Petey Scalzo Explained

Petey Scalzo
Nickname:The Greek
Nationality:American
Realname:Peter Donato Scalzo
Weight:Featherweight
Height:5feet
Reach:5feet
Birth Date:August 1, 1917
Birth Place:Brooklyn, New York
Death Place:New York, New York
Style:Orthodox
Total:112
Wins:90
Ko:48
Losses:15
Draws:6
No Contests:1

Petey Scalzo (1917-1993) was an American boxer from Hell's Kitchen, New York. He was declared the National Boxing Association Featherweight Championship of the World on May 1, 1940, two weeks prior to winning a sixth-round technical knockout over Frankie Covelli on May 15, 1940. The NBA had withdrawn the world featherweight championship from Joey Archibald the previous month for his refusal to fight leading contenders, including Scalzo.

Scalzo's manager was the hard working Pete Reilly who found monthly bouts for Scalzo as he began to rise in the boxing ranks. His trainers were Dan and Nick Florio.[1] [2] [3]

Early life and career

Scazo was born in Brooklyn, New York on August 1, 1917, to an Italian family, and survived a rough childhood in Hell’s Kitchen. To earn a living as a youth, he sold newspapers, and danced on street corners for small donations from passing pedestrians.[4] According to one source he spoke Italian, Greek, and sign language as a young man.[5]

Showing remarkable talent in his pursuit of boxing as an amateur, he took the New York Metropolitan AAU championship, and International Golden Gloves bantamweight championship.[6] At the end of his amateur career in 1936, he won the New York Daily News Golden Gloves Open Bantamweight 118 pound Championship before a crowd of 20,000, and soon decided to turn professional.[4]

Important win over NYSAC featherweight champion Joey Archibald, 1938

On December 5, 1938, Scalzo defeated the reigning New York State Athletic Commission's (NYSAC) world featherweight champion Joey Archibald in a second-round knockout at Royal Windsor Arena in New York. The bout was not a title fight, and certainly not recognized as one by the National Boxing Association (NBA), a sanctioning body with a wider range and more prestige than the NYSAC. In the first round, Archibald received a hard right to the chin, but managed to rally to keep the round even. After finding an opening in the second round, Scalzo delivered three powerful right hooks to the chin of Archibald that dropped him 2 minutes, and 10 seconds after the bell.[7] The win would cement Scalzo as the leading contender for the National Boxing Association's world featherweight championship.[8] [2] [9] [10]

Demonstrating his punching ability, Scalzo defeated Lou Transparenti at Turners Arena in Washington in a seventh-round technical knockout on January 3, 1939.[2]

On December 1, 1939, Scalzo defeated Allie Stoltz in a fourth-round knockout at New York's Madison Square Garden. It was Stoltz's first loss by knockout. In the fourth, Scalzo knocked Stoltz to the mat for a count of seven with a strong left hook to the chin. Upon arising he was knocked to the mat again with a straight right, after which the referee ended the bout when Stolz could not rise to his feet.[11]

Taking the NBA world featherweight championship, May 1940

On May 15, 1940, Scalzo defeated Frankie Covelli for the National Boxing Association (NBA) World featherweight title at Washington D.C.'s Griffith Stadium in a decisive sixth-round TKO. Scalzo had previously been declared world featherweight champion by the NBA on May 1, 1940. Scalzo first dropped Covelli to the mat in the fifth with a left hook during close infighting that required Covelli to take a count of nine before he could rise to resume the bout. Upon arising, Scalzo knocked Covelli to the mat again, and after he resumed the bout, Scalzo dropped him for the third and final time. The win was probably Scalzo's single most important victory.[2] [12] [3]

He followed his victory over Covelli with a decisive eight round points decision over Mike Belloise before a roaring crowd of 900 at Starlight Park in the Bronx on June 3, 1940.[2] [13] Belloise briefly held the NYSAC world featherweight title in 1936 before being stripped of it in August, 1937.[1]

