at welterweight and Ambers vs Canzoneri was the obvious pairing to decide the next champion. But “The Herkimer Hurricane” was five years younger and his elder had a lot of hard miles on those frail-looking legs; the wiseguys pegged Canzoneri as the underdog.
Canzoneri in his prime.
So imagine their surprise when it was Canzoneri, not Ambers, who came flying out of his corner at the opening bell, throwing lethal right hands. He scored two knockdowns in round three and after holding off a late-round charge from Ambers he heard the cheers as he was awarded a lop-sided points win and his fifth world title. Ambers had been Tony’s sparring partner not that long before, but he hadn’t yet learned enough to better his old mentor. The first Ambers vs Canzoneri tilt surprised many and appeared to prove that there was still plenty of life left in the veteran scrapper.
Little did anyone know at the time, but it would prove to be one of Canzoneri’s last great performances. While only twenty-six, he had competed in over 130 pro bouts, including some grueling battles with Ross, Benny Bass, Kid Chocolate, Frankie Klick, Billy Petrolle and many others. And in fact, between that first clash with Ambers and the second, Canzoneri answered the bell eleven times, all victories, but there were some punishing scraps along the way, including tough distance battles with Klick and Jimmy McLarnin. Meanwhile Ambers, with only fifty matches to his credit, was just getting started.
Lou Ambers
But the oddsmakers saw only Canzoneri’s hot streak of fourteen straight wins and his one-sided victory over Ambers the previous May, and decided it was now the man from Herkimer, New York who was the underdog. How wrong they were, as that night it was clear to a near-capacity crowd in Madison Square Garden that Canzoneri just didn’t have it anymore.
This time it was Ambers who seized the initiative early, shaking Tony with a hard one-two in the third round and by the fifth the champion was bleeding from the nose. In contrast to their first meeting, Canzoneri had great difficulty finding the target with his dangerous right, though he staged a rally in rounds nine and ten to stay in it. But the late going saw Ambers back in control and when the final decision in his favour was announced none disputed it. Ambers was clearly the sharper, fresher and more effective fighter.
Two all-time greats mix it up.
“I was slow tonight,” lamented the former champ in his dressing room, blaming his showing on a four month layoff. “Guess I needed a fight under my belt. I’d like to take him right back tomorrow.”
But most observers agreed that activity was not the reason for Canzoneri’s less-than-impressive performance.
“Youth licked Tony tonight,” declared former lightweight king Benny Leonard to the press. “After all, he’s been tossing leather for eleven years.”
Canzoneri and Ambers exchange jabs in the late going.
The new champion echoed that sentiment: “Tony beat me a year ago because he was too fast and experienced. Tonight he punched as hard as ever but he was terribly slow and I had no trouble hitting him. Of course I’ll give him another fight if he wants it, because I know he’ll never be the old Canzoneri again.”
And indeed “Canzi” took a bloody battering from McLarnin in his next outing and when he got another crack at Ambers in May of the following year, the result was an even more one-sided fifteen round win for “The Herkimer Hurricane.” Canzoneri was an all-time great, a legend, a fighter whose name and reputation would never be forgotten. But no one could deny: the glory days were fading fast.
A happy Ambers after his big win.
As for Ambers, he was, without a doubt, the best 135-pounder on the planet, the new king of the lightweight castle as Canzoneri, Ross and Petrolle all contemplated the sands of time and retirement. And indeed it would take a fighter as great as the immortal Henry Armstrong to get the better of him in 1938 and, after a grueling fifteen round war, relieve him of the title he had taken from “Canzi.” — Robert Portis
Time for a few photos of Canzoneri before we move on, this is a great shot of the knockout of Kid Chocolate.
Tony Canzoneri knocks out Al Singer in the first round to win the World Lightweight Championship on November 14, 1930. The knockout occurred just 56 seconds into the fight at Madison Square Garden.
Canzoneri knocks out Kid Berg.
Tony Canzoneri in the cover of Ring magazine in July 1927. These old issues of Ring magazine can be pretty hard to come by and often go for steep prices.
These are two of my favorite photos of Tony Canzoneri.
The legendary Tony Canzoneri.
Just heard the terrible news that Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton passed away. Sad news, he is one of my favorites, one of the most vicious and greatest body punchers in the history of the sport, and a real gladiator.
I like to call Ricky Hatton "The Mad Hatter", that's the nickname I made up for him, it's just a cool nickname. Anyway, this is Ricky Hatton vs Jose Luis Castillo in 2007, and Hatton catches Castillo with a body shot to the liver and Castillo goes to one knee and the pain from the body shot will not allow his body to physically rise and beat the count, it's a thing of beauty watching a great body puncher.