Izzy Jannazzo

Isadoro Anthony "Izzy" Jannazzo (January 31, 1915 – June 18, 1995) was an American professional boxer who challenged Barney Ross for the NYSAC, NBA, and The Ring magazine world welterweight championship in November 1936, and took the Maryland version of the World Welterweight Championship in October 1940.

Isadoro Jannazzo was born on January 31, 1915, in Ensley, Alabama to poor Sicilian Italian parents Francesca and Anthony Jannazzo.

He would become part of a family of six, which included a sister Bernice and brothers Vincent and Sam and would live in his hometown until roughly the age of seventeen.

He may have boxed in as many as one hundred amateur bouts, and once contended for a state bantamweight championship around the age of fourteen.

After his family's move to New York around 1932, his mother died, causing him to shoulder additional financial responsibility for the support of his family.

Fighting in the New York City area, primarily Brooklyn or the Bronx between December 6, 1932, and January 13, 1934, he won nine of nineteen fights, losing six and drawing three times.

He was not considered a power hitter yet won 65 of 126 bouts, though scoring only 8 knockouts.

Jadick had previously taken the World Light Welterweight Championship on March 18, 1932, against Tony Canzoneri.

Rossi was another well rated New York welterweight who had previously beaten Jannazzo in six rounds on September 30, 1933, in Brooklyn.

He would draw with Rossi in a six-round Brooklyn bout shortly after.

On April 21, 1934, he defeated Murray Brandt in a six-round points decision at Ridgewood Grove in Brooklyn.

He had formerly lost to Brandt in a six-round decision.

On May 31, 1934, he defeated Stanislaus Loayza in a six-round points decision at Fort Hamilton Arena in Brooklyn, New York.

On November 17, 1934, he defeated Joe Rossi at the Ridgewood Grove in Brooklyn, New York in a six-round points decision.

Stanislaus would contend for the NYSE World Lightweight Title in July 1935 against Jimmy Goodrich and was well known in his native Chile.

On January 7, 1935, he defeated Tony Falco at the St. Nicholas Arena in New York in a ten-round points decision.

Jannazzo, with a reach advantage landed effective rights in the first, had an even second, and fought fiercely and evenly in the third and fourth.

Jannazzo took the fifth with clean rights to the body and face while eluding Falco.

Falco took the sixth using both hands, but Jannazzo may have taken the eighth with two stiff rights to the head of Falco near the end of the round.

Jannazzo may have taken the ninth with lefts to the face of Falco, though the tenth was even with both boxers too exhausted to land stiff blows.

At 145 pounds, Jannazzo fought Jackie Davis twice on January 26, and February 16, in eight round points decisions at Ridgewood Grove in Brooklyn, losing the first, but winning the second.

Jannazzo had roughly a four-pound weight advantage in each bout.

On March 2, 1935, he lost to Kid Azteca at the Arena Nacional in Mexico City in a ten-round points decision.

In 1936, Azteca, Mexico City born, would take and hold the Mexican Welterweight title and fight in five separate decades in his native land.

On May 4, 1936, Jannazzo, at 145 1/2, scored a small upset defeating top NYSE welterweight contender Billy Celebron at the St. Nicholas Arena in New York in a ten-round points decision.

According to the United Press, Celebron won only three rounds with the fourth and seventh even.

On July 6, 1936, fighting at 145 1/2, he knocked out Steve Halaiko in the fourth of six rounds at the Dexter Park arena in Queens.

At 145 1/4 pounds, on July 22, 1936, he defeated former champion Johnny Jadick, in a ten-round points decision at the Dykman Oval in Manhattan.

In a decisive win, Jannazzo put Jadick on the canvas in the first, fourth and sixth rounds.

The fight was a benefit for the United Palestine Appeal.

On October 30, 1936, he fought an important fifteen-round draw with Ceferino Garcia before a crowd of 5640 at New York's Madison Square Garden.

In a fairly close bout, the Associated Press gave eight rounds to Garcia, six to Jannazzo, and one even.

Jannazzo, a powerful hitter who had once floored Barney Ross, was thrown off in his attack by the scientific defense of Jannazzo, who was able to throw Garcia off balance from his attacks with his jabbing.

In 1937, he fought national welterweight champions before large crowds in Australia and Germany.

In 1940, he was listed as the world's top welterweight contender by some sources.

His managers were Guy Anselmi and Chris Dundee.

In 1941, Izzy married Francesca "Frances" Tombrello, who was five years his junior.

Francesca's family, who had also lived in Ensley, Alabama, where she was born, had been friends of his family for many years.

Francesca and her family moved to New York shortly after his.

Izzy and his wife would settle on Troutman Street in Brooklyn, New York, in attached buildings near other family members.