Notable bouts during world featherweight title reign

On July 10, 1940, in one of his few defenses of the world featherweight title, Scalzo defeated Bobby "Poison" Ivy in a fifteen-round TKO in Hartford, Connecticut. Scalzo showed superiority in both long range boxing and infighting, though in the twelfth, Ivy staged a comeback which brought the Connecticut crowd of 5,000 to their feet. Ivy did not return to the ring as the bell sounded for the fifteenth round due to a badly cut and bleeding lip. The United Press scoreboard gave Scalzo eleven rounds, with the second and twelfth for Ivy, and one tied. A few officials present felt Ivy deserved the eleventh round as well.[14] [15]

On July 15, 1940, Scalzo defeated Maxie Fisher before a crowd of around 5600 in a ten-round points decision at Meadowbrook Bowl in Newark, New Jersey. Scalzo was five years younger and had boxed professionally six fewer years. His youthfulness allowed him to step up the contest in the final five rounds. Fisher could not keep pace as Scalzo bored in and delivered a variety of blows, particularly his close range left hook. Nonetheless, there were no knockdowns, and Fisher rallied at times to keep the crowd interested.[2] [16] [17] [18]

On August 26, 1940, Scalzo defeated Jimmy Perrin in a well publicized ten round unanimous decision which brought 10,000 fans to City Park Stadium in New Orleans. Perrin, who fought defensively throughout the bout, was "completely outclassed" by the hard punching Scalzo, and took only the ninth round.[19] Though Scalzo dominated, the fight had no knockdowns and neither boxer left the bout with visible injuries. As both boxers were over the featherweight limit, there was no title at stake.[20] [21]

In an unexpected loss, on October 4, 1940, Jewish boxer Julie Kogon defeated Scalzo in a non-title eight round points decision at Madison Square Garden. Scalzo was down in both the sixth and seventh rounds.[22] Though both fighters fought under 131 pounds, very close to the featherweight range, Kogon was never recognized as a world featherweight championship, as he was a pound or two overweight.[23] [2]

In a non-title bout on November 1, 1940, Scalzo defeated Bernie Friedkin, a Jewish boxer from Brooklyn, at New York's Madison Square Garden in an eight-round points decision, though the New York Times reported the decision was not well received by the fans who were rooting for Friedkin.[2]

On April 18, 1941, he won a first-round technical knockout against Andy Strivani at Legion Stadium in Hollywood, flooring him four times in the first round with rousing rights to the head. After 1:25 of the first around, the referee called the fight.[24]

Title match draw with Phil Zwick, May 19, 1941

Scalzo fought Phil Zwick for the National Boxing Association World featherweight title on May 19, 1941, in a Milwaukee, Wisconsin bout that was eventually declared a draw after it was discovered referee Barney Ross had changed his initial scoring from a draw to a Scalzo win. Ross may have been inexperienced as a referee, as his real fame was as a former world light and welterweight champion.[2]

Losing the NBA world featherweight championship to Richie Lemos, July, 1941

On July 1, 1941 Scalzo lost the NBA world featherweight title before a near capacity crowd of 9,500 to Richie Lemos in a fifth-round knockout of a 12-round bout at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles.[2] Scalzo claimed that he had been somewhat weak during practice the weeks before, having trouble making weight. He was briefly down in the first for a no count from a left by Lemos, who appeared to take the first two rounds. The third and fourth appeared to belong to Scalzo, however, who landed effective uppercuts and crossing rights to Lemos, who rarely countered. In the fifth round, Lemos changed to his natural right hand forward with left foot back or southpaw stance, and in an instant landed a vicious left to the head of Scalzo that changed the course of the bout. Lemos then chased Scalzo to a corner, delivering more punishment. When Scalzo tried to retreat, Lemos tagged him with another scorching left that put his crumpled opponent on the mat for a nine count. According to one source, Lemos had used a feint with his right to throw Scalzo off balance prior to delivering his scorching left.[25] As Scalzo gamely rose and made a futile attempt to resume the fight for the last time, Lemos dropped him for an eight count. Scalzo struggled to rise without success, and the referee called the bout.[26]

