Fidel LaBarba boxer

Fidel LaBarba boxer
bouts
90
won
69
lost
15
draw
6
Status
inactive
Division
flyweight
Debut
1924-10-14
Height
5′ 3″/160cm
Reach
66″/168cm
Age
76
Born
1905-09-29
Death
1981-10-02
Nationality
USA

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Fidel LaBarba (September 29, 1905 – October 2, 1981) was a United States boxer and sportswriter. He was born in New York City and grew up in Los Angeles, California. LaBarba began his amateur career at fourteen, eventually winning the flyweight division at the national Amateur Athletic Union tournament in Boston and later qualifying for the United States Olympic team.LaBarba began boxing around age 12 or 13 in little amateur cards held weekly at places such as the Elks Club, which were promoted by Carlo Curtiss, who had been one of World Heavyweight Champion Jess Willard's managers. "Sometimes we would have nude women at these events," he said. The first known mention of "Young Fidel" is September 17, 1920, by the Los Angeles Times, announcing a boxing/wrestling show at the Italian picnic the next day at Selig Zoo where his opponent was to be "Battling Bennie", newsboy like Fidel. Eventually, Central Junior High School boxing instructor Bob Howard saw his potential. According to an interview published January 28, 1927 in some United States newspapers, LaBarba mentioned that he defeated a boy named Dave Mariney (a.k.a. Marini) for the high school championship. Based upon this win, his friends suggested he join the amateurs, which he did. By this, he likely meant he joined the A.A.U. Fidel found it ironic that his first "official" amateur opponent was none other than Dave Mariney. This was at a semi-monthly boxing show sponsored by the Los Angeles Athletic Club (L.A.A.C). "It looked like a crime to match the two," reported the Los Angeles Times November 4, 1920. LaBarba was about four feet tall, and his opponent a foot and a half taller. "But LaBarba soon showed he knew how to take care of himself."George Blake reportedly was the referee at that fight. He and Charles Keppen ran these L.A.A.C. shows. Blake had come to Los Angeles from Chicago in 1904. He had been a United States Army boxing instructor during World War I. By the early 1920s, Blake was a well-known referee for boxing venues such as Jack Doyle's Vernon Arena, and would become the regular referee at the soon-to-be-built Hollywood Legion Stadium. He was much-respected and known as a man of impeccable character. Blake took an interest in the young and talented Fidel LaBarba, and asked Bob Howard to have him come down to the club. " I was asked four or five times, but was embarrassed to go," LaBarba explained. He owned only one pair of torn tennis shoes. He finally mustered the fortitude to go see Blake; thus started a very long relationship. LaBarba continued to have many amateur bouts. "We would receive a gift worth $35.00," he noted. "Later, they would give us a gift certificate to buy clothes at places like the Broadway, or Sears."Meanwhile, LaBarba attended Central Jr. High School, and then Lincoln High School—both in Los Angeles. He enjoyed playing basketball, baseball, and especially football. He was the quarterback for the "lightweight" (midget) football team. While in high school, he sometimes worked nights until midnight, racking pins at a bowling alley, then sleeping on a cot in back of the building. In the morning he would grab a bite to eat at the local restaurant, then head off to school about a mile away.By 1924, LaBarba had lost only one bout after some 30-plus recorded contests. George Blake took eight of his L.A.A.C. boxers to Boston June 1924 for the Olympic trials, and LaBarba qualified. LaBarba won the gold medal in the flyweight division at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. After the Games, Blake arranged an amateur card at Doyle's Vernon Arena with all the American Olympic fighters, at which LaBarba finished out his amateur career.Although still in high school, LaBarba turned professional that same year.

