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eleventh and once in the fourteenth. After the bout, Jeffra announced through his trainer that he would never again try to make the strict
Bantamweight limit. At least one source considered the restrictive dieting and heavy work outs required by Jeffra to make the 118 bantamweight limit, and the resulting lack of stamina, to be one of the causes of his loss to Escobar.
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on June 19, 1942, before a crowd of 6,000 at Oriole Park in
Baltimore, in a ten-round technical knockout. Jeffra was down in the ninth, badly worn down from the blows of Wright. He returned for the tenth looking weak, and once he was down, the fight was immediately called. Some sources consider this
322:
On
November 10, 1941, Jeffra again defeated great rival Joey Archibald gaining a ten-round Unanimous Decision in Providence, Rhode Island, taking the lead early and never losing it. It was their fourth and last bout together. Jack Dempsey, who shared management with Jeffra, acted as one of his corner
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On
January 6, 1941, he defeated Speary in their second meeting in a twelve-round Unanimous Decision at Carlin's Park in Baltimore. In their third meeting on February 2, 1942, he beat Speary in a ten-round Split Decision before a crowd of 7,000 at the Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Canada. There were
307:
He lost to
Archibald in a NYSAC title bout on May 12, 1941 in a fifteen-round split decision in Washington, D.C., though according to most sources, it is not entirely clear if he subsequently lost the NYSAC World Featherweight Title. Several articles noticed the split decision merely complicated the
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impressive crowd of 4,500. He came close to knocking out
Archibald in the second where he scored three knockdowns using strong rights, two for counts of nine. Though Archibald attempted comebacks in the eighth and ninth rounds with a strong showing, it was not enough to affect Jeffra's wide margin.
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On
November 19, 1940, he fought Bill Speary for the first time. He lost in a ten-round somewhat close Unanimous Decision at the Kingston Armory in Kingston, Pennsylvania. Most of the judges gave Speary only six rounds on points in the bout, though it was enough to win, as several of the remaining
209:
Apparently his boxing fortunes changed for the better once turning professional around eighteen, and particularly after finding manager Max Wacman. Fighting exclusively in his hometown of
Baltimore, Maryland as a professional between September 22, 1933, and August 2, 1935, he won twenty-six fights
348:, winning in a ten-round unanimous decision in his hometown of Baltimore. Salica won only one round in the bout that was described as "a cautious, cagey battle between ex-champions that afforded little excitement and no knockdowns." It would be Salica's last known competitive professional bout.
255:
Jeffra, however, lost the title to
Escobar in his home country in San Juan, Puerto, Rico, on February 20, 1938 in another classic fifteen round points decision before a crowd of around 13,000. Winning by a large margin, and probably inspired by the home crowd, Escobar floored Jeffra twice in the
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on
September 23, 1937 in a fifteen-round points decision in New York's Polo Grounds. A noteworthy source wrote that "he (Jeffra) deserved the decision by a wide margin, winning nine rounds to Escobar's two." The evening included three championship prizefights in one night staged by promoter Mike
278:
On May 20, 1940, Jeffra outpointed Archibald to win the NYSAC (New York) version of the World Featherweight Championship in a fifteen rounds unanimous decision in his hometown of Baltimore. The title was also recognized by Maryland, and possibly California. Jeffra won by a large margin before an
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On December 9, 1936, Jeffra first met the reigning World Bantamweight champion Sixto Escobar. Though barely 23 years old, Jeffra was awarded a 10-round decision at New York's Hippodrome. Both fighters boxed close to the 120 pound mark, slightly over the Bantamweight limit. It was an important
205:
Jeffra was born on in Baltimore, Maryland. He claimed to have changed his name from Ignatius Guiffie in the fourth grade, when his school principal said she couldn't pronounce it. According to Jeffra, he began boxing in 1929 at age fifteen, though his amateur career was rather dismal, fighting
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After retiring from competitive boxing around 1946, but fighting a few bouts as late as 1950, he coached boxing at Western Maryland College for two years and worked as an agent for Jockey Sam Palumbo, an exceptional half mile track rider. In 1960, he joined the staff of Pimlico Race Course in
247:. The crowd numbered an extraordinary 32,600, though even more had been anticipated at Jacob's masterpiece of displayed boxing skill. The bout was Jeffra's first fifteen-round battle, and exhausted after the win, he was jubilant, but expected to take a month off from training.
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boxing champion. Jeffra's career spanned from 1933 to 1950, and his final record showed 93 wins with (27 by KOs), 20 losses, and 7 draws. Jeffra was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1998. His manager was Max Waxman and his trainer was Heinie Blaustein.