Loss against reigning NYSAC world lightweight champion Bob Montgomery, October 1943

Scalzo's last publicized fight was against reigning NYSAC and Pennsylvania lightweight champion Bob Montgomery on October 25, 1943 at Convention Hall in Philadelphia. No title was at stake as both men were over the lightweight limit, with Montgomery at 137 and Scalzo at 138.[27] Recovering from an impacted tooth, Montgomery was returning from a two-month layoff. Before a crowd of 6,500, Scalzo lost the scheduled ten round bout in the sixth by technical knockout. In the second round, Scalzo received a long cut on his head when Montgomery's head unintentionally bumped against his. Montgomery knocked Scalzo to the mat three times, once in the third and twice in the fifth rounds, and had him drowsy from repeated blows in the sixth. Fifty-three seconds into the sixth the referee stopped the fight, and though Scalzo was on his feet, he seemed helpless against the blows of Montgomery.[28]

Life after boxing

After his boxing career ended, Scalzo refereed boxing matches throughout the 1950s, and worked for the New York State Athletic Commission.[4]

Acting career 1963-70

Scalzo gave speaking performances that showcased his unique style of humor, eventually graduating to perform on TV's Ed Sullivan show in a skit he perfected with the great ring announcer Johnnie Addie. Though Scalzo was an ethnic Italian, his comic skits with Addie often presented him as owner of a Greek restaurant and were performed at such venues as Boxing Guild meetings and honorary dinners.[29] [30] He appeared in the 1963 film The Doctor and the Playgirl, filmed in New York with boxing champions Rocky Graziano, Jake LaMotta, and Barney Ross, a childhood idol who refereed his 1941 fight with Phil Zwick.[31] [32] In the 1967 made for TV Movie, World Heavyweight Championship: Muhammed Ali vs. Zora Folley, he had a small role as himself.[33] In 1970 he played "Dinty the Dope" in Starlite Film's poorly reviewed Cauliflower Cupids appearing once again with ex-champions LaMotta and Graziano.[34]

Scalzo died in New York on June 15, 1993, at 73. His wife Christina died a few years earlier. He spent several years in a Veteran's Hospital, suffering from Alzheimers prior to his death.[2] [4]