Date Opponent Last Opponents' Results Place Result
1933-02-13 Mose Butch WWLLWW Motor Square Garden, Pittsburgh WIN
Unanimous decision
1933-01-27 Seaman Tommy Watson WWWWWW Madison Square Garden, New York LOST
Unanimous decision
1932-12-29 Tommy Paul LLWWWW Chicago Stadium, Chicago LOST
Majority decision
1932-12-09 Kid Chocolate WWWWWW Madison Square Garden, New York LOST
Majority decision
1932-11-10 Conrad Sanico WLDL Houston Arena, Honolulu WIN
Technical knockout
1932-10-15 Little Dempsey WWLLWW Honolulu WIN
Points
1932-10-08 Sailor Ray Butler DWWDWL Hilo WIN
Points
1932-09-05 Frank Torres WWLLW Maunaloa WIN
Technical knockout
1932-09-02 Vince Venturillo debut Honolulu Stadium, Honolulu WIN
Technical knockout
1932-08-12 Al Citrino WWWWWW Dreamland Auditorium, San Francisco WIN
Technical knockout
1932-07-29 Varias Milling LWLWLL Legion Stadium, Hollywood WIN
Points
1932-06-28 Bobby Gray DWDWDW Forman's Arena, San Jose WIN
KO
1932-06-14 Tommy Paul WWLWWW Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles WIN
Points
1932-06-02 Varias Milling DDLWLW Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento WIN
Points
1932-04-29 Johnny Pena WWWDWW Olympia Stadium, Detroit LOST
Points
1932-04-22 Petey Sarron WWWWDW Olympia Stadium, Detroit WIN
Points
1932-04-08 Max Tarley WWWWLL Stockton WIN
Points
1932-03-11 Varias Milling LWDDLW Legion Stadium, Hollywood WIN
Points
1932-01-01 Baby Arizmendi WWWWWW El Toreo de Cuatro Caminos, Mexico City LOST
Points
1931-12-17 Davey Jones DWWWWD Greenwich Coliseum, Tacoma WIN
Points
1931-12-15 Benny Pelz LDDWLW Auditorium, Portland WIN
Points
1931-12-09 Leslie (Wildcat) Carter LLWWL Auditorium, Oakland WIN
KO
1931-11-27 Santiago Zorrilla WWLWWW Legion Stadium, Hollywood WIN
Technical knockout
1931-11-10 Leslie (Wildcat) Carter WLLWW Crystal Pool, Seattle WIN
Points
1931-10-09 Joe Guerrero WLLWLD Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento WIN
Points
1931-09-16 Johnny Previs WWLWLW Wilmington Bowl, Wilmington WIN
Points
1931-08-21 Isidro Pinto de Sa DWWWWW Dreamland Auditorium, San Francisco WIN
Points
1931-08-06 Santiago Zorrilla LWWWWW Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento WIN
Points
1931-07-20 Jackie Mandell DWWLDD Civic Auditorium, Stockton WIN
KO
1931-07-04 Ray Montoya LWDWLW Pismo Beach Arena, Pismo Beach WIN
Points
1931-06-26 Claude Varner WWDLDW Legion Stadium, Hollywood LOST
Points
1931-05-22 Battling Battalino LWLWLW Madison Square Garden, New York LOST
Unanimous decision
1931-03-27 Kid Francis WWWWWW Madison Square Garden, New York WIN
Unanimous decision
1931-02-03 Claude Varner DLLWWW Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles DRAW
Points
1930-12-10 Eddie Shea DWLLWW Public Hall, Cleveland LOST
Points
1930-11-28 Bud Taylor LWLWDL Madison Square Garden, New York WIN
Points
1930-11-03 Kid Chocolate WWWLWW Madison Square Garden, New York WIN
Unanimous decision
1930-08-07 Earl Mastro WWWWWW Chicago Stadium, Chicago DRAW
Points
1930-05-28 Bushy Graham LLDWWL Madison Square Garden, New York WIN
Points
1930-04-21 Bud Taylor WDWLWW Coliseum, Chicago WIN
Points
1930-04-04 Tommy Paul WWWWWD Broadway Auditorium, Buffalo WIN
Unanimous decision
1930-03-04 Santiago Zorrilla WDLLDL Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles WIN
Points
1930-02-14 Charley Sullivan LWLLWW Legion Stadium, Hollywood WIN
KO
1930-01-28 Johnny Torres WDWWDW Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles WIN
Points
1930-01-14 Ignacio Fernandez WWWWWL Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles WIN
Points
1929-10-12 Kid Francis WLWDDW Velodrome d'Hiver, Paris LOST
Points
1929-08-30 Jackie Mandell WWWWW Legion Stadium, Hollywood WIN
