Joe Dundee
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Salvatore Lazzara (August 6, 1903 – March 31, 1982), better known by his boxing alias Joe Dundee, was an American boxer.
CyberBoxingZone.com Retrieved on 2014-04-30
He was the brother of
Middleweight Middleweight is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing Professional In professional boxing, the middleweight division is contested above and up to . Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have beg ...
Champion
Vince Dundee Vince Dundee (October 22, 1907 – July 27, 1949), born Vincenzo Lazzara in Sicily, became the New York State Athletic Commission world middleweight champion when he defeated reigning champion Lou Brouillard on October 30, 1933. His title was a ...
. During his career, he was recognized as the Undisputed World Welterweight Champion from 1927-9. Dundee's managers included Max Waxman, and Charles Johnston, and his trainer was Heinie Blaustein. He was the older brother of former middleweight world champion of boxing,
Vince Dundee Vince Dundee (October 22, 1907 – July 27, 1949), born Vincenzo Lazzara in Sicily, became the New York State Athletic Commission world middleweight champion when he defeated reigning champion Lou Brouillard on October 30, 1933. His title was a ...
.


Early life and career

Dundee was born Salvatore Lazzara in
Palermo Palermo ( ; ; , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan province. The ...
,
Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...
,
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
on August 16, 1903. He was tutored at St. Mary's Industrial School in
Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...
, where his family moved when he was a young boy. Dundee began professional boxing in 1919 in Baltimore, In an important early career loss, Dundee was disqualified in a match with former world
bantamweight Bantamweight is a weight class in combat sports and weightlifting. For boxing, the range is above and up to . In kickboxing, a bantamweight fighter generally weighs between . In mixed martial arts, MMA, bantamweight is . The name for the class ...
champion
Kid Williams John Gutenko (December 1, 1893 – October 18, 1963) was an Austria Hungary, Austro-Hungarian-born American boxer of Danish Americans, Danish, Ukrainian Americans, Ukrainian and Polish Americans, Polish heritage who fought under the name Kid Will ...
on September 4, 1922, in Baltimore,
Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...
. Williams was leading by a large margin when the bout was called, excelling in the infighting, and landing nearly every blow imaginable against Dundee. Nearly a month later, Dundee married Johanna Kozojet at St. Wenceslaus Church. One of his most noteworthy bouts was a ten round draw by decision with Lew Tendler before 10,000 on July 16, 1925, at Pennsylvania's Shibe Park. In a close and furiously fought bout in the rain, Dundee caught Tendler off balance in the ninth with a
left hook A hook is a punch in boxing. It is performed by turning the core muscles and back, thereby swinging the arm, which is bent at an angle near or at 90 degrees, in a horizontal arc into the opponent. A hook is usually aimed at the jaw, but it ca ...
, and he fell briefly to his hands. Dundee frequently fought on offense against Tendler, staggering him at times with a stunning right. The skilled ring veteran Tendler was forced to clinch at times. Tommy Freeman fell to Dundee on March 1, 1926, in a fifth round technical knockout at
Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as the Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh and Eighth Avenue (Manhattan), Eig ...
, furthering Dundee's rise to the top of the welterweight ranks. He defeated Jewish Brooklyn-based boxer George Levine in a ten round points decision at Madison Square Garden on May 8, 1926. The fight was action packed from the beginning, though there were no knockdowns. Levine scored well and kept Dundee at a distance with a left jab in the first four rounds, while Dundee went to the body in the fifth with his right and wore down his opponent in the remaining rounds. Reporters recognized Dundee as a top two contender for the welterweight title and ''Self Defense'' magazine rated Levine in the top ten for welterweights that year. Dundee decisively defeated former world welterweight champion Mickey Walker on June 24, 1926, in an eighth round technical knockout before 15,000 at New York's Madison Square Garden. Walker was battered throughout the bout, and was able to lead the only in the first, which he may have won on points. Dundee aimed frequently at an injured eye, which Walker had gotten in training prior to the match. The referee stopped the bout 2:53 into the eighth when bleeding from Walker's injured eye and the battering he had taken made it impossible for him to continue. The win against Walker spotlighted Dundee's ascension to the top ranks of welterweight contenders. In an important early career win, Dundee defeated
Jack Zivic John A. Zivic (June 23, 1903 – May 22, 1973) was an American boxer who competed in the featherweight class in the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp. He was a serious contender for the world lightweight championship in 1924, but was defeated ...
in a ten round points decision on October 15, 1926, before a crowd of 12,000 at Madison Square Garden. Dundee was given seven rounds, with two to Zivic, and one even. Dundee boxed carefully against a well known opponent, delivering hard rights to the body, and left hooks to the jaw. He fought through the frequent clinches of Zivic, and fought in close when necessary on the breaks. Eddie Roberts fell to Dundee in a decisive ten round unanimous decision on January 14, 1927, before a crowd of 18,000 at Madison Square Garden. Roberts took frequent blows to the body that exhausted him, and helped give Dundee an edge. Dundee was down briefly in the fourth from a right cross and may have been close to a knockout, but recovered and fought back gamely in the remaining rounds. The Associated Press gave Dundee eight rounds and Roberts two. In a previous match on December 4, 1926, Dundee lost in a first round
technical knockout A knockout (abbreviated to KO or K.O.) is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, karate, some forms of taekwondo and other sports involving striking, a ...
to Roberts after he was floored four times in the first.