Professional boxing record

ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
112Loss90–15–6 Bob MontgomeryTKO6 (10), Oct 25, 1943
111Win90–14–6 Eddie DowlPTS8Sep 21, 1943
110Win89–14–6 Alex DoyleTKO7 (8)Sep 17, 1943
109Loss88–14–6 Ellis PhillipsMD10Nov 9, 1942
108Loss88–13–6 Jimmy CollinsUD10Oct 5, 1942
107Loss88–12–6 Ellis PhillipsUD10Sep 21, 1942
106Loss88–11–6 John ThomasUD10Jun 12, 1942
105Loss88–10–6 Jimmy HatcherUD10May 25, 1942
104Win88–9–6 Toby VigilRTD8 (10)May 1, 1942
103Loss87–9–6 Jimmy HatcherPTS8Apr 7, 1942
102Loss87–8–6 George LatkaUD10Mar 20, 1942
101Win87–7–6 Nat LitfinPTS8Mar 3, 1942
10085–7–6 Toby VigilNC6 (10)Jan 9, 1942
99Win86–7–6Mickey FarberPTS8Dec 30, 1941
98Loss85–7–6Allie StolzPTS8Dec 19, 1941
97Win85–6–6Nat LitfinPTS8Nov 4, 1941
96Win84–6–6Curley NicholsTKO5 (8)Oct 21, 1941
95Win83–6–6Mike RaffaUD10Sep 15, 1941
94Win82–6–6Jimmy GilliganTKO5 (8)Sep 9, 1941
93Win81–6–6Jimmy GilliganPTS8Aug 21, 1941
92Loss80–6–6Richie LemosKO5 (12), Jul 1, 1941
91Draw80–5–6Phil ZwickPTS15May 19, 1941
90Win80–5–5Andy ScrivaniTKO1 (10), Apr 18, 1941
89Draw79–5–5Vern BybeePTS10Mar 31, 1941
88Loss79–5–4Guy SereanTKO8 (10)Feb 14, 1941
87Win79–4–4Richie LemosTKO7 (10)Dec 27, 1940
86Win78–4–4Bernie FriedkinPTS8Nov 1, 1940
85Loss77–4–4Julie KogonPTS8Oct 4, 1940
84Win77–3–4Jimmy PerrinUD10Aug 26, 1940
83Win76–3–4Ginger ForanPTS8Aug 5, 1940
82Win75–3–4Maxie FischerPTS10Jul 15, 1940
81Win74–3–4Bobby IvyTKO15 (15)Jul 10, 1940
80Draw73–3–4Bernie FriedkinPTS8Jun 17, 1940
79Win73–3–3Mike BelloisePTS8Jun 3, 1940
78Win72–3–3Frankie CovelliTKO6 (15), May 15, 1940
77Win71–3–3Ginger ForanKO5 (8), Apr 30, 1940
76Win70–3–3Primo FloresPTS8Apr 9, 1940
75Draw69–3–3Primo FloresPTS8Feb 27, 1940
74Win69–3–2Jimmy VaughnPTS8Feb 17, 1940
73Win68–3–2Tony DupreKO2 (8)Feb 3, 1940
72Win67–3–2Cristobal JaramilloPTS8Jan 29, 1940
71Win66–3–2Nat LitfinUD8Jan 22, 1940
70Win65–3–2'Young' Johnny BuffKO2 (8)Jan 13, 1940
69Win64–3–2Simon ChavezPTS10Dec 22, 1939
68Win63–3–2Hank NakamuraPTS8Dec 12, 1939
67Win62–3–2Allie StolzKO4 (10), Dec 1, 1939
66Win61–3–2Herbie GilmoreTKO5 (10)Nov 8, 1939
65Loss60–3–2Simon ChavezPTS10Oct 15, 1939
64Win60–2–2Frankie WallacePTS8Jul 28, 1939
63Win59–2–2Benny PiazzaKO3 (8)Jul 14, 1939
62Win58–2–2Pete DeGrasseTKO4 (10), Jun 26, 1939
61Win57–2–2Emil JosephUD10Jun 12, 1939
60Win56–2–2Vince Dell'OrtoPTS8May 3, 1939
59Win55–2–2Baby LuisTKO2 (8), Mar 17, 1939