Technical knockout
1929-06-25 Earl Mastro WWWWWW Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles LOST
Points
1929-06-07 Tommy Paul WWWWWW Broadway Auditorium, Buffalo WIN
Majority decision
1929-05-22 Kid Chocolate WWWWWW New York Coliseum, Bronx LOST
Majority decision
1929-03-16 Willie Smith WDWWWL Sydney Stadium, Sydney WIN
Technical knockout
1929-03-02 Billy Grime LLLDLW West Melbourne Stadium, Melbourne WIN
Points
1929-02-09 Willie Smith LWDWWW Sydney Stadium, Sydney WIN
Points
1929-01-26 Billy (Young) McAllister WWLLWL Sydney Stadium, Sydney WIN
KO
1928-11-23 Ray Ravani WWWWWW Dreamland Auditorium, San Francisco WIN
KO
1928-09-25 Young Nationalista WWWWLW Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles WIN
Points
1928-09-11 Bushy Graham WWWWWW Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles WIN
Points
1928-08-07 Earl Mastro WWLWWW Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles WIN
Points
1928-07-17 Huerta Evans WWLWWL Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles WIN
Points
1927-08-23 Johnny Vacca WWLLDD Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles WIN
Points
1927-07-12 Memphis Pal Moore DWLWDL Wrigley Field, Chicago WIN
Points
1927-06-27 Clarence Rosen LWWWLL Bay City DRAW
1927-06-21 Mike Brody DDDWWW University of St. Louis Athletic Field, Saint Louis WIN
1927-05-27 Willie LaMorte WWWDLW Public Hall, Cleveland WIN
Technical knockout
1927-05-11 Babe Kellar WWDWWL Kalamazoo WIN
1927-04-29 Billy Shaw WWWWWW Arena Gardens, Detroit WIN
Points
1927-04-11 Young Montreal WLLLLL Rhode Island Auditorium, Providence WIN
Points
1927-03-21 Johnny Vacca WLLDLW Arena, Boston LOST
Points
1927-02-14 Johnny Vacca WWLLDL Mechanics Building, Boston LOST
Points
1927-01-21 Elky Clark WWWWWW Madison Square Garden, New York WIN
Unanimous decision
1926-12-07 Delos 'Kid' Williams LLDDWW Civic Auditorium, Fresno WIN
Points
1926-11-19 California Joe Lynch LLWLWD Dreamland Rink, San Francisco WIN
1926-10-26 Young Nationalista DLWWDW Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles DRAW
Points
1926-10-05 Newsboy Brown WWWWWW Arena, Vernon DRAW
Points
1926-09-02 Paul Milnar LLLWW Peoria WIN
Points
1926-08-25 Happy Atherton WWLDDW Loyola University Athletic Field, Chicago WIN
Points
1926-08-13 Emil Paluso LWWLWW Comiskey Park, Chicago WIN
Points
1926-07-07 Georgie Rivers WWWWWW Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles WIN
Points
1926-05-04 Emil Paluso DWWLWW Arena, Vernon WIN
1926-03-31 Clever Sencio WWWLWW Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles WIN
Points
1926-03-12 Vic King LLLLLL Legion Stadium, Hollywood WIN
Technical knockout
1926-01-20 Clever Sencio WWWWWW Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles WIN
1925-12-23 Lew Perfetti WDWLWL Madison Square Garden, New York WIN
Points
1925-11-20 Ray Fee debut Legion Stadium, Hollywood WIN
Technical knockout
1925-08-22 Frankie Genaro WWWWWD Ascot Park, Los Angeles WIN
Points
1925-07-17 Georgie Rivers WLDWWW Legion Stadium, Hollywood WIN
Points
1925-05-29 Teddy Silva LWWDLW Legion Stadium, Hollywood WIN
Points
1925-04-17 Newsboy Brown WWWWWD Legion Stadium, Hollywood DRAW
Points
1925-03-20 Georgie Rivers WWWDWW Legion Stadium, Hollywood WIN
Points
1925-02-20 Young Nationalista WWLWWW Legion Stadium, Hollywood WIN
Points
1925-01-13 Jimmy McLarnin WWWWDD Arena, Vernon LOST
Points
1924-12-04 Pedro Villa DDDWLL Chief Petty Officers Club, San Pedro WIN
Points
1924-11-11 Jimmy McLarnin WWWWWW Arena, Vernon DRAW
Points
1924-10-28 Jimmy McLarnin WWWWWW Arena, Vernon LOST
Points
1924-10-14 Frankie Grandetta LWDLWW Arena, Vernon WIN
Points

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