Pete Latzo (born August 1, 1902 – July 7, 1968) was an American boxer, who held the Undisputed World Welterweight Championship from 1926 to 1927.
Boxing career highlights Latzo was born on August 1, 1902, in Colerain, Pennsylvania, near the heart of the coal-mining county. By several accounts, Latzo spent some of his early years mining, and working as a "breaker boy" whose primary job was to pick slate and other impurities from anthracite coal.Worked as breaker boy in Daniel, Daniel, "Up From the Coal Pits", Shamokin News Dispatch, Shamokin, Pennsylvania, pg. 6, 30 June 1926Pete Latzo was a miner, Micky Walker knocked out Steve Latzo, in "Ex-ring Champion Pete Latzo Dead", The Kane Republican, Kane, Pennsylvania, pg. 3, 9 July 1968 His brother Steve preceded him as a boxer in local rings with some success, once losing to Mickey Walker by knockout. His older brother Joe also boxed briefly in and around Scranton. For a period, Latzo's brother Mike managed his career, though his primary managers were Paddy Mullins and Jimmy Johnston.
In their first welterweight title fight on March 22, 1923, Mickey Walker defeated Latzo in a twelve-round newspaper's decision before a crowd of 10,000 in Newark, New Jersey. Latzo took a tremendous beating, suffering particularly from shots to the body, and was knocked down for a count of three from a solid left to the jaw in the fourth round. Latzo continued to take severe punishment to the body in the sixth round but managed to stay on his feet. With both men exhausted, the fighting in the seventh through eleventh rounds was comparatively slow, and though the twelfth round saw more offensive action from both combatants, Latzo was stunned but not knocked down by a left to the chin shortly before the final bell."Pete Latzo is Given Hard Punishment But Stays Twelve Rounds", The Scranton Republican, Scranton, Pennsylvania, pg. 22, 23 March 1923
Taking the world welterweight title, May, 1926 In an upset, Latzo defeated Mickey Walker to take the world welterweight championship before a crowd of 12,000 on May 20, 1926, in a ten-round unanimous decision in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The bout was marred somewhat by frequent clinching, holding and covering up, and it lacked haymakers and knockdowns, but Latzo executed his win after previously losing to Walker, a 3-1 favorite to win the match."Pete Latzo Crowned World's Champion", Republican and Herald, Pottsville, Pennsylvania, pg. 11, 21 May 1926 The Associated Press gave Latzo five rounds, with three to Walker, and two even, and both judges ruled in his favor.AP gave Latzo five rounds in "12,000 Persons Pay 90,000 to Witness Bout", St. Louis Post-Dispatch, St. Louis, Missouri, pg. 44, 21 May 1926Walker 3-1 favorite in "Pete Latzo, Coloraine Native is Taken in Death", Standard Speaker, Hazleton, Pennsylvania, pg. 28, 9 July 1968
He defeated Willie Harmon on June 29, 1926, in a fifth-round knockout in Newark, New Jersey. If he had lost by knockout, Latzo's recently earned title would have been at risk. Cyber Boxing Encyclopedia – Pete Latzo CyberBoxingZone.com Retrieved on 2014-04-30 The combatants fought with neither having a strong advantage in the first four rounds. A strong left to the body that dazed Harmon followed by a solid right to the jaw during infighting in the fifth round ended the bout, though Harmon had been down very briefly in the first. Though he was a ring veteran, it was Harmon's first loss by knockout."Latzo Victorious Over Willie Harmon", Palladium-Item, Richmond, Indiana, pg. 11, 30 June 1926Even fighting in the first four rounds in White, Paul, Evening Courier, Camden, New Jersey, pg. 25, 30 June 1926
Latzo fought one of his last defenses of the welterweight title on July 9, 1926, against Georgie Levine, winning in a fourth round disqualification before a crowd of around 22,000 at New York's Polo Grounds. After gaining a significant margin on points, Latzo dropped to the canvas in pain. The referee upheld his claim of being hit by a low blow, 1:28 minutes into the fourth round, ending the bout."Pete Latzo Wins on Foul", The Richmond Item, Richmond, Indiana, pg. 5, 10 July 1926
Loss of the world welterweight championship, June, 1927
He lost the welterweight crown to Joe Dundee on June 3, 1927, in a fifteen-round majority decision before one of his largest audiences, a crowd of 30,000, at the New York City's Polo Grounds. 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
Latzo lost to Tiger Flowers, former world middleweight champion, on September 30, 1927, in a ten-round unanimous decision at Artillery Park in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The crowd of 10,000 saw Flowers take seven rounds, though Latzo performed well in the remaining three, and dominated much of the infighting, particularly in the fifth and sixth when he delivered several close range body rocking blows. Flowers' dominating the long range fighting was understandable as he had at least a four-inch reach advantage, which required Latzo to gain points inside."Flowers Wins Decision Over Pete Latzo", Shamokin News Dispatch, Shamokin, Pennsylvania, pg. 6, 1 October 1927
