Inducted on February 24, 1984
Joey would like to extend his personal appreciation to Ring 102 President, Jackie Stewart, and Vice President, Champ Snell, for selecting him as their candidate to represent Ring 102. He also would like to thank the selecting committee representing the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame, whoever they may be.
Joey was born in Paterson, New Jersey, in 1920. He was the son of Anthony and Nabeeha Haddad, immigrants from Aleppo, Syria. They had seven boys and three girls. He attended local schools in Paterson, and at a very young age he went to watch his favorite heavyweight fight contender, Paul Cavaliere, train at the Paterson boxing gymnasium.
In 1937 Joey decided to enter the Golden Gloves Amateurs. At 147 pounds, welterweight class, Joey won all his bouts by knockouts.
In 1938, the depression years, Joey joined the Civilian Conservation Corps, the C.C.C. While in the C.C.C. he was stationed in Sonora, California and John Day, in Oregon. In 1939, in Oregon, Joey had his first professional bout. It was an eight round fight – two minute rounds against John Shumway and Joey won by K.O. in the fourth round. For this he received $27 in silver dollars.
In 1940 he was managed by Carl Duva and Bill Daly. Later, in 1940, Ring Magazine had his Prospect of the Month.
In 1941 he was recognized New Jersey State Welterweight Champ after a second round knockout over Mickey Makar, in the Jersey City Garden.
In 1942 Joey was training with Freddie “Red” Cochrane, who was fighting a southpaw in a Navy Relief Boxing Show in Boston, Mass. Cochrane Was already in the U.S. Navy at the time and later Joey also signed up to serve in the Navy.
While in the Navy Joey was a physical training instructor in boxing under Commander Gene Tunney, in Newport Training Station at Newport, Rhode Island.
Joey in 1943 won the U$. Armed Forces Championships, Third District, 147 pound Welterweight Class in Fenway Park, Boston, Mass. Steve Belloise, his teammate, won the 160 pound Middleweight Championship. Joey considers Belloise the hardest middleweight puncher ir; his time. All the fights were Navy Relief Boxing Shows, all monies went to the servicemen’s U.S.O.’s.
In 1945 Joey was Honorably Discharged from the U.S. Navy; he then resumed his boxing career and in 1946 fought Joe Curico in Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City; the winner to fight Sugar Ray Robinson in Buffalo, New York. Joey lost by a decision and after a few more bouts he retired in 1948.
In 1956 Joey married Helen Crane, a sweet Irish girl; they have two children, Helen Mary and Anthony John. In. 1959 he was employed by the Paterson Police Department as a chauffeur.
In 1961 he resigned from the police department and accepted employment by the Paterson Housing Authority. Joey still works for the Authority and is also active as a Licensed N.J. Real Estate Broker.
Joey had 57 professional fights. He had 32 K.Os; 18 decisions; 2 were draws and lost 5. He was also known as the Syrian Assassin. He was one of those southpaw fighters that always had a problem getting some fights. Fight managers wanted no part of him.
Managed by Bill Daly
Boxing Record: click