Taking the world welterweight title, June, 1927

Dundee defeated
Pete Latzo Pete Latzo (born August 1, 1902 – July 7, 1968) was an American Boxing, boxer, who held the list of undisputed world boxing champions#Welterweight, Undisputed World Welterweight Championship from 1926 to 1927. Boxing career highlights Lat ...
for the world welterweight title on June 3, 1927, at New York's
Polo Grounds The Polo Grounds was the name of three stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used mainly for professional baseball and American football from 1880 to 1963. The original Polo Grounds, opened in 1876 and demolished in 1889, was built for the ...
, winning in a fifteen round majority decision before one of his largest audiences, an impressive crowd of 30,000. In a fairly decisive win, the Associated Press gave Dundee ten of the fifteen rounds, building his largest points margin in the later rounds. Latzo started strong, looking best in the first, second, fourth, and twelfth, but took brutal body punishment, particularly to the kidneys, through much of the bout. By the tenth, gaining confidence and sensing victory, Dundee went to Latzo's head as well as his body with greater frequency. Several reporters attributed Latzo's lack of endurance in the later rounds to his difficulty making the 147 pound welterweight limit. Dundee fought a peculiar bout with former world light welterweight champion
Pinky Mitchell Pinky Mitchell was an American boxer who became the first champion in the light welterweight division by receiving the most votes by ballot on November 15, 1922. He held the title until 1926. In his impressive career he fought Oakland Jimmy Duff ...
on August 11, 1927, in
Milwaukee Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
that was declared a No Contest, and discontinued in the sixth round for stalling. The
Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...
Boxing Commission barred both boxers from competing in their state until January 1, 1928. Though warned against the continuous holding and clinching for five rounds, both competitors persisted until the referee ended the contest before a booing crowd of 5,000. What little fighting there was appeared to leave the fighters on even terms. Dundee lost to future welterweight champion Jack Thompson on August 30, 1928, in a second round technical knockout at
Comiskey Park Comiskey Park was a ballpark in Chicago, Illinois, located in the Armour Square neighborhood on the near-south side of the city. The stadium served as the home of the Chicago White Sox of the American League from 1910 through 1990. Built by Wh ...
in
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
. Though the first appeared even, in the second, Dundee was down first for a count of nine from a right cross, and again for a nine count from a flurry of punches before the referee stopped the bout. Thompson would have taken the title due to the knockout, but for a weight discrepancy during the
weigh-in In boxing, a weight class is a measurement weight range for boxers. The lower limit of a weight class is equal to the upper weight limit of the class below it. The top class, with no upper limit, is called heavyweight in professional boxing an ...
, which removed the bout from title contention.


Loss of the world welterweight title, July, 1929

On March 21, 1929, Dundee was stripped of his NBA world welterweight title for refusing to fight top contenders Jack Thompson or Jackie Fields. He was not considered to have fully lost the title until his bout with Jackie Fields. On July 25, 1929, Dundee faced
Jackie Fields Jackie Fields (Jacob Finkelstein, February 9, 1908 – June 3, 1987) was an American professional boxer who won the Undisputed Welterweight Championship twice. Statistical boxing website BoxRec lists Fields as the #19 ranked welterweight of all ...
before a crowd of 25,000 in a unifying match for the welterweight championship in
Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
, and a chance to reclaim his title. Fields was awarded the fight in the second round after Dundee, having been knocked down four times, delivered a foul blow while still down which left put fields down on the mat in pain, and incapable of continuing the fight. Dundee claimed that the foul was unintentional but some boxing historians has since speculated otherwise, even considering it part of a fix. Fields stated he believed Dundee, but noted that it was the only bout he had ever won on a foul. The win gave Fields unified recognition as world welterweight champion.Silver, Mike (2016). ''Stars of the Ring'', Published by Rowman and Littlefield, Los Angeles, pps. 151-53.Joe Dundee's Professional Boxing Record
BoxRec.com. Retrieved on 2014-05-18.


