Salvatore Lazzara (August 6, 1903 – March 31, 1982), better known by his boxing alias Joe Dundee, was an American boxer.Cyber Boxing Encyclopedia - Joe Dundee CyberBoxingZone.com Retrieved on 2014-04-30 He was the brother of Middleweight Champion Vince Dundee. During his career, he was recognized as the Undisputed World Welterweight Champion from 1927 to 1929. Dundee's managers included Max Waxman, and Charles Johnston, and his trainer was Heinie Blaustein.
Early life Dundee was born Salvatore Lazzara in Palermo, Sicily, Italy on August 16, 1903. He was tutored at St. Mary's Industrial School in Baltimore, where his family moved when he was a young boy.
Career Dundee began professional boxing in 1919 in Baltimore, In an important early career loss, Dundee was disqualified in a match with former world bantamweight champion Kid Williams on September 4, 1922, in Baltimore, Maryland. Williams was leading by a large margin when the bout was called, excelling in the infighting, and landing nearly every blow imaginable against Dundee."Joe's Illegal Blow is Struck in Tenth", The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore, Maryland, pg. 11, 5 September 1922 Nearly a month later, Dundee married Johanna Kozojet at St. Wenceslaus Church.
One of his most noteworthy bouts was a ten round draw by decision with Lew Tendler before 10,000 on July 16, 1925, at Pennsylvania's Shibe Park. In a close and furiously fought bout in the rain, Dundee caught Tendler off balance in the ninth with a left hook, and he fell briefly to his hands. Dundee frequently fought on offense against Tendler, staggering him at times with a stunning right. The skilled ring veteran Tendler was forced to clinch at times."He and Tendler in Great Match", The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore, Maryland, pg. 13, 17 July 1925Tendler forced to clinch in Mackay, Gordon, "Tom Outfights Foe; Deserves Victory", The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pg. 20, 17 July 1925
Tommy Freeman fell to Dundee on March 1, 1926, in a fifth round technical knockout at Madison Square Garden, furthering Dundee's rise to the top of the welterweight ranks.
He defeated Jewish Brooklyn-based boxer George Levine in a ten round points decision at Madison Square Garden on May 8, 1926. The fight was action packed from the beginning, though there were no knockdowns. Levine scored well and kept Dundee at a distance with a left jab in the first four rounds, while Dundee went to the body in the fifth with his right and wore down his opponent in the remaining rounds. Reporters recognized Dundee as a top two contender for the welterweight title and Self Defense magazine rated Levine in the top ten for welterweights that year."Renault Wins in Bout With Jack Demave", Democrat and Chronicle, pg. 29, 8 May 1926"Renault Beats Jack Demave", The Morning News, Wilmington, Delaware, pg. 8, 8 May 1926Dundee went to the body in second half of bout in "Jack Renault Beats Demave", The Boston Globe, Boston, Massachusetts, pg. 7, 8 May 1926
Dundee decisively defeated former world welterweight champion Mickey Walker on June 24, 1926, in an eighth round technical knockout before 15,000 at New York's Madison Square Garden. Walker was battered throughout the bout, and was able to lead the only in the first, which he may have won on points. Dundee aimed frequently at an injured eye, which Walker had gotten in training prior to the match. The referee stopped the bout 2:53 into the eighth when bleeding from Walker's injured eye and the battering he had taken made it impossible for him to continue."Joe Dundee Wins From Walker on Technical Kayo", Pittston Gazette, Pittston, Pennsylvania, pg. 6, 25 June 1926 The win against Walker spotlighted Dundee's ascension to the top ranks of welterweight contenders.
In an important early career win, Dundee defeated Jack Zivic in a ten round points decision on October 15, 1926, before a crowd of 12,000 at Madison Square Garden. Dundee was given seven rounds, with two to Zivic, and one even."Dundee Removes Jack Zivic From Path", Evening Courier, Camden, New Jersey, pg. 19, 16 October 1926. Dundee boxed carefully against a well known opponent, delivering hard rights to the body, and left hooks to the jaw. He fought through the frequent clinches of Zivic, and fought in close when necessary on the breaks."Jack Zivic Beaten By Joe Dundee in Ten Round Thriller", Pittsburgh Daily Post, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pg. 11, 16 October 1926
Eddie Roberts fell to Dundee in a decisive ten round unanimous decision on January 14, 1927, before a crowd of 18,000 at Madison Square Garden. Roberts took frequent blows to the body that exhausted him, and helped give Dundee an edge. Dundee was down briefly in the fourth from a right cross and may have been close to a knockout, but recovered and fought back gamely in the remaining rounds. The Associated Press gave Dundee eight rounds and Roberts two.Walsh, David, "Joe Dundee Wins Over Ed Roberts", The Evening News, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, pg. 9, 15 January 1927Crowd of 18,000 in "Joe Dundee Stages Comeback", Harrisburgh Telegraph, Harrisburgh, Pennsylvania, pg. 13, 15 January 1927 In a previous match on December 4, 1926, Dundee lost in a first round technical knockout to Roberts after he was floored four times in the first.