58Win54–2–2Sal BartoloUD10Feb 17, 1939
57Win53–2–2Jimmy BucklerTKO2 (10), Jan 31, 1939
56Win52–2–2Minnie DeMoreKO6 (10)Jan 23, 1939
55Win51–2–2Lou TransparentiTKO7 (10)Jan 3, 1939
54Win50–2–2Paul 'Tennessee' LeePTS8Dec 26, 1938
53Win49–2–2Joey ArchibaldKO2 (10), Dec 5, 1938
52Win48–2–2Johnny CompoTKO5 (8)Nov 12, 1938
51Win47–2–2Jose SantosTKO4 (8)Nov 7, 1938
50Win46–2–2Francis WalshKO2 (8)Oct 27, 1938
49Win45–2–2Davey CrawfordTKO3 (8)Oct 3, 1938
48Win44–2–2Jimmy LancasterPTS8Sep 16, 1938
47Win43–2–2Vernon CormierPTS8Aug 18, 1938
46Loss42–2–2Tony DuprePTS8Jul 19, 1938
45Win42–1–2Al RagonePTS8Jun 29, 1938
44Win41–1–2Alex BurnsKO3 (8)Jun 23, 1938
43Win40–1–2George KarkellaPTS8May 25, 1938
42Win39–1–2George CarloTKO5 (8), May 20, 1938
41Loss38–1–2Mike BelloisePTS8Apr 26, 1938
40Win38–0–2Nat LitfinPTS8Mar 15, 1938
39Win37–0–2Cristobal JaramilloPTS6Mar 4, 1938
38Win36–0–2Al GilletteKO2 (6)Jan 14, 1938
37Win35–0–2Cristobal JaramilloUD8Dec 28, 1937
36Win34–0–2Al ReidPTS8Nov 19, 1937
35Win33–0–2Red HutchinsTKO6 (8)Oct 22, 1937
34Win32–0–2Al GilletteKO1 (8)Oct 7, 1937
33Win31–0–2Harry GentileTKO3 (8)Sep 30, 1937
32Win30–0–2San SanchezKO1 (8)Aug 23, 1937
31Draw29–0–2Johnny PenaPTS8Jul 22, 1937
30Win29–0–1Sammy RussoKO1 (6), Jul 19, 1937
29Win28–0–1Henry HookKO3 (6)Jul 1, 1937
28Win27–0–1Al ReidPTS8Jun 15, 1937
27Win26–0–1Harry GentileTKO2 (6)Jun 7, 1937
26Win25–0–1Skippy AllenKO2 (6)May 17, 1937
25Win24–0–1Johnny CompoPTS6May 12, 1937
24Win23–0–1Joey WachPTS8May 4, 1937
23Win22–0–1Al GillettePTS6Apr 6, 1937
22Win21–0–1Cleo WilsonKO2 (6)Apr 1, 1937
21Win20–0–1Willis JohnsonTKO5 (6)Mar 16, 1937
20Win19–0–1Johnny ScibelliPTS6Mar 3, 1937
19Win18–0–1Jimmy EnglishPTS6Jan 27, 1937
18Win17–0–1Willie FelicePTS6Jan 11, 1937
17Draw16–0–1Al ReidPTS8Dec 29, 1936
16Win16–0Jimmy LancasterPTS6Dec 9, 1936
15Win15–0Georgie HolmesTKO1 (6)Nov 24, 1936
14Win14–0Connie HolmesTKO4 (6)Nov 2, 1936
13Win13–0Johnny CompoPTS6Oct 27, 1936
12Win12–0Abe SchoneKO2 (6)Oct 22, 1936
11Win11–0Ramon PabonKO1 (6)Oct 17, 1936
10Win10–0Davey CrawfordKO2 (6)Oct 12, 1936
9Win9–0Abe SchonePTS4Oct 5, 1936
8Win8–0Davey CrawfordPTS4Sep 29, 1936
7Win7–0Sammy SantilloPTS4Sep 21, 1936
6Win6–0Lou PisanoKO1 (4)Sep 10, 1936
5Win5–0Benny JohnsonKO3 (4)Jul 28, 1936
4Win4–0Tommy VelloKO1 (4)Jul 21, 1936
3Win3–0Andy CrispinoTKO1 (6)Jul 9, 1936
2Win2–0Dominic PasqualeKO1 (4)Jul 7, 1936
1Win1–0Damasco SedaTKO1 (4)Jun 29, 1936

