32 Facts About Leo Rodak

Leo Rodak was an American featherweight boxer from Chicago.

Leo Rodak took the Maryland version of the World Featherweight Title from Jackie Wilson on June 17,1938, in a fifteen-round unanimous decision at Carlin Park in Baltimore, Maryland.

Leo Rodak was declared the National Boxing Association World Featherweight Champion when he defeated Leone Efrati at Chicago's Coliseum in a ten-round unanimous decision, on December 29,1938, though some sources omit him as the NBA champion, as he held the title only four months.

Leo Rodak was known for speedy hands and feet, but not for a knockout punch.

Leo Rodak had Rightmire close to a knockout in the sixth round.

Leo Rodak's streak ended on January 31,1935, when he lost to the incomparable one-time featherweight, lightweight, and junior welterweight champion Tony Canzoneri at Chicago Stadium in a ten-round Unanimous Decision.

Leo Rodak hung on well, showing good defense and excellent conditioning against the former champion.

On February 7,1936, Leo Rodak fought Bushy Graham to a draw in Madison Square Garden.

The veteran Graham leaned forward coaxing Leo Rodak to throw punches, and then repeatedly drew back and dodged them.

Leo Rodak won in a fifteen-round unanimous decision at Carlin Park on June 17,1938, before a small crowd of 3,000.

Leo Rodak opened up in the remaining seven rounds, until Wilson became noticeably groggy in the final three.

Leo Rodak was down for a count of nine, and then floored three more times before the fight was called after 2:39 in the first round by the referee.

On October 24,1938, he defeated Freddie Miller, former NBA World Featherweight Champion, for his first defense of the Maryland version of the World Featherweight Title in a fifteen-round points decision in Washington, DC Leo Rodak broke away in the closing rounds to gain his lead on points scoring, landing blows with both his left and right to the face and body of Miller.

Leo Rodak rallied after a slow start and increased his points margin swiftly in the final three rounds.

Efrati won the second and third rounds, and looked to take the fourth when Leo Rodak briefly floored him with a solid punch.

Efrati scored enough points to take the lead in the fifth, sixth, and seventh, before Leo Rodak overtook the point's count in the last three rounds.

Leo Rodak lost his shot at the sustained and universal recognition offered by the NBA world featherweight championship when he lost to Joey Archibald before a crowd of 5,500 on April 18,1939, in a fifteen-round points decision at Rhode Island Auditorium in Providence.

Leo Rodak was considered the top contender for the full New York version of the NYSAC world featherweight title.

Leo Rodak won the fifth by a decision in Chicago, and the sixth as a lightweight by a close ten round points decision in Toledo, Ohio on October 27,1941.

Leo Rodak lost a rematch with Shapiro on August 14,1941, at Ebbets Field in a ten-round decision, where he was down in the final moments of the ninth for a count of nine.

Leo Rodak went on to fight Tippy Larkin, losing by a decision at Meadowbrook Bowl in Newark, New Jersey, on June 3,1942.

Leo Rodak did well through the first five rounds, but faded in the sixth and seventh when he received a flurry of lefts and right to the head, though he subsequently covered well and came through the next three rounds.

Leo Rodak lost to Henry Armstrong on September 14,1942, at the Civic Auditorium in San Francisco in an eighth-round TKO.

Leo Rodak was floored in both the second and third rounds for counts of nine by rights from Armstrong.

The first fight Leo Rodak lost by an eighth round technical knock on December 14,1942, in Detroit, Michigan.

The referee had to stop the fight in the fourth as Joyce had reopened the cut Leo Rodak had received fighting Henry Armstrong two months earlier.

The second fight Leo Rodak won by decision on March 3,1944, in Hollywood, California.

Leo Rodak was still serving in the Marines at the time.

Leo Rodak kept Joyce off balance throughout the bout with straight lefts, and finished strongly in the ninth and tenth, though he was ten years younger than his opponent, who had twice suffered a broken jaw at the hands of Henry Armstrong the prior year.

On February 15,1946, Leo Rodak lost to Bob Montgomery, reigning NYSAC lightweight champion, in a non-title ten round split decision at Chicago Stadium before a crowd of 8,575.

Leo Rodak retired in November, 1946, after losing to John Thomas in a fifth-round knockout in Los Angeles.

Leo Rodak went to work for the Cook County Forestry Department and sidelined as a boxing trainer.