He defeated future world light heavyweight champion Maxie Rosenbloom on February 6, 1928, in a ten-round points decision in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Latzo pulled ahead in the two final rounds in a close bout that ended in a decision unpopular with the crowd."Pete Latzo Wins", The Morning Call, Allentown, Pennsylvania, pg. 20, 7 February 1928 One judge gave the decision to Rosenbloom, one called it a draw, and the referee decided in favor of Latzo."Latzo is Given Decision in Bout with Rosenbloom", Shamokin News-Dispatch, Shamokin, Pennsylvania, pg. 7, 7 February 1928 On November 21, 1927, Latzo had lost to Rosenbloom in a ten-round split decision at the Arena in Philadelphia. In a close and very fast bout, Rosenbloom scored well at long range with his straight left and left hook, but at close range, Latzo scored consistently as well. In the ninth, Rosenbloom delivered a strong blow with his left to Latzo's jaw, and may have won by a shade in the tenth when the fighting was furious."Latzo Loses in Great Battle With Rosenbloom", Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, pg. 22, 22 November 1927 The bout was a vicious encounter throughout and Rosenbloom bled from a cut over his eye from the seventh round til the finish.Rosenbloom cut in seventh round in "Rosenbloom Wins Over Pete Latzo", The Morning Call, Allentown, Pennsylvania, pg. 20, 22 November 1927
After losing the welter crown Latzo invaded the heavier ranks. For the duration of his career he fought middleweights, light heavyweights, and even a few quality heavyweights. Latzo fought many notable fighters in his career, including future heavyweight champion Jim Braddock, and middleweight champion Tiger Flowers. He is an inductee of the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame. New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame – Pete Latzo NJBoxingHOF.org Retrieved on 2014-04-30
Challenging for the world light heavyweight title, June–July 1928 Latzo challenged reigning champion Tommy Loughran for the NYSAC world light heavyweight title on June 1, 1928, at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, but lost in a fifteen-round unanimous decision. The Associated Press gave eight rounds to Loughran, with only four to Latzo, and one even. Latzo shone in the early rounds catching Loughran on the ropes with occasional blows to both head and body, but failed to faze the light heavyweight champion in the later rounds."Pete Latzo's Final Challenge for Title", The Billings Gazette, Billings, Montana, pg. 8, 2 June 1928
Latzo challenged Loughran again for the light heavyweight title on July 16, 1928, at Artillery Park in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, but lost in a ten rounds unanimous decision. In a closer bout than their previous meeting, the Associated Press gave Loughran five rounds, Latzo four, and one even. In the third and fourth, Latzo battered through Loughran's guard and may have come close to flooring him in the fourth, but his attack faltered in the remaining rounds. A rally in the ninth and tenth appeared to win the rounds for Latzo, but Loughran had continued to pile up points in the second half of the bout, and maintained enough of a margin to take the decision."Tommy Loughran is Still a Champion", Harrisburgh Telegraph, Harrisburgh, Pennsylvania, pg. 14, 17 July 1928
Latzo was defeated by future world heavyweight champion Jim Braddock before a crowd of 4,000, on October 17, 1928, at New Jersey's Newark Armory in a ten-round points decision. Braddock scored repeatedly with his left hook to the face and body, racking up points, and making it difficult for Latzo to mount much of an offense. The club doctor, determined that Latzo had broken his jaw, likely in the fourth round when he had received a series of left hooks. Latzo was down briefly in the ninth, and he was rocked by a hard right to the chin in the fifth. Though Latzo was the pre-fight betting favorite, The Record of Hackensack, New Jersey, gave Braddock six rounds, with the first even and Latzo taking only the second, third, and fourth.Braddock took six in "Braddock Beats Pete Latzo", The Record, Hackensack, New Jersey, pg. 21, 18 October 1928Crowd of 4000, and rocked in the fifth in "Latzo Loses to Braddock in Newark", The Courier-News, Bridgewater, New Jersey, pg. 20, 18 October 1928"Braddock Defeats Pete Latzo", Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, Wisconsin, pg. 17, 18 October 1928 To recover from his jaw injury, according to several online boxing sites, Latzo did not fight competitively in 1929, except for a single bout in January.
Latzo defeated Larry Johnson in a close ten round points decision before 12,000 at Madison Square Garden on February 21, 1930. Though the fighting was close, Johnson was unable to score often with his powerful right, and many ringside believed Latzo, scoring often with body shots, took at least one more round than his opponent."Pete Latzo Surprises Experts By Conquering Chicago Negro", Star-Gazette, Elmira, New York, pg. 9, 22 February 1930 The Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported that Johnson deserved the decision as Latzo's only advantage was his defense against Johnson, who had scored a string of consecutive knockouts before the match. Latzo was required to crouch and let Johnson lead in most of the bout, as he was wary of Johnson's dangerous right, and had a disadvantage in reach of several inches.Hughes, Ed, "Rancid Verdict Robs Colored Boxer of Clumsily Earned Win", The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn, New York, pg. 12, 22 February 1930
Latzo fought Jimmy Slattery, former world light heavyweight champion, in a seven-round No Contest on May 27, 1930, at Boston Garden. The purses of both boxers were withheld and they were ordered to leave the ring by the referee when it appeared they were exerting too little effort to merit continuing."Slattery, Lotzo Go is Fizzle", Times-Herald, Olean, New York, pg. 21, 28 May 1930