Tony Canzoneri

At age 23, Tony Canzoneri already had three division titles under his belt and was widely considered one of the pound-for-pound best fighters in the world. Holding victories over Johnny Dundee, Charles “Bud” Taylor, Benny Bass, Jack “Kid” Berg, Kid Chocolate, Billy Petrolle, Lou Ambers, and Jimmy McLarnin, Tony earned induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990, and later pursued a successful career in entertainment. This work chronicles Canzoneri’s life, starting from his birth and early rounds in the ring, with chapters detailing his wins, losses, championships and life as a father.

Mark Allen Baker, business executive and author of hundreds of articles and more than 25 books, is the only person to serve the International Boxing Hall of Fame as an author, historian, chairperson, sponsor, volunteer and biographer. He was accorded a Lifetime Award of Merit by the State University of New York in 2022, and inducted into the Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame in 2023.

Mark Allen Baker
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 234
Bibliographic Info: 50 photos, appendices, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2023
pISBN: 978-1-4766-8963-0
eISBN: 978-1-4766-4970-2
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments ix
Preface 1
Introduction: The Ring Prowess of Anthony Canzoneri 3
One. Birth of a Champion 7
Two. Early Rounds, 1925–1926 21
Three. Breakout, 1927 35
Four. Confirmation, 1928–1929 48
Five. The Depression, 1930 66
Six. Undeniable, 1931 76
Seven. Bring It, 1932 88
Eight. A Rocky Road, 1933 100
Nine. A Legend Secured, 1934 113
Ten. Another Lightweight Championship, 1935 122
Eleven. In Defense of the Lightweight Championship, 1936 135
Twelve. Fatherhood, 1937–1938 149
Thirteen. The Final Rounds, 1939 161
Fourteen. Retirement, 1940–1949 172
Fifteen. The Last Years, 1950–1959 182
Appendix A—Tony Canzoneri Fight Record 195
Appendix B—Official Records of Associated Members of the International Boxing Hall of Fame 211
Chapter Notes 213
Bibliography 219
Index 221

“If you are a boxing fan who yearns to learn something new and enjoy stories of fistic history, this is the book to read. It will also make a great birthday, Hanukkah, or Christmas present.”—The USA Boxing News