Tony Cancela

Name: Tony Cancela
Birth Name: Juan Antonio Cancela
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan, USA
Birthplace: Tampa, Florida, USA
Died: 1959-10-17 (Age:50)
Height: 180cm
Pro Boxer: Record

Manager: Bert Connors

Exhibition with Max Baer

On January 21, 1935, Tony Cancela fought then-heavyweight champion Max Baer in a four-round exhibition in Tampa, Fla. Cancela lasted the four rounds and reportedly "made an impressive showing with his defensive boxing," but just before the bell to end the fourth, Baer caught Cancela off-balance with a wild right that sent Cancela sprawling to the canvas. Cancela was up without a count and pleaded with newspapermen to note that he was caught off-balance and not knocked down. It was the first time in his career he had ever been on the canvas.

• Source: Moshier, Jeff. "Tony Cancela and Bobby Wilson, Florida Boxers, Meet Knockout Defeats in North" The Evening-Independent (1935, Jul 16) p. 9. Article