Tami Mauriello vs. Lou Nova (1st meeting)
Tami Mauriello 184 lbs beat Lou Nova 204 lbs by KO at 2:43 in round 6 of 10
- Date: 1942-12-11
- Location: Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, USA
- Referee: Billy Cavanaugh
- Attendance: 15,369; Gate: $39,138
Mauriello was knocked down for a nine count in the 1st round. Nova seemed to be doing well until he was KO'd in the 6th round, suffering a broken rib and torn cartilage in the bout.
By virtue of this win, Mauriello moved closer to the title of "Interim Heavyweight Champion," as reigning champion Joe Louis was currently serving in the United States military.
"Lou Nova of Alameda, California, succumbed before a vicious body attack laid down by Tami Mauriello in the 6th round of the feature 10-round contest in MSG. After flooring the Bronx heavyweight in the 1st round for a count of nine, and more than holding his own through the 5th, Nova was stung with a right to the body and short left hook to the jaw in a neutral corner from where he was counted out. Up until the end, the fight was as fast a heavyweight battle as the Garden has staged with lead changing hands several times during the fray." -Ring Magazine, February 1943
- Unofficial AP scorecard (through 5 completed rounds) - 3-2 Nova
- The UP had a similar score, giving Nova rounds 1, 4 and 5.
- Mauriello lost the 4th round due to low blows, but Nova had won the round anyway, so there was no further point deduction.
- Nova was taken to St. Clare's Hospital after the bout where NYSAC Dr. Vincent Nardiello found that Lou was suffering from a broken 9th rib on his left side, a dislocated 10th rib and a torn cartilage.