JOHNNY DUNDEE

Inducted on June 15, 1969

Johnny Dundee (November 19, 1893 – April 22, 1965) was a featherweight and junior lightweight boxer who fought from 1910 until 1932. Dundee was born Giuseppe Curreri in Sciacca, Sicily, but was raised in the United States.
dundee1
Known as the Scotch Wop, Dundee faced all of the great fighters in the featherweight, lightweight and junior-lightweight divisions of his era. He fought the great Benny Leonard nine times, and Lew Tendler three times. He also boxed lightweight champions Freddy Welsh and Willie Ritchie.

Dundee was regarded as a skillful boxer with great footwork. He fought 330 bouts, third in ring history, and won the featherweight and junior lightweight world titles. Dundee was knocked out only twice in his career. His final record was 194 wins (22 KOs), 60 losses and 41 draws. The remaining bouts were No Decisions, which were common during the era in which he fought.

He received his first opportunity to win a world title in his 87th fight, in 1913. Although he fought the champion, Johnny Kilbane, to a draw, he would not receive another shot at a title until 1921. By this time he had fought an astounding 264 fights. He won the title when his opponent, George KO Chaney, was disqualified in the fifth round. Dundee thus became the first universally recognized world junior lightweight champion in ring history