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On September 8, 1941, he defeated well known boxer Tommy Forte in a ten-round unanimous decision at Shibe Park, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Forte was considered a World Bantamweight contender and fought former champion Lou Salica on several occasions.
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On May 13, 1937, he defeated Nicky Jerome handily at the New York Hippodrome. Two right hand shots in the second round put Jerome on the mat twice, once for a count of seven and the second time, 1:26 into the second round, the referee stopped the fight.
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On September 15, 1941, he defeated Lou Transparenti at the Colliseum in Baltimore in a twelve-round Unanimous Decision. Transparenti had been a contender for the World Featherweight Championship during his career.
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no knockdowns in the fight, which started slowly in the early rounds. Jeffra used a straight right and a less effective left to build a lead in points primarily in the last three rounds.
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in a ten-round split decision in Baltimore. The crowd of 5,000 probably cheered for Jeffra, their hometown favorite, who rallied in the late rounds to win the close decision.
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On July 29, 1940, he successfully defended his NYSAC World Featherweight Title against Spider Armstrong in a fifteen-round Unanimous Decision at Carlin's Park in Baltimore.
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On September 17, 1938, Jeffra defeated Nicky Jerome in a sixth-round technical knockout at Ridgewood Grove in Brooklyn. Jerome was an important opponent.
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status of NYSAC World Featherweight Title. Archibald used the win to push his candidacy for the more widely recognized NBA World Featherweight Title.
275:. On September 28, 1939, Archibald won a very controversial split decision after 15 rounds against Jeffra. Most writers scored the fight for Jeffra.
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Baltimore, as a Stable Manager where he continued to work for many years. He was married and had two boys and two girls, sending all to college.
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On November 20, 1944, Jeffra scratched out an important but close victory in a non-title bout against former NBA World Featherweight Champion
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On July 19, 1937, he defeated Ruby Bradley, a well known opponent, at Arena stadium in Philadelphia in a fourth-round technical knockout.
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bout as the official loss of his NYSAC Featherweight Title, as the outcome was more decisive than his loss to Archibald in May 1941.
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367:, "Pittsburgh" Jackie Wilson, Ruby Bradley, Joey Iannotti, Indian Quintana, and Bill Speary. Jeffra was inducted into the
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early victory for a boxer aspiring to a world championship to beat a world champion, even if it was not in a title fight.
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On August 12, 1941, he matched Mike Raffa at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in a ten-round draw.
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On March 27, 1944, Jeffra fought an important non-title bout with former NBA World Bantamweight Champion
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Jeffra captured the World Bantamweight title at age 23 by outpointing
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on November 30, 1914 – September 1988) was an American boxer. Born in
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men. Jeffra boxed at 128, quite close to the weight of Archibald.
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considered the bout the best of Speary's boxing career.
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twenty-eight amateur bouts, and losing twenty seven.
596:"Harry Jeffra Gains Revenge By Winning Ring Crown",
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522:, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, December 1936, pp. 14, 10.
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639:, Indianapolis, Indiana, pg. 18, 11 November 1941
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518:"Baltimore Bantamweight Defeats World Champion",
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661:"Henry Jeffra Defeats Lou Salica in Slow Bout",
574:, Canandaigua, New York, pg. 6, 21 February 1938
493:, Los Angeles, California, pg. 61, 16 April 1982
648:"Chalkly Wright Beats Jeffra to Retain Title",
635:"Jeffra Victor in Battle of Former Champions",
587:, Brooklyn, New York, pg. 21, 16 September 1938
570:"Escobar Wins Back His Title as Bantamweight",
509:, Nashville, Tennessee, pg. 55, 14 January 1968
505:"World's Worst Amateur Became World Champion",
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704:, El Dorado, Arkansas, pg. 13, 20 October 1964
652:, Benton Harbor, Michigan, pg. 6, 20 June 1942
622:"Speary Drops Decision to Jeffra at Toronto",
600:, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, pg. 18, 21 May 1940
263:Capturing the World Featherweight Championship
665:, Wilmington, Delaware, pg. 18, 28 March 1944
230:Capturing the World Bantamweight Championship
691:, Cumberland, Maryland, pg. 23, 5 April 1974
674:"Harry Jeffra Upsets Champ Phil Terranova",
243:Jacobs, and included a bout by boxing great
609:"Speary Outpoints Featherweight Champion",
754:23 September 1937– 20 February 1938
531:"Escobar Defeat Foe in Overweight Match",
251:Losing the World Bantamweight Championship
210:with only one draw and not a single loss.
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544:"Ross Retains His Title in Feature",
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729:Harry Jeffra - CBZ Profile
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