Julie Kogon

Julie Kogon (1918–1986) was an American lightweight boxer and world title contender from New Haven, Connecticut.

Kogon was born to Jewish parents on April 4, 1918, to what would become a struggling family of five boys and five girls.

He grew up on New Haven, Connecticut's Portsea Street.

Earning a great deal of boxing experience as an amateur, Kogon amassed an exceptional 85-2 record.

Beginning his professional career in 1937, he was one of several Jewish boxers to wear the six pointed Star of David on his boxing trunks below his initials throughout his career.

On June 6, 1939, he decisively defeated Tony Marteliano in a technical knockout in 1:10 of the fourth of an eight-round bout in Queens, New York.

In Marteliano's first 37 fights, often with top competitors, Kogon was the first to achieve a knockout or even win a decision.

He came extremely close to becoming the New York State Boxing Commission's World Featherweight Championship when he defeated reigning champion Petey Scalzo in October 1940, placing him as one of the top ten or better contenders for two weight classes in a seven-year period.

In the 1940s, he defeated both the European and Italian lightweight champion.

Most exceptional was his losing only once by knockout in 142 bouts.

Though religious symbols were later banned from boxer's sportswear, in the troubled world climate of the early 1940s Jewish boxers wearing the Star of David represented strength and the survival of their heritage to many of their Jewish fans.

Some boxing analysts compared his vertical stance, with little crouching, to the great New York Jewish lightweight champion Benny Leonard who was also an idol of many Jewish fans.

Kogon quickly earned an enthusiastic following in New Haven, and at one time appeared in 70 fights in the city, many to packed or full houses.

Kogon went undefeated in his first 22 fights, with 17 wins, with 0 losses, 4 draws, and 1 no contest.

In a stunning upset, on October 4, 1940, he bested Petey Scalzo, reigning New York State Boxing Commission's World Featherweight Champion, in an eight-round points decision at Madison Square Garden.

Scalzo was down in both the sixth and seventh rounds.

Though both fighters fought under 131 pounds, very close to the featherweight range, Kogon was never recognized as a world featherweight championship, as he was a pound or two overweight.

On January 21, 1941, Kogon lost to the 1938 European lightweight champion, Italian boxer Aldo Spoldi, in an exciting and hard fought contest, at the arena in New Haven in a ten-round points decision.

There were no knockdowns and according to the referee, Spoldi took six rounds, and Kogon three.

Though Kogon performed well in the first three rounds, he tired in the fourth, fifth, and sixth, while Spoldi piled on points causing Kogon to clinch and hold.

To the rising excitement of the crowd of 3000, Spoldi closed the contest in the final rounds by scoring frequently with left jabs and hooks.

In the five weeks from October 5 to November 15, of 1943, Kogon won five consecutive fights by knockout.

Shortly after, the manager of the reigning New York World lightweight champion Beau Jack, Chick Wergeles, turned down an offer of 10,000 from promoter John Attell, for Jack to defend his championship against Kogon in his hometown of New London.

Though Wergeles said he turned it down because he could get far more if the fight took place in New York, it seems equally likely he feared risking Jack's lightweight title after he watched Kogon complete his fifth consecutive knockout against Buster Beaupre in New Haven that December.

Kogon was ranked by Nat Fleischer's Ring boxing magazine as the tenth best lightweight in the world for July 1944 and later won the Connecticut Lightweight Championship in January 1947.

Before a record crowd of 7,751 on June 6, 1944, he fought the legendary featherweight Willie Pep in an extraordinary bout in Hartford, Connecticut, though he lost in an eight-round decision.

Pep was given eight rounds by one of the judges.

On July 20, 1944, Kogon faced the great black 1946 NBA New York world lightweight champion Ike Williams before a sizable crowd of 6,500 at Madison Square Garden, and lost in a ten-round unanimous decision.

Some boxing analysts faulted Kogon for gaining an advantage over an injured Williams in the sixth and seventh but not adequately following up.

When Kogon landed a right on Williams in the sixth after breaking from a clutch, he stepped back instead of following his advantage and in the seventh when he again landed some effective rights, he again stepped back.

Kogon had a two-pound advantage in weight, but a two-inch disadvantage in height, which may have played a greater role in his cautious self-defense, or he may have simply appreciated the extraordinary skill of the future world lightweight champion.

In the remaining rounds, Williams did most of the punching and gained an advantage in points.

In the tenth and final round, Kogon grabbed Williams by the waist after receiving a blow and moved him across the ring, finally landing on top of him as both boxers tripped on the ropes.

The referee completed a count of six before the boxers were back on their feet.

The judges sided more strongly with Williams giving no more than two rounds to Kogon.

On January 6, 1947, Kogon captured the New England lightweight title when he won a twelve-round points decision from Pat Demers at the Arena in New Haven before his loyal hometown audience who were thrilled with the decision.

Both men weighed in as lightweights at 135.

In front of 5000 fans on March 17, 1947, LuLu Constantino lost decisively to Kogon at his most common venue, the Arena in New Haven in a ten-round points decision.

Kogon won with effective counter-punching, giving him nine of the ten rounds according to the referee's scoring.

He had an exceptional night and capped his fifth consecutive victory.