Joe Baksi boxer

Joe Baksi boxer
bouts
73
won
61
lost
9
draw
3
Status
inactive
Division
heavyweight
Debut
1940-06-18
Height
6′ 1″/185cm
Reach
-
Age
55
Born
1922-01-14
Death
1977-08-06
Nationality
USA

Joe Baksi (January 14, 1922 – August 6, 1977) was a top heavyweight contender who defeated fighters such as Tami Mauriello, Lee Savold, Lou Nova, and Freddie Mills, while losing decisions to Jersey Joe Walcott and Ezzard Charles.Joe Baksi was a child of the Kulpmont, Pennsylvania coal mines. His parents was of Slovak descent. He was quoted as saying that he never had any intention of being a boxer, but he saw it "as a ticket to a better way of life, out of the coal mines." He broke into professional boxing in 1940 at the age of 18. He beat nine boxers that year, including the future movie actor Jack Palance (who fought under the name of Jack Brazzo) at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, NY.Baksi campaigned over the boxing circuit for a number of years, until he got his first big match with Tami Mauriello on February 25, 1944 at Madison Square Garden. Mauriello was the 5-11 favorite, and the bronx contender for the Heavyweight crown. Mauriello was expected to win, based on his experience. Baski hoped to win by matching punch with punch and using his 210 vs. 196 lb weight advantage to his favor. Tami was floored late in the first round with a left hook by Baksi, and was down for a nine count. Tami faced a battering and battled back to prevent his first knockout defeat. Baksi won by unanimous decision.Baksi's upset over Tami sprang him to nationwide prominence. He was the favorite to beat Lee Savold two weeks later at the Garden, having the weight advantage and coming off his victory over Mauriello (who had beaten Savold twice before). But Baksi was a tyro compared to Savold. Baksi got off to a slow start, and though he showed advantage in the ninth and tenth rounds Savold boxed his way with left hooks and jabs to win a split decision that night. They had a rematch on March 10, 1944. This time, Savold was the 5-7 favorite. Baksi was in better shape that night, and fought a careful fight, out "left-handing" Savold, who was thought to have the best southpaw amongst the heavyweight contenders. At the finish Savold's left eye was cut, his nose and mouth bleeding, and his left side looked like raw hamburger. Baksi's only wound was a broken nose. He won a unanimous decision. His victory advanced him to be ranked 4th in the N.B.A rankings, behind champion Joe Louis, and boxers Billy Conn and Jimmy Bivins. Baksi went on to beat Savold again on August 7, 1944.In his next fight, Baksi defeated Finnish boxer Gunnar Baerlund (GeeBee) and then scheduled a fight with his former sparring partner Lee Oma on January 28, 1945. Oma, unknown six months previously, gained fame by putting up a spirited fight against Mauriello in September. Oma lost that fight but earned a rematch in December, which he won. Still, Baksi was a 1-3 favorite to beat Oma. He had a 25-pound advantage over Oma, and corresponding advantages in height, reach, and punching power. But he lacked mental alertness that night, having suffered a cold over the last several days before the fight. He made a late comeback in the fight, but lost the fight by a unanimous decision.Baksi went on to win a unanimous decision against Lou Nova on March 30, flooring Nova in the fourth round with a left hook to the ribs that kept Nova down for a count of nine. Baksi was now the second ranked (wartime) heavyweight. He scored easy decisions against Lee Dixie Oliver and Larry Lane, and then fought a thirty-one-year-old Jersey Joe Walcott. Walcott had lost earlier bouts with world-class professionals, and was an underdog against Baksi. But Walcott won, scoring 6-3-1 on the single referees scorecard. Walcott's dancing and dodging allowed him to escape Baksi's reach, and he was able to get in enough hooks to make Baksi groggy. Baksi lost his next fight with Jimmy Bell (a split decision in which Baksi was penalized two rounds for a low blow), but then racked up four easy wins before traveling to Europe.

