Sidney Terris was a top rated American lightweight boxing contender from the lower East Side of Manhattan.
20 Facts About Sid Terris
1.
2.
Sid Terris excelled as an amateur, winning fifty straight bouts and taking Metropolitan, New York State, National AAU, and both National and International titles.
3.
Sid Terris's father died when he was only eight, leaving his single mother to bring up the large family.
4.
An early coach, Dan Caplin recognized his skilled footwork, and had Sid Terris learning to box by age thirteen.
5.
Boxing as an amateur, Sid Terris was a prodigy from an early age, winning fifty bouts in a row, and accumulating titles that included the Metropolitan Amateur, New York State Amateur, and both National and International Amateur titles.
6.
Sid Terris turned pro in 1922 at the age of eighteen, winning eighteen of nineteen fights that year.
7.
Sid Terris had a few exceptional wins by knockout as a young pro.
8.
Sid Terris was the first boxer to get a full count from Andy Chaney winning in a third-round knockout at the Henderson Bowl in Brooklyn on May 23,1924, as well as winning with a seventh-round knockout of Johnny Lisse on January 21,1924 at the Lenox Athletic Club in New York.
9.
One source noted that Sid Terris's greatest bout in 1924, was a decisive win against French born Jewish boxing great Benny Valgar, in a ten-round decision at the Nostrand Athletic Club in Brooklyn.
10.
Sid Terris knocked Mandell to the mat for a nine count in the third round with a strong blow.
11.
From 1925 to 1927, Sid Terris had an exceptional run and defeated boxing greats Jack Bernstein and Johnny Dundee twice each.
12.
Sid Terris won every round in his victory over Dundee on May 4,1925 in Madison Square Garden.
13.
At only 23 in early 1928, Sid Terris was the victim of knockouts from the great Jimmy McLarnin, Ray Miller, and on January 28,1929 from Babe Herman, speeding the end of his career.
14.
Sid Terris, defeated Phil McGraw on August 24,1927, showing incredible pluck.
15.
Sid Terris fought the best there was in the division and lost few decisions.
16.
Sid Terris continued to fight after his devastating first round loss to Jimmy McLarnin on February 24,1928 at Madison Square Garden, but the quality of his competition faded, as did the size of his audience.
17.
Sid Terris lost as many as half of his contests from 1928 through his last bout with Johnny Gaito on May 7,1931 in Columbus Hall in Yonkers.
18.
In retirement in 1931, Sid Terris worked many years as a maitre d' at Stampler's Restaurant in Manhattan.
19.
Sid Terris retired to Miami Beach with his family and died on December 30,1974.
20.
Sid Terris was posthumously inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2018 as the inductee in the Early Era division.