Johnny "Scotch Wop" Dundee was a featherweight and junior lightweight champion boxer. He faced many great fighters in the featherweight, junior-lightweight, and lightweight divisions of his era including Benny Leonard (nine times), Lew Tendler (three times), and lightweight champions Freddie Welsh and Willie Ritchie.
Background
Johnny Dundee was born on November 22, 1893, as Giuseppe Carrora in Sciacca, Sicily. The family immigrated to the United States shortly after his birth. He was raised in Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen section, where his parents ran a fish market. As a youth he frequently fought in smokers, fights at which the hat was passed to raise a purse for the combatants.
Education
At the age of seventeen, Carrora became a professional boxer under the tutelage of Scottie Montieth. Montieth reported that "I liked everything about the kid except his name, " and encouraged Carrora to change his name.
Career
As Johnny Dundee, Carrora became one of the first prominent immigrant fighters to use an anglicized name in the belief that fighters with more traditional names had greater opportunities. Dundee attracted national attention when, at nineteen, he fought a stirring twenty-round draw with featherweight champion Johnny Kilbane at Vernon, California.
Much to Dundee's displeasure, Kilbane refused to give him another chance at the title. Dundee, nicknamed the "Little Bar of Iron" or the "Scotch-Wop, " developed into one of New York City's favorite boxers. He trained at Stillman's Gym on Eighth Avenue, and achieved a certain notoriety for superstitiously wearing the same ring robe for many years and attending the theater the night before a fight.
Among his most notable nonchampionship matches were eight no-decision fights with lightweight Benny Leonard. "I taught him Italian, and he taught me Jewish, " reported Dundee of these contests.
In 1921, Dundee won the junior lightweight title, defeating George Chaney. He successfully defended this title several times, finally relinquishing it to Kid Sullivan in 1924. But Dundee was most celebrated as a featherweight. He won the featherweight title from Eugene Criqui at the Polo Grounds on July 26, 1923. Dundee, who was noted for his agility and stamina, won an easy fifteen-round decision. Yet his share of the $185, 514 purse was only 12. 5 percent. As Criqui reached the ring, he was greeted by sustained jeering, due primarily to Dundee's popularity. This rudeness to the champion, a war hero who had been wounded at Verdun, caused strong negative comment in the national press.
Dundee held the featherweight title for two years, relinquishing it voluntarily because he had great difficulty making the weight limit. In 1927 he fought Tony Canzoneri for the lightweight title, but was soundly defeated. His career declined quickly thereafter, but like many boxers he continued to fight well past his prime. His last fight was in 1932. Of his 321 matches he won 113, drew 18, and lost 31. He also had 159 no-decision fights.
Dundee remained active in New York City fight circles and was a frequent spectator at major bouts. He died at East Orange, New Jersey.
Personality
Quotes from others about the person
Al del Greco: "Johnny Dundee wasn't the greatest little man in boxing, but he was good, very good. .. no one could come off the ropes like him. Rivals backed away when Johnny sidles backward because he bounced off at the craziest angles. "
Johnny Martin: "You threw your arms out trying to hit Johnny. When he was moving right, you lowered your eyes a bit, threw a punch, and the next thing you knew, he was behind you, laughing his head off. He was nothing as a hitter, but he could box your ears off. The big idea when you fought Johnny was not too appear too ridiculous. "
Connections
Dundee married a woman named Lucille, on June 26, 1912. They had a daughter, also named Lucille, born in 1913.