Joe Dundee boxer

Samuel Joe Lazzaro (August 6, 1903 – March 31, 1982), better known by his boxing alias Joe Dundee, was an American boxer. He was the brother of Middleweight Champion Vince Dundee. During his career, he was recognized as the World Welterweight Champion from 1927-9. Dundee's managers included Max Waxman, and Charles Johnston, and his trainer was Heinie Blaustein.Dundee was born Samuel Lazzaro in Palermo, Sicily, Italy on August 16, 1903. He was tutored at St. Mary's Industrial School in Baltimore, where his family moved when he was a young boy. Dundee began professional boxing in 1919 in Baltimore, In an important early career loss, Dundee was disqualified in a match with former world bantamweight champion Kid Williams on September 4, 1922 in Baltimore, Maryland. Williams was leading by a large margin when the bout was called, excelling in the infighting, and landing nearly every blow imaginable against Dundee. Nearly a month later, Dundee married Johanna Kozojet at St. Wenceslaus Church. One of his most noteworthy bouts was a ten round draw by decision with Lew Tendler before 10,000 on July 16, 1925 at Pennsylvania's Shibe Park. In a close and furiously fought bout in the rain, Dundee caught Tendler off balance in the ninth with a left hook, and he fell briefly to his hands. Dundee frequently fought on offense against Tendler, staggering him at times with a stunning right. The skilled ring veteran Tendler was forced to clinch at times. Tommy Freeman fell to Dundee on March 1, 1926 in a fifth round technical knockout at Madison Square Garden, furthering Dundee's rise to the top of the welterweight ranks. He defeated Jewish Brooklyn-based boxer George Levine in a ten round points decision at Madison Square Garden on May 8, 1926. The fight was action packed from the beginning, though there were no knockdowns. Levine scored well and kept Dundee at a distance with a left jab in the first four rounds, while Dundee went to the body in the fifth with his right and wore down his opponent in the remaining rounds. Reporters recognized Dundee as a top two contender for the welterweight title and Self Defense magazine rated Levine in the top ten for welterweights that year.