BoxRec

I just read that Joe Miceli died a few days ago. Miceli was a perennial contender in the welterweight division in the late '40s through the '50s. He wasn't exactly the best conditioned fighter ever, but he carried a big punch in his left hand, and always gave his all. Stylistically, he was similar to Razor Ruddock, as his best punch was also a left uppercut. His record reads like a who's-who of top lightweights, welterweights, and even middleweights of his era. His biggest wins include two wins apiece against Ike Williams and Bud Smith, at or near the time that each of them held the lightweight title. He also lost a split decision to Kid Gavilan just a few months before Gavilan won the welterweight title.

RIP Joe.

To me Joe Miceli was the 50's. Many might say it was the decade that killed boxing, but to me it boxings greatest decade. If you are ever fortunate enough to contact any of the pugilists of that era you will find that there are no finer gentlemen. Joe was one of them.

He's not a fighter I ever seen in action, but certainly sounds like one I'd like to.

RIP

Saw all of Joe Miceli's fights live that he had in L.A and Hollywood.

RIP Joe

Joe was the ultimate pro --" what town do is next and who am i fighting?" i saw him live in cincinnati against bud smith twice - the first a devasting kayo and the second a fast tough match in which he got a gift decision. i saw him once more but i 'm not sure who the opponent was...it might have been johnny lombardo......but memory not positive. saw him on tv a lot. a tough tough fighter who was all action.

yeah, he did have a great left uppercut. to all of you who are curious about that punch, try to throw it from an orthodox stance and you'll see why it surprised hi opponents because they didn't expect it and weren't looking for it.

Jaclem wrote:yeah, he did have a great left uppercut. to all of you who are curious about that punch, try to throw it from an orthodox stance and you'll see why it surprised hi opponents because they didn't expect it and weren't looking for it.

I'll never understand how the hell an orthadox fighter can throw a left uppercut and have power on it. It really is a kooky looking punch.

My2Sense wrote:

Jaclem wrote:yeah, he did have a great left uppercut. to all of you who are curious about that punch, try to throw it from an orthodox stance and you'll see why it surprised hi opponents because they didn't expect it and weren't looking for it.

I'll never understand how the hell an orthadox fighter can throw a left uppercut and have power on it. It really is a kooky looking punch.

A converted southpaw can do it, don't know if Miceli was a converted southpaw, my son Tony "The Tiger" Baltazar was a converted southpaw and he could throw that left uppercut real good, ko a few guy with that punch.

kikibalt wrote:A converted southpaw can do it, don't know if Miceli was a converted southpaw, ...

I'm almost 99.9% certain that I read or heard somewhere that he was.

That's very interesting information though.

Here's a brief biography on Miceli at the CBZ, and his record:

http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/miceli-j.htm

It does confirm that he was a converted southpaw.

I've also heard from people who knew Miceli that he liked to do magic tricks.


He was at the height of his career from 1950 until late 1952, with his best performances coming against Ike Williams and Kid Gavilan. In late '52, he lost a tremendous battle with Johnny Bratton, which if he had won, might've gotten him a shot at the welterweight title (Bratton went on to get a shot the next year). That was also the first time Miceli was ever stopped. He was stopped again in his next fight, another battle against Gil Turner, and that ended his days as a potential title challenger. He pretty much descended into "gatekeeper" status from thereon in, but his power still made him dangerous and he still managed to score decent wins here and there.

..sometimes he went back into southpaw and i think he did that in a few rounds wheni saw him...but i don't recall if it was on a tv fight or in one i saw live.

given that, i still find a difficult punch from the ORTHODOX STANCE. it explains the power in it, but still a hard one to throw.