13 Facts About Phil Terranova

Phil Terranova was an American boxer who took the NBA World Featherweight Boxing Championship in 1943 in a bout against Jackie Callura.

Phil Terranova was born on September 4,1919, in New York City.

Phil Terranova had probably been matched too early in his career with the harder hitting, and more experienced Black boxing talent, who had little trouble with Terranova.

Phil Terranova won the National Boxing Association World Featherweight Championship when he knocked out Jackie Callura in front of 8,500 fans in eighth rounds at Pellican Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana on August 16,1943.

Phil Terranova defended his title in an NBA World Featherweight Title rematch with Callura on December 27,1943, before a crowd of around 5,000, scoring a technical knockout in the sixth round at the Colliseum Arena in New Orleans.

Phil Terranova lost the Featherweight Championship when he was outpointed by Boston native Sal Bartolo before a home crowd of 12,000 on March 10,1944, in a fifteen round unanimous decision at Boston Garden.

Phil Terranova staggered Bartolo in the eleventh, and landed a number of blows, trying with desperation for a knockout.

Phil Terranova had Terranova close to a knockout in the tenth round, and led throughout, landing nearly continuous blows throughout the match, and scoring often with counterpunches.

Each boxer weighed within a pound of the other, but Phil Terranova's shorter reach made infighting difficult, and his stronger punches were often quickly blocked or countered.

Phil Terranova defeated Sandy Sadler, a top featherweight contender and a future NBA World Featherweight Champion, on July 23,1946, in a ten round unanimous decision before a crowd of 5,000, at the University of Detroit Stadium in Detroit.

Saddler stacked up points in the early rounds, especially during in-fighting as he had a height advantage, but Phil Terranova made a strong showing in later rounds to get the decision.

Phil Terranova retired with a record of 67 wins, 21 losses and 11 draws.

Phil Terranova was elected into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1998.