Career
He also competed in the bantamweight and welterweight divisions. Arizmendi is famous for being the youngest boxer to turn pro. Arizmendi turned pro at the age of 13.
Baby used a charging, bruising style, making him a very strong two-fisted fighter.
With victories over such names as Fidel LaBarba, Baby established himself as a worthy contender for the featherweight crown. The National Basketball Association world title was not at stake because Paul came in over the weight limit.
In support of his claim to the National Basketball Association title, the California boxing commission gave him the opportunity to fight for their world title. The following month, Arizmendi defeated Newsboy Brown to claim the California World Featherweight Title.
However, Arizmendi didn"t give up, as he rematched Miller later that year and defeated him in a non-title fight.
On August 30, 1934, he defeated Mike Belloise for the New York state featherweight crown. On November 4, 1934, he defeated Henry Armstrong in their first of five meetings, winning almost every round despite suffering a broken wrist in the second round. He defeated Armstrong once again on January 2, 1935, to claim the California-Mexican World featherweight title.
Following those victories, he defeated future world title holder Chalky Wright by fourth round knockout.
He subsequently lost the California-Mexico World title in his third bout with Armstrong. In his following 7 fights, Arizmendi combined wins and losses before facing Armstrong for a fourth time.
Despite losing the fight on points, Arizmendi ended Armstrong"s 27 fight knockout streak by going the distance with him. His last bout with Armstrong was his last shot for a World title, where he dropped a grueling 10-round decision for the World Welterweight title.
He continued boxing up until 1942, with occasional bouts with Lou Ambers, Sammy Angott, and George Latka, but never again went for a title.
After retiring from boxing, Arizmendi would serve in the United States. Navy during World World War II, and later operated restaurants in the Echo Park District. According to two 1956 articles (July 22 and 23), Arizmendi was hospitalized following a partial paralytic condition on his left side. lieutenant was also reported he had been undergoing a brain examination and further diabetic blood tests.
Arizmendi died of natural causes in a veterans hospital on New Year"s Eve 1962, at the age of 48, leaving behind widow Henrietta.
He also left behind a illegitimate son Raul Robert Arizmendi born February 1933 in Los Angles, California. He died after a prolonged illness at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Sawtelle (which is now considered part of Westwood, a suburb in the City of Los Angeles, and is near the University of California, Los Angeles campus). Arizmendi was posthumously inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004.