Tony Canzoneri - P4P All Time?

[GrandMaster_T]

I have heard about Tony Canzoneri here in there but never really knew a lot about the man. I recently read an article on him which encouraged me to do some more research. I read a chapter dedicated to him in the book The Italian Stallions and looked up his record as well.

It looked quite impressive: starting his career at bantamweight, winning the Featherweight Title, winning the Lightweight Title twice, unifying the Junior Welterweight and Lightweight Title, and being considered the best fighter in the world (p4p #1) before loosing to Ross.

At Featherweight he did pretty well beating Johnny Dundee before winning the Featherweight Title from Benny Bass. He lost the title in a hard fought close loss to Andre Routis.

He went on to win the Lightweight Title a couple years later in an upset and added the Jr Welterweight Title within another year. He lost the Jr Welterweight Title to Johnny Jadick. And, then lost the Lightweight Title in a super close MD with Barney Ross in which many did not agree. He lost an immediate rematch via close SD due to the fact the he lost 3 rounds for low blows.

A few years later we won the Lightweight Title again by beating the highly regarded Lou Ambers. He beat the great Jimmy McLarnin in a superfight before loosing the title to Ambers in the rematch. He challenged for the title once more then hung up the gloves a couple years later. He died broke and alone at the age of 51 in a hotel room.

He fought some damn good opposition: Johnny Dundee, Benny Bass, Sammy Mandell, Kid Chocolate, Barney Ross, and Jimmy McLarnin to name some. He was in the best and most exciting fights of his time and was considered the best fighter in the world at one point.

I was wondering where he ranks in everyone's All-Time P4P list???

[JC]

I'm way too young to have seen him fight and have only seen one fight of his no film so I have to base my judgements on his record and what I've read, but I think he certainly belongs in the top ten lightweights of all time, I find it very hard to make all-time lb 4 lb lists.

I am hoping to get hold of as much film as I am able to of the lightweights of the 1930s, I'm not sure how much is avaiable. The lightweights of the 30s must rank right up there as one of the strongest devisions the sport has ever seen.

[dr_devious]

Tony Canzoneri would make the top 30 or 40 of my lb 4 lb list, I'd rank Barney Ross higher though

[Expug]

Tony was a very popular fighter. When Bummy Davis knocked him out in Tonys last fight, Davis became very unpopular.