Taking the world welterweight title, June, 1927
Dundee defeated Pete Latzo for the world welterweight title on June 3, 1927, at New York's Polo Grounds, winning in a fifteen round majority decision before one of his largest audiences, an impressive crowd of 30,000. In a fairly decisive win, the Associated Press gave Dundee ten of the fifteen rounds, building his largest points margin in the later rounds. Latzo started strong, looking best in the first, second, fourth, and twelfth, but took brutal body punishment, particularly to the kidneys, through much of the bout. By the tenth, gaining confidence and sensing victory, Dundee went to Latzo's head as well as his body with greater frequency.Walsh, Davis, "Scores Clean-Cut Win Over Former Champion", The Winnipeg Tribune, Winnipeg, Canada, pg. 33, 4 January 1927 Several reporters attributed Latzo's lack of endurance in the later rounds to his difficulty making the 147 pound welterweight limit."New Welter Champ Has Sting in His Punches", Dayton Daily News, Dayton, Ohio, pg. 10, 4 January 1927
Dundee fought a peculiar bout with former world light welterweight champion Pinky Mitchell on August 11, 1927, in Milwaukee that was declared a No Contest, and discontinued in the sixth round for stalling. The Wisconsin Boxing Commission barred both boxers from competing in their state until January 1, 1928. Though warned against the continuous holding and clinching for five rounds, both competitors persisted until the referee ended the contest before a booing crowd of 5,000. What little fighting there was appeared to leave the fighters on even terms."Boxers Ignore Order to Cease Clinching Match", Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, Wisconsin, pg. 15, 12 August 1927
Dundee lost to future welterweight champion Jack Thompson on August 30, 1928, in a second round technical knockout at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Though the first appeared even, in the second, Dundee was down first for a count of nine from a right cross, and again for a nine count from a flurry of punches before the referee stopped the bout. Thompson would have taken the title due to the knockout, but for a weight discrepancy during the weigh-in, which removed the bout from title contention.
Loss of the world welterweight title, July, 1929 On March 21, 1929, Dundee was stripped of his NBA world welterweight title for refusing to fight top contenders Jack Thompson or Jackie Fields. He was not considered to have fully lost the title until his bout with Jackie Fields.
On July 25, 1929, Dundee faced Jackie Fields before a crowd of 25,000 in a unifying match for the welterweight championship in Detroit, and a chance to reclaim his title. Fields was awarded the fight in the second round after Dundee, having been knocked down four times, delivered a foul blow while still down which left put fields down on the mat in pain, and incapable of continuing the fight. Dundee claimed that the foul was unintentional but some boxing historians has since speculated otherwise, even considering it part of a fix.Foul may have been a fix in Silver, Mike (2016). Stars of the Ring, Published by Rowman and Littlefield, Los Angeles, pps. 151-53. Fields stated he believed Dundee, but noted that it was the only bout he had ever won on a foul. The win gave Fields unified recognition as world welterweight champion.Silver, Mike (2016). Stars of the Ring, Published by Rowman and Littlefield, Los Angeles, pps. 151-53.Joe Dundee's Professional Boxing Record. BoxRec.com. Retrieved on 2014-05-18.
Taking the Mexican welterweight title, October, 1929 Dundee defeated Bert Colima on October 13, 1929, for the Mexican welterweight title in a ten round points decision in Mexico City before an exceptional crowd of 20,000. Dundee was down for a count of nine in the second, and Colima was down twice in the sixth, once for a count of eight. Dundee dominated the later rounds, but could not find a knockout punch."Joe Dundee Cops Mexican Ring Go", Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, New York, pg. 18, 14 October 1929Dundee down twice in the sixth in "Colima Loses Mexico City Go to Dundee", Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, California, pg. 28, 14 October 1929
In one of his last career fights on May 28, 1930, Dundee decisively defeated British lightweight champion Harry Mason in a ten round points decision at Madison Square Garden before a modest crowd of 5,000. Though Dundee appeared close to being knocked out in the first round, he rallied in the remaining rounds to gain the decision from Mason."LaBarba Wins Tame Contest", The Evening Journal, Wilmington, Delaware, pg. 18, 29 May 1930
After retiring from boxing around 1931, Dundee worked as a bartender in Baltimore in a tavern in which he had partial ownership."Joe Dundee Dead At 78; Ex-welter Boxing Champ", Baltimore Sun, Baltimore, Maryland, pg. 55, 1 April 1982
Dundee was inducted into the Maryland State Athletic Hall of Fame in 1959.Maryland State Athletic Hall of Fame - Joe Dundee MDSAHOF.org Retrieved on 2014-04-30 He died on March 31, 1982, at Manor Care Townson Nursing Home in Baltimore, and was buried in The Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery."Death Announcements, Lazzara, The Evening Sun, Baltimore, Maryland, pg. 43, 1 April 1982 He left a wife, Johanna, and three sons.
Professional boxing record All information in this section is derived from BoxRec, unless otherwise stated.
Official record
All newspaper decisions are officially regarded as “no decision” bouts and are not counted in the win/loss/draw column.