Joe Baksi

Joe Baksi (January 14, 1922 – August 6, 1977) was a top heavyweight contender who defeated fighters such as Tami Mauriello, Lee Savold, Lou Nova, and Freddie Mills, while losing decisions to Jersey Joe Walcott and Ezzard Charles.

Joe Baksi was a child of the Kulpmont, Pennsylvania coal mines.

His parents was of Slovak descent.

He was quoted as saying that he never had any intention of being a boxer, but he saw it "as a ticket to a better way of life, out of the coal mines."

He broke into professional boxing in 1940 at the age of 18.

He beat nine boxers that year, including the future movie actor Jack Palance (who fought under the name of Jack Brazzo) at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, New York.

Baksi campaigned over the boxing circuit for a number of years, until he got his first big match with Tami Mauriello on February 25, 1944 at Madison Square Garden.

Mauriello was the 5-11 favorite, and the bronx contender for the Heavyweight crown.

Mauriello was expected to win, based on his experience.

Baski hoped to win by matching punch with punch and using his 210 vs. 196 lb weight advantage to his favor.

Tami was floored late in the first round with a left hook by Baksi, and was down for a nine count.

Tami faced a battering and battled back to prevent his first knockout defeat.

Baksi won by unanimous decision.

Baksi's upset over Tami sprang him to nationwide prominence.

He was the favorite to beat Lee Savold two weeks later at the Garden, having the weight advantage and coming off his victory over Mauriello (who had beaten Savold twice before).

But Baksi was a tyro compared to Savold.

Baksi got off to a slow start, and though he showed advantage in the ninth and tenth rounds Savold boxed his way with left hooks and jabs to win a split decision that night.

They had a rematch on March 10, 1944.

This time, Savold was the 5-7 favorite.

Baksi was in better shape that night, and fought a careful fight, out "left-handing" Savold, who was thought to have the best southpaw amongst the heavyweight contenders.

At the finish Savold's left eye was cut, his nose and mouth bleeding, and his left side looked like raw hamburger.

Baksi's only wound was a broken nose.

He won a unanimous decision.

His victory advanced him to be ranked 4th in the N.B.A rankings, behind champion Joe Louis, and boxers Billy Conn and Jimmy Bivins.

Baksi went on to beat Savold again on August 7, 1944.

In his next fight, Baksi defeated Finnish boxer Gunnar Baerlund (GeeBee) and then scheduled a fight with his former sparring partner Lee Oma on January 28, 1945.

Oma, unknown six months previously, gained fame by putting up a spirited fight against Mauriello in September.

Oma lost that fight but earned a rematch in December, which he won.

Still, Baksi was a 1-3 favorite to beat Oma.

He had a 25-pound advantage over Oma, and corresponding advantages in height, reach, and punching power.

But he lacked mental alertness that night, having suffered a cold over the last several days before the fight.

He made a late comeback in the fight, but lost the fight by a unanimous decision.

Baksi went on to win a unanimous decision against Lou Nova on March 30, flooring Nova in the fourth round with a left hook to the ribs that kept Nova down for a count of nine.

Baksi was now the second ranked (wartime) heavyweight.

He scored easy decisions against Lee Dixie Oliver and Larry Lane, and then fought a thirty-one-year-old Jersey Joe Walcott.

Walcott had lost earlier bouts with world-class professionals, and was an underdog against Baksi.

But Walcott won, scoring 6-3-1 on the single referees scorecard.

Walcott's dancing and dodging allowed him to escape Baksi's reach, and he was able to get in enough hooks to make Baksi groggy.

Baksi lost his next fight with Jimmy Bell (a split decision in which Baksi was penalized two rounds for a low blow), but then racked up four easy wins before traveling to Europe.

Baksi left for Europe on October 9, 1946 to fight the two British champions.