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Tony Martin - MW
1936-1946
Rating 7
Milwaukee, WI
Antonio Cianciola(real name)
Record: 49-9-7 (24 KOs)
Known to the boxing world as "Tony Martin" because his given name, Antonio Cianciola was difficult for ring announcers to pronounce.
He won the Wisconsin Golden Gloves, turned professional in 1936 and knocked out many fighters with what sportswriters of the time described as a flashing right hook. In three years, he lost only one of 33 bouts. In 1939, he moved to Newark, N.J., to train with the legendary Ray Arcel. It was Arcel who gave him the new ring name. A year later, the newly named Martin came home to fight Toots Bernstein for the Wisconsin middleweight title. It turned into a rocking three-fight series, with Bernstein winning the first fight by decision, and Martin winning twice by knockout.
Martin was never given the opportunity to fight for the world title. He fought middleweight champ Tony Zale in a non-title fight on New Year's Day 1941 at the Auditorium. Martin was ahead on points when, according to news reports, Zale butted him and closed his left eye, stopping the fight. Martin never got a rematch with Zale. After serving in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II, Martin fought a few more times, and then quit the ring.
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