Joe Mandot pugile

Joseph Marceline Mandot (August 3, 1889 – July 29, 1956) also known as Baker Boy, was a young featherweight boxer and an accomplished contender for both the world lightweight championship in 1912 and the world welterweight championship in 1915. He fought five world champions in the WWI boxing era, defeating or giving close bouts to each. He was managed in his early career by Billy Walsh, and for a time by Blacky Raggio.He was born on August 3, 1889 in New Orleans, and worked for a period as a baker prior to his boxing career. His father owned a bakery in the New Orleans' French quarter, and his brother worked as a baker as well. Turning professional around April 1909, in September of that year, he competed for the Southern Bantamweight title in Atlanta, Georgia, drawing with George Kitson in a ten round decision.Future world lightweight champion Charley White fell to Mandot in an eight round points decision at Memphis's Southern Athletic Club on April 17, 1911. Mandot knocked White to the canvas in both the second and seventh rounds. White appeared too battered to finish in the seventh, but fought gamely on, taking the lead in the fighting in the eighth. Mandot defeated former Canadian lightweight champion Billy Allen on January 18, 1912 decisively in an eight round points decision in Memphis. Allen was floored seven times, and was badly punished in the fifth, sixth, and seventh rounds, dispensing staggering swings to the head and body. Mandot defeated Philadelphia Pal Moore on February 20, 1912 in a ten round points decision in New Orleans. It was the consensus of most sports writers that Mandot had clearly won five rounds, with Moore three, and two even. It was in the tenth that Mandot assured his victory with telling blows to the face of Moore. Mandot marked the Philadelphia boxer's face and nearly closed his left eye. Moore still fought aggressively, particularly in the seventh and eighth, and carried the fighting in the first six rounds as well. In the opinion of one reporter, Mandot landed more blows in all but the first, second, and possibly eighth rounds, but the bout was close, and particularly fierce in the final round. He scored more often in the infighting and landed frequently to Mandot's midsection.