Tippy Larkin

Tippy Larkin (November 11, 1917 – December 10, 1991), born Antonio Pilliteri, was an American boxer from New Jersey who took the world light-welterweight boxing championship on April 29, 1946, in a twelve-round unanimous decision against Willie Joyce in Boston.

Larkin was born on December 11, 1917, to a family of Italian heritage, in Garfield, New Jersey.

He took the name Tippy from the initials for his real name Antonio Pilliteri, or Tony Pilliteri.

He got the name Larkin from his older brother Frank who had boxed as Bobby Larkin.

In 1934, at the age of seventeen, the young Larkin went off to work for a camp of the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) during America's great depression, and soon helped to start inter-camp boxing matches with his co-workers.

According to the legend he scored nine straight knockouts in these first amateur bouts.

From 1935 to 1946, Larkin's record was 114–9.

He had Angelo Pucci as manager throughout his career, and during the nineteen bouts he had at Madison Square Garden.

Between March 1935 and October 1936, he won twenty-nine straight fights, many by knockout.

His winning record throughout his early career was remarkable.

By December 19, 1938, Larkin was rated sixth in the World among American Lightweights, with Henry Armstrong as Champion and Lou Ambers rated first.

Losing to Armstrong was no disgrace, as the great champion Barney Ross discovered in his career ending bout with Armstrong in May 1938.

Demonstrating he was not invincible, on March 8, 1940, Texan Lew Jenkins knocked him out in the first round at Madison Square Garden.

Jenkins was considered a knockout specialist.

"Tearing out with the bell, the slugger from the Southwest (Jenkins) took command immediately. He threw both fists without a stop, finally connecting with a series of solid lefts and rights and Larkin dropped in his corner."

After an eight-month lay off to recover from an illness, Larkin stopped Joey Silva on March 13, 1941, in a fourth-round technical knockout in Jersey City, New Jersey.

The bout was stopped at 1:49 into the fourth round by the referee because of a cut near Silva's eye.

In the spring of 1942, Larkin shot himself in the shoulder while cleaning his 22 rifle at home.

He fought only once between February and May of that year, but was not badly injured and resumed his boxing career with considerable success by June.

In a ramp up to the NYSAC Lightweight Championship, on October 26, 1942, Larkin knocked out Abe Denner in 2:53 of the second round at Laurel Garden in New Jersey.

Denner had been down for a count of eight in the second round, before the knockout.

Larkin weighed 137 for the bout, actually two pounds over the lightweight limit.

On December 18, 1942, he fought Beau Jack for the New York State Athletic Commission's World Lightweight Title, losing in a third-round knockout at Madison Square Garden.

The bout was the first in an elimination tournament for the Lightweight Championship staged by the NYAC, after Sammy Angott had vacated the title.

Larkin was knocked out by a right from Jack Near a neutral corner in one minute and nineteen seconds of the third round, but had gone down for a one count in the first round.

The fighting was fierce with many punches connecting, and few pauses from the constant punching by both opponents.

Both boxers weighed between 133-34, in the lightweight range.

A large crowd of 18,817 were on hand to see the bout at the Garden.

On March 9, 1943, he lost to former triple World Champion Henry Armstrong in a second-round knockout before a crowd of 8,000 in Civic Auditorium in San Francisco.

Armstrong was attempting a comeback and had formerly held the record for the most consecutive defenses of the World Welterweight Title.

Though Armstrong was a strong draw in his native state, the Light Welterweight division was not.

Armstrong knocked out Larkin in one minute and nine seconds of the second round.

Both boxers were weighed in at the light welterweight range of around 140 pounds.

On November 15, 1943, Larkin gained a ten-round points decision over Rhode Island native Al Costa, in Providence, Rhode Island, giving "an almost perfect exhibition of boxing skill".

Costa was considered a competent welterweight.

Larkin was already boxing at 142 pounds, well into the welterweight range.

On December 10, 1943, Larkin knocked out "Doll" Rafferty halfway through the second round of a scheduled ten round bout at the Mechanic's Building in Boston.

Larkin's weight was 136, near the top of the lightweight limit.

Rafferty was down twice, once for a count of nine, before the blow which put him on the canvas for the count of ten.

On January 14, 1944, Larkin fought a rough ten-round draw against Bobby Ruffin at Madision Square Garden.