Baby Arizmendi

Baby Arizmendi
Statistics
Real name Alberto Arizmendi
Nickname(s) "Baby"
Weight(s) Bantamweight, Featherweight, Welterweight
Nationality Mexico Mexican
Born March 17, 1913
Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico
Died December 31, 1962(1962-12-31) (aged 48)
Los Angeles, California, United States
Stance Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights 110
Wins 71
Wins by KO 13
Losses 26
Draws 13
No contests 0
External image
Undated photo of Arizmendi (left) sparring on a rooftop, taken by Harry E. Winkler (glass plate negative held by the University of Notre Dame library)

Alberto "Baby" Arizmendi (March 17, 1914 – December 31, 1962) was a professional boxer and featherweight world title holder. He also competed in the bantamweight and welterweight divisions.[1] He began boxing professionally at the age of only 13.

Pro career

Baby used a charging, bruising style, making him a very strong two-fisted fighter. He took his first championship, the Mexican bantamweight title at only eighteen, a twelve round points decision against Kid Poncho in Mexico City. With victories over flyweight champion Fidel LaBarba, Baby established himself as a worthy contender for the featherweight crown.[2]

On September 16, 1932, at the age of 19, he defeated reigning NBA world featherweight champion Tommy Paul in a close ten round non-title fight, dropping him in the second and fourth rounds. After his win, Arizmendi requested the NBA recognize his status as champion. In support of his claim to the NBA title, the California boxing commission gave him the opportunity to fight for their version of the world title.[2][3]

Taking the California world featherweight title, October, 1932

The following month, Arizmendi defeated Newsboy Brown to claim the California world featherweight title on October 18, 1932. The Associated Press wrote that Brown won only one round and was on the verge of being knocked out several times before the Los Angeles crowd of 7,000.[2] Arizmendi nearly toppled Brown with a left hook in the third, but slowed his pace some in the fourth through seventh when Brown countered with short lefts, and rights to the body.

He retained his title with a draw against Varias Milling, then defended it against seasoned contenders Archie Bell and Speedy Dado. He lost the California version of the title to NBA World featherweight champion Freddie Miller on February 28, 1933 in a 10-round unification bout in Los Angeles. Miller took seven rounds, with one even, and two to Arizmendi. With a lightning right jab that landed repeatedly and a good left hook, Miller kept the Mexican champion at bay. Arizmendi performed best in the seventh where he rushed Miller to the ropes and bloodied his nose with hard rights to head and chin.[4] The packed house containing many former Mexican fans, turned against Arizmendi, booing him and throwing bottles into the ring at the close of the match.

Arizmendi persevered, and later that year defeated Miller in a non-title fight. [2]

Taking the NYSAC world featherweight crown, August, 1934

On August 30, 1934, he defeated Mike Belloise for the New York state (NYSAC) world featherweight crown, leaving no doubt as to his claim to the championship. After the win, Arizmendi attempted to secure a third fight with NBA champion Miller in a title bout, however, Miller refused to face him.

Armstrong

On November 4, 1934, he defeated Henry Armstrong in their first of five meetings, winning almost every round despite suffering a broken wrist in the second. He defeated Armstrong once again on January 2, 1935, to claim the California-Mexican World featherweight title. Following those victories, he defeated future world title holder Chalky Wright by fourth round knockout.

He subsequently lost the California-Mexico World title in his third bout with Armstrong on August 4, 1936 at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles. In his following 7 fights, Arizmendi combined wins and losses before facing Armstrong for a fourth time. Despite losing the fight on points, Arizmendi ended Armstrong's 27 fight knockout streak by going the distance with him. In his following 6 fights, Arizmendi won five and had a ten round draw against reigning world lightweight champion Lou Ambers on June 7, 1938 in Los Angeles.

Attempt at the world welterweight crown, January 1939

In his last bout with Armstrong and his last attempt at a world title, he dropped a grueling 10-round points decision before 10,500 fans for the world welterweight championship on January 10, 1939 at Los Angeles' Olympic Stadium. The match was ten rounds of continuous and largely close in fighting, and though admitting he put up a valiant effort, the Los Angeles Times could only award the fourth round to to the badly bruised and bleeding Arizmendi. Armstrong characteristically crowded and threw continuous blows which included some fouls, but typical of his style, demonstrated neither elegant technique, nor graceful ring craft.[5] He continued boxing until 1942, obtaining bouts with boxing standouts Lou Ambers, Sammy Angott, and George Latka, but never again went for a title.[2]

After retiring from boxing, Arizmendi served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and later operated restaurants in the Echo Park District of Los Angeles. Arizmendi was hospitalized in July, 1956, following a partial paralytic condition on his left side. According to his wife, Henrietta, he had been in poor health and lost fifty pounds the previous month.[6]

Death

After a prolonged illness, Arizmendi died of natural causes in the Veterans Administration Hospital in Sawtelle, California, now part of the Los Angeles suburb Westwood, on New Year's Eve 1962, at the age of 48. He was survived by his wife Henrietta and an illegitimate son Raul Robert Arizmendi, born February, 1933 in Los Angeles.[7] Arizmendi was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004.

References

  1. ↑ IBHOF/Baby Arizmendi, IBHOF.com, Retrieved on 1-1-08
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Baby Arizmendi Boxing Record". BoxRec. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  3. ↑ "Baby Arizmendi Boxing Record". Cyber Boxing Zone. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  4. ↑ "Hail of Bottles Climax of Featherweight Bout", The Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California, pg. 23, 1 March 1933
  5. ↑ Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California, pg. 33, 11 January 1939
  6. ↑ "Baby Arizmendi Biography". BoxRec. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  7. ↑ Available on Google News, "Arizmendi Dies", Nashua Telegraph, Nashua, New Hampshire, pg. 15, 2 January 1963
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.