Johnny Jadick

John J. Jadick, better known as Johnny Jadick (June 16, 1908 – April 3, 1970) was an American light welterweight boxer and the NBA light welterweight world champion in 1932.

John Jadick was born on June 16, 1908, in the Kensington section of Philadelphia where he spent most of his life.

Between July 1923, and March 1927, he won 42 of 45 fights, with only two losses and one draw.

In his early career in Philadelphia, Jadick was often managed and promoted by Johhny Burns, particularly when he fought at the Cambria Athletic Club, where Burns worked.

Jadick once admitted he patterned his style of boxing from Tommy Loughran, a famous Philadelphian light heavyweight champion, also managed briefly by Burns in his early career.

Jadick was quite tall for a lightweight at 5' 8", which gave him an advantage in defending blows, though he lacked the power of some stockier competitors.

One of his first professional victories came in 1925, when he defeated Harry Decker in an eight-round decision.

Jadick may have been outclassed by Kaplan, who had formerly taken the Featherweight Championship of the World in January 1925.

In their two subsequent meetings, Nebo won in a close eight-round newspaper decision on May 6, 1927, in Camden, New Jersey, and March 12, 1928, in a ten-round points decision at the Arena in Philadelphia.

On March 12, 1928, Jadick lost to Pete Nebo in a ten-round points decision at the Arena in Philadelphia.

Both fought in the featherweight range of 126 pounds.

Nebo won from hard, accurate blows at close quarters and when coming out of clinches.

Having only a two-inch disadvantage in reach, he was able to maneuver effectively during the infighting to score points.

He defeated English-born Jewish lightweight boxing great Al Foreman on May 21, 1928, in an eight-round points decision at the Polo Grounds in New York.

One of Jadick's better known opponents, Foreman would take the Canadian, British Empire, and British Board of Control (BBOC) World Lightweight Championships during his career.

On August 8, 1928, Jadick lost to Dick "Honeyboy" Finnegan, considered a serious Jr. Lightweight contender, at Braves Field in Boston, Massachusetts, in a ten-round points decision.

Finnegan won an easy victory by exhibiting more speed than Jadick.

He won six of the rounds, with Jadick winning only one, and three even.

Jadick had defeated Finnegan two months earlier fighting in the lightweight range in a ten-round points decision in his hometown at Shibe Park in Philadelphia before an enormous crowd of 18,000.

Jadick built up a lead, taking the first two rounds, but sagged a bit in the middle rounds, hampered somewhat by the wet footing caused by the pouring rain in the outdoor arena.

Jadick had enough left to take the decision in the late rounds when the footing in the arena began to dry.

The verdict for Jadick, however, was surprisingly unpopular with the home crowd.

Finnegan was a competent southpaw who had taken both an Army and Navy and New England Lightweight title earlier in his career.

On December 7, 1928, Jadick defeated talented black boxer Bruce Flowers at Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, in a ten-round points decision.

Although Flowers seemed to have an edge in the first part of the bout, Jadick won the decision with a strong comeback in the subsequent rounds.

On January 11, 1929, Jadick faced a seventh round disqualification for holding against Jewish great Louis "Kid" Kaplan at the Boston Garden.

On November 25, 1929, Jadick defeated Henry Tuttle, known as King Tut, a noted Minneapolis lightweight, in an important eighth round Technical Knockout.

Tuttle had hopes of competing for the World Lightweight Championship.

Their feature match in Philadelphia before a crowd of 7,000, catapulted Jadick to greater recognition, at least among regional boxing fans and officials.

Tut did not return to the ring in the eighth round because of a badly injured eye.

Jadick had injured Tut's eye early in the bout, and as a result had won several of the succeeding rounds, until Tut appeared to rally in the fifth and sixth.

Between the sixth and seventh rounds, the ring physician ordered an end to the bout after examining Tut.

Jadick was two pounds lighter than Tut at 134, putting them both near the light welterweight minimum of 135.

One year later, Jadick defeated Tut again on October 4, 1930, in a ten-round points decision in Milwaukee, dashing Tuttle's hopes of becoming a lightweight contender.

On December 8, 1930, at 132 pounds, Jadick first met exceptional boxer Benny Bass, in a non-title fight, losing in a close ten round unanimous points decision at the Arena in Philadelphia.

In September 1932, the NBA decided not to recognize junior divisions.

Jadick continued to reign as the world light welterweight champion until February 1933 when he was defeated by Battling Shaw for the championship which had been continually recognized by the Louisiana State boxing commission.

He was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Though not an exceptionally strong puncher, he had great speed, and an effective left jab.

He was managed by Tommy White, and trained by Joe Ferguson.