Taking the Mexican welterweight title, October, 1929

Dundee defeated Bert Colima on October 13, 1929, for the Mexican welterweight title in a ten round points decision in
Mexico City Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...
before an exceptional crowd of 20,000. Dundee was down for a count of nine in the second, and Colima was down twice in the sixth, once for a count of eight. Dundee dominated the later rounds, but could not find a knockout punch. In one of his last career fights on May 28, 1930, Dundee decisively defeated British
lightweight Lightweight is a weight class in combat sports and rowing (sport), rowing. Boxing Professional boxing The lightweight division is over 130 pounds (59 kilograms) and up to 135 pounds (61.2 kilograms) boxing weight classes, weight class in the spor ...
champion Harry Mason in a ten round points decision at Madison Square Garden before a modest crowd of 5,000. Though Dundee appeared close to being knocked out in the first round, he rallied in the remaining rounds to gain the decision from Mason. After retiring from boxing around 1931, Dundee worked as a
bartender A bartender (also known as a barkeep or barman or barmaid or a mixologist) is a person who formulates and serves alcoholic or soft drink beverages behind the Bar (establishment), bar, usually in a licensed bar (establishment), establishment as ...
in Baltimore in a
tavern A tavern is a type of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and be served food such as different types of roast meats and cheese, and (mostly historically) where travelers would receive lodging. An inn is a tavern that ...
in which he had partial ownership."Joe Dundee Dead At 78; Ex-welter Boxing Champ", ''Baltimore Sun'', Baltimore, Maryland, pg. 55, 1 April 1982 Dundee was inducted into the Maryland State Athletic Hall of Fame in 1959.Maryland State Athletic Hall of Fame - Joe Dundee
MDSAHOF.org Retrieved on 2014-04-30
He died on March 31, 1982, at Manor Care Townson Nursing Home in Baltimore, and was buried in The Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery."Death Announcements, Lazzara, ''The Evening Sun'', Baltimore, Maryland, pg. 43, 1 April 1982 He left a wife, Johanna, and three sons.


Professional boxing record

All information in this section is derived from
BoxRec BoxRec or boxrec.com is a website dedicated to holding updated records of professional and amateur boxers, both male and female. It also maintains a MediaWiki-based encyclopedia of boxing. The objective of the site is to document every profess ...
, unless otherwise stated.


Official record

All
newspaper decision A newspaper decision was a type of decision in professional boxing. It was rendered by a consensus of sportswriters attending a bout after it had ended inconclusively with a " no decision", as many regions had not adopted the National Sporting Club ...
s are officially regarded as “no decision” bouts and are not counted in the win/loss/draw column.


Unofficial record

Record with the inclusion of
newspaper decision A newspaper decision was a type of decision in professional boxing. It was rendered by a consensus of sportswriters attending a bout after it had ended inconclusively with a " no decision", as many regions had not adopted the National Sporting Club ...
s to the win/loss/draw column.


Titles in boxing


Major world titles

*
NYSAC The New York State Athletic Commission or NYSAC, also known as the New York Athletic Commission, is a division of the New York State Department of State which regulates all contests and exhibitions of unarmed combat within the state of New York, ...
welterweight Welterweight is a weight class in combat sports. Originally the term ''welterweight'' was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like muay Thai, taekwondo, and mixed martial arts also use it for their own weight division system to classify th ...
champion (147 lbs) * NBA (WBA) welterweight champion (147 lbs)


''The Ring'' magazine titles

* ''The Ring'' welterweight champion (147 lbs)


Regional/International titles

*
Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
welterweight champion (147 lbs)


Undisputed titles

* Undisputed welterweight champion


See also

*
List of welterweight boxing champions Beginning with Mysterious Billy Smith to Harry Lewis, the welterweight world champions listed below are more widely recognized in the United States and are not as widely sanctioned as the boxers that follow. Beginning with boxer Pat Bradley, is a ...


References


External links

* * https://boxrec.com/media/index.php/The_Ring_Magazine%27s_Annual_Ratings:_Welterweight--1920s , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Dundee, Joe 1903 births 1982 deaths Italian emigrants to the United States Welterweight boxers World welterweight boxing champions American male boxers Sportspeople from Palermo Boxers from Baltimore 20th-century American sportsmen