Date Opponent Last Opponents' Results Place Result
1954-05-24 Bob Baker WWLWLL Eastern Parkway Arena, Brooklyn LOST
Unanimous decision
1954-03-30 Billy Smith LLLLLL Jacksonville WIN
KO
1951-12-13 Jimmy Rouse LWLLLW LaSalle Gym, Troy WIN
Technical knockout
1951-10-19 Gino Buonvino LLWLDW St. Nicholas Arena, New York WIN
KO
1951-08-30 Art Henri LLLLLL Stadium, Mount Carmel WIN
Unanimous decision
1950-04-07 Bernie Reynolds WWWDLW St. Nicholas Arena, New York WIN
Technical knockout
1949-10-17 Jim Holden WLWLWL Laurel Garden, Newark WIN
Points
1949-03-31 Maynard Jones LLWWWW Mosque Theater, Newark WIN
Technical knockout
1949-03-21 Angel Sotillo LLLLDL Arena, New Haven WIN
Points
1948-12-10 Ezzard Charles WWWWWW Madison Square Garden, New York LOST
Technical knockout
1948-08-23 Willie Brown LLLLWW Century Stadium, West Springfield WIN
Technical knockout
1947-07-06 Olle Tandberg WWWWWW Råsunda Fotbollsstadion, Stockholm LOST
Majority decision
1947-04-15 Bruce Woodcock WWWWWW Harringay Arena, Harringay WIN
Technical knockout
1946-11-05 Freddie Mills WLWLLW Harringay Arena, Harringay WIN
Corner retirement
1946-09-09 Agostinho Guedes WWWWWW Fair Grounds Arena, Allentown WIN
Technical knockout
1946-08-12 Henry Jones LWWLWL Sterling Oval, Bronx WIN
KO
1946-08-05 Sandy McPherson WWWWLW Troy Arena, Troy WIN
Technical knockout
1945-12-28 Freddie Schott WWWDWW Madison Square Garden, New York WIN
Unanimous decision
1945-12-03 Jimmy Bell WWWWDL Coliseum, Baltimore LOST
Split-decision
1945-08-02 Jersey Joe Walcott WWWLWW Convention Hall, Camden LOST
Points
1945-05-21 Dixie Lee Oliver WWWWWL Griffith Stadium, Washington WIN
KO
1945-05-02 Larry Lane LLWWLL Coliseum, Chicago WIN
Points
1945-03-30 Lou Nova DWWLWW Madison Square Garden, New York WIN
Unanimous decision
1945-03-08 Gunnar Barlund WLLWWW Orange Bowl, Miami WIN
Technical knockout
1945-01-26 Lee Oma LWWLWW Madison Square Garden, New York LOST
Unanimous decision
1944-11-27 Buddy Knox LLWLLL Duquesne Gardens, Pittsburgh WIN
KO
1944-08-07 Lee Savold WLWLWL Wrigley Field, Chicago WIN
Majority decision
1944-05-26 Lee Savold WWLWLW Madison Square Garden, New York WIN
Unanimous decision
1944-03-10 Lee Savold WWWLWL Madison Square Garden, New York LOST
Split-decision
1944-02-25 Tami Mauriello WWWWWW Madison Square Garden, New York WIN
Unanimous decision
1944-01-17 Dan Merritt LLWWWL Coliseum, Baltimore WIN
KO
1943-11-29 Buddy Walker WWWWWW Coliseum, Baltimore WIN
KO
1943-11-19 Herbert Marshall WLLWLW Uline Arena, Washington WIN
Points
1943-10-18 Johnny Shkor WLLWWW Coliseum, Baltimore WIN
Unanimous decision
1943-09-29 Henry Jones L Twin City Bowl, Elizabeth WIN
KO
1943-05-10 Gus Dorazio LLWWLW Arena, Philadelphia LOST
Unanimous decision
1943-04-05 Lou Brooks LLLWLW Coliseum, Baltimore WIN
Unanimous decision
1943-03-26 Gus Dorazio WLLLWW Uline Arena, Washington WIN
Unanimous decision
1943-03-12 Jimmy Carollo DWLWWL Madison Square Garden, New York WIN
Points
1942-09-15 George Parks WWWWWW Griffith Stadium, Washington WIN
Technical knockout
1942-07-07 Bill Poland WWWWLL New York Coliseum, Bronx DRAW
Points
1942-06-15 Jabbo Kenner WLWWLW Griffith Stadium, Washington WIN
Technical knockout
1942-05-05 Jimmy DeChard WWWWWW Riverside Stadium, Washington WIN
Points
1942-03-27 Al Hart LWWWWL Madison Square Garden, New York DRAW
Points
1942-03-12 Herbert Marshall WWWWLW Scott Hall, Elizabeth WIN
Points
1942-02-20 Willie Thomas W Masonic Hall, Highland Park WIN
Points
1942-02-05 Dee Amos WLLWLW Scott Hall, Elizabeth WIN
Points
1942-01-20 Dee Amos LLWLLW New York Coliseum, Bronx WIN
Points
1942-01-15 Tommy Gill debut Scott Hall, Elizabeth WIN
KO
1942-01-08 Charley Wright WWWLWW Scott Hall, Elizabeth WIN
Corner retirement
1941-12-04 Indian Red Allen debut Scott Hall, Elizabeth WIN
Technical knockout
1941-09-29 Ted Wint WWWWLW Polo Grounds, New York LOST
Points
1941-08-04 Charley Harvey LLLWLL Starlight Park, Bronx WIN
Points
1941-07-22 Tommy Madden LLWDWL Ebbets Field, Brooklyn WIN
Points
1941-07-14 George Higgs LLLDWL Starlight Park, Bronx WIN
KO
1941-06-20 Milton Reeves L Coney Island Velodrome, Brooklyn WIN
Technical knockout
1941-05-26 Ralph Kosky LLWWLL St. Nicholas Arena, New York WIN
Technical knockout
1941-04-15 Charley Harvey DWLLLW New York Coliseum, Bronx WIN
Points
1941-04-01 Bill Tucker DWWDLL Broadway Arena, Brooklyn WIN
Points
1941-03-19 Jack Rose LWLLLL New York Coliseum, Bronx WIN
KO
1941-03-04 Bill Tucker WLDWWD Westchester County Center, White Plains WIN
Points
1941-02-18 Cleo Everett LLDLLL New York Coliseum, Bronx WIN
KO
1941-01-10 Frank Poreda LWWWWW Madison Square Garden, New York WIN
Points
1940-12-17 Jack Brazzo debut Westchester County Center, White Plains WIN
Points
1940-12-09 Cleo Everett LLDLL St. Nicholas Arena, New York WIN
Points
1940-12-03 Ernie Petretti LLLLWL Westchester County Center, White Plains WIN
KO
1940-11-19 Tommy Madden WWWWWW Broadway Arena, Brooklyn WIN
Points
1940-11-04 Johnny Cihlar WLLL St. Nicholas Arena, New York WIN
Points
1940-08-14 Marty Gordon LLLWWW Hawkins Stadium, Albany WIN
Technical knockout
1940-07-30 Mickey Maguire L Hawkins Stadium, Albany WIN
Points
1940-07-16 Danny Roberts LLLWLL Hawkins Stadium, Albany DRAW
Points
1940-07-04 Joe Lolito L Hawkins Stadium, Albany WIN
Technical knockout
1940-06-18 Jimmy Brown WWLL Hawkins Stadium, Albany WIN
Points