Battling Battalino boxer

Christopher Battaglia (February 18, 1908 – July 25, 1977) better known as Battling Battalino, was an American World Featherweight boxing champion. Born in Hartford, Connecticut, Battalino engaged in 88 bouts during his career, of which he won 57 (23 knockouts), lost 26, and drew 3. He was managed by Hy Malley and Lenny Marello. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003.Christopher Battaglia was born on February 18, 1908 to an Italian family in Hartford, Connecticut. The son of Italian immigrants, he never attended high school, but worked in a typewriter factory and labored in the tobacco fields. A good amateur boxer, Battalino won the National AAU featherweight championship in Boston in 1927. He had fifty-nine amateur bouts, knocking out forty-six of his opponents.As a professional, Battalino would become known as a courageous and rugged fighter with good inside boxing abilities. He was not known for a disciplined and studied boxing technique, but rather, a strong and relentless attack.Battalino became a professional boxer in June 1927. His first big win came on July 26, 1929, when he upset NBA world bantamweight champion "Panama" Al Brown on a 10-round decision in Hartford, Connecticut. Battalino knocked Brown down for a short count in the third. He won the first four rounds, and held his own through the remaining six.The victory over Brown made Battalino a top contender and garnered him a title match with world featherweight champion André Routis on September 23, 1929, in his hometown, Hartford, Connecticut. The 21-year-old Battalino made the most of his opportunity and defeated Frenchman Routis over 15 rounds, becoming one of the youngest competitors to win the world featherweight title. Before an enthused audience of 13,866, Battalino outboxed and outsmarted the older Routis at both long range, and infighting, and landed more blows. In a rare occurrence, Battalino was awarded all fifteen of the rounds in the championship fight. The new champion had become a Hartford Hero when the Mayor presented him a medal the previous November for saving a child from drowning.