Primary boxing achievements

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External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Petie Scalzo. Cyber Boxing Zone. 30 November 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171220051417/http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/scalzo-petey.htm. 2017-12-20. live.
  2. Web site: Petie Scalzo. BoxRec. 30 November 2017.
  3. The NBA took the championship from Archibald in "Featherweight Crown Given to Petey Scalzo", Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Arizona, pg. 12, 2 May 1940
  4. Web site: The Boxing Glove, "Petie Scalzo, the Greek with the Golden Gloves". 30 November 2017.
  5. Ray, Bob, "Scalzo Performs", The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California, pg. 26, 27 December 1940
  6. Web site: Petie Scalzo Boxrec Biography. 30 November 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171226235414/http://boxrec.com/media/index.php/Petey_Scalzo. 2017-12-26. live.
  7. "Archibald Knocked Out by Scalzo in Second", The Evening News, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, pg. 14, 6 December 1938
  8. Feder, Syd, "Hovius Will Make Ole Miss, Forget Bullet Hall", Star-Gazette, Elmira, New York, pg. 14, 6 December 1938
  9. "Scalzo Finishes Joey Archibald", The Miami News, Miami, Florida, 6 December 1938
  10. Archibald received hard right in the first in "Archibald Knocked Out by Scalzo in Second", The Evening News, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, pg. 14, 6 December 1938
  11. "Scalzo Kayoes Allie Stoltz", The Daily Republican, Monongahela, Pennsylvania, pg. 4, 2 December 1939
  12. "Petey Scalzo Nails Covelli in Sixth Heat", The Miami News, Miami, Florida, pg. 18, 16 May 1940
  13. It was a decisive win, "Mike Belloise Loses Petey Scalzo Match", The San Bernardino County Sun, San Bernardino, California, pg. 14, 4 June 1940
  14. Scalzo had badly cut lip in "Scalzo Slashes Ivy to Pieces; Defends Title", Nevada State Journal, Reno, Nevada, pg. 8, 11 July 1940
  15. Ivy took the second and twelfth in "Scalzo Stops Ivy in Fifteenth", Oakland Tribune, Oakland, California, pg. 25, 11 July 1940
  16. "Scalzo Beats Fisher", The Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis, Indiana, pg. 16, 16 July 1940
  17. Delivered left hook in "Pete Scalzo Rises to Whip Fisher in Newark", The Courier News, Bridgewater, New Jersey, pg. 12, 16 July 1940
  18. "Scalzo Scores Over Fisher at Newark", The Central New Jersey Home News, New Brunswick, New Jersey, pg. 12, 16 July 1940
  19. Fought defensively in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pg. 20, 27 August 1940
  20. Outclassed in "Petey Scalzo Wins Clean-Cut Decision Over Jimmy Perrin", Great Falls Tribune, Great Falls, Montana, pg. 8, 27 August 1940
  21. Over the weight limit in "The Des Moines Register", Des Moines, Iowa, pg. 9, 27 August 1940
  22. Cuddy, Jack, "Pittsburgh Boxer Cops Ring Upset", Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, New York, pg. 23, 5 October 1940
  23. "Zivic Pounds Great Armstrong", Dunkirk Evening Observer, Dunkirk, New York, pg. 15, 5 October 1940
  24. "Petey Scalzo Takes Scrap at Hollywood", The San Bernardino County Sun, San Bernardino, California, pg. 2, 19 April 1941
  25. Lemos used a right feint in "Petey Scalzo Drops Feather Boxing Crown", The Dispatch, Moline, Illinois, pg. 23, 2 July 1941
  26. Wolf, Al, "Lemos Belts Out Scalzo in the Fifth Round to Win Title", The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California, pg. 19, 2 July 1941
  27. "Bob Montgomery is Knockout Winner Over Pete Scalzo in Sixth", The Morning News, Allentown, Pennsylvania, p. 13, 26 October 1943
  28. Montgomery returning from layoff in Webster, John, "Petey is on Floor Three Times", The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 26 October 1943, pg. 28, 26 October 1943
  29. Plays Greek restaurateur owner in Lee, Bill, "Staunch Fighting Men Abounded", Hartford Courier, Hartford, Connecticut, pg. 57, 7 May 1957
  30. Web site: Ex-boxers Find No One In Their Corner, New York Daily News. 30 November 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171229052416/http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/sports/ex-boxers-find-no-corner-article-1.829418. 2017-12-29. live.
  31. Web site: Full Cast and Crew, The Doctor and the Playgirl . 30 November 2017.
  32. Filmed in New York in "There is a Movie", Lake Charles American Press, Lake Charles, Louisiana, pg. 21, 16 October 1963
  33. Web site: Full Cast and Crew, World Heavyweight Championship: Muhammed Ali vs. Zora Folley. 30 November 2017.
  34. Web site: Full Cast and Crew, Cauliflower Cupids. 30 November 2017.