1. Isadoro Anthony "Izzy" Jannazzo was an American professional boxer who challenged Barney Ross for the NYSAC, NBA, and The Ring magazine world welterweight championship in November 1936, and took the Maryland version of the World Welterweight Championship in October 1940.
Isadoro Jannazzo was born on January 31,1915, in Ensley, Alabama to poor Sicilian Italian parents Francesca and Anthony Jannazzo.
Izzy Jannazzo would become part of a family of six, which included a sister Bernice and brothers Vincent and Sam and would live in his hometown until roughly the age of seventeen.
In 1941, Izzy Jannazzo married Francesca "Frances" Tombrello, who was five years his junior.
Izzy Jannazzo was not considered a power hitter yet won 65 of 126 bouts, though scoring only 8 knockouts.
Izzy Jannazzo had formerly lost to Brandt in a six-round decision.
Izzy Jannazzo would draw with Rossi in a six-round Brooklyn bout shortly after.
Izzy Jannazzo took the fifth with clean rights to the body and face while eluding Falco.
Izzy Jannazzo had roughly a four-pound weight advantage in each bout.
Izzy Jannazzo was knocked down only briefly in the second and the fifth, for counts of one, and two, both from rights from Ross, though he likely slipped backing away in the fifth.
Izzy Jannazzo was badly pummeled by Carroll's blows to both body and head, but never tired in the bout, and attempted to return counterpunches after each encounter.
The bout was close, with Izzy Jannazzo scoring with fast lefts through the first seven rounds, but Eder scoring with rights to the head and body in the subsequent rounds.
Izzy Jannazzo would become a boxer of some renown, taking the World Colored Middleweight Championship on October 16,1942, against Charley Burley in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Izzy Jannazzo won the Welterweight Championship of the World, fighting at 147 pounds against the Puerto Rican boxer "Cocoa Kid" on October 14,1940, in a close fifteen round split decision before 3,000 fans at Carlin's Park in Baltimore, Maryland.
Izzy Jannazzo took the bout using a strong left jab, and effective footwork that left him out of the range of his Puerto Rican challenger.
The "Kid", who fought with a four-pound disadvantage, repeatedly tried to take the fight to Izzy Jannazzo but was stopped by Izzy Jannazzo's ever present left jab.
On December 12,1940, Izzy Jannazzo lost to Georgie Abrams in a ten-round split decision at Carlin's Park in Baltimore.
Abrams dominated the infighting, but Izzy Jannazzo put on a more scientific and cautious defense.
Izzy Jannazzo used his strong left to win the bout, though the decision was somewhat disputed as the referee voted against Izzy Jannazzo, while both judges voted in his favor.
On September 21,1942, in a lead-up to his fight with Sugar Ray Robinson, Izzy Jannazzo defeated Portuguese born Freddie Cabral in a ten-round points decision at the Valley Arena, in Holyoke, Massachusetts.
Izzy Jannazzo defeated "Wild" Bill McDowell of Dallas on June 17,1943, in a ten-round points decision at Moers Field in Richmond, Virginia.
Izzy Jannazzo, fighting at 152, won the bout with a well placed left, which he was unable to use to equal advantage in previous bouts with Green.
Izzy Jannazzo defeated Charley Parham twice in July and September 1945 at the Auditorium in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Izzy Jannazzo took every round but the last, when Abrams made a late rally.
Izzy Jannazzo had formerly fought Robinson on October 13,1944, in Boston Garden before a crowd of 7,347, losing in a second-round technical knockout.
Izzy Jannazzo retired at sixty-five to spend time with his children and grandchildren.
Izzy Jannazzo was buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens in Columbus, where his wife had been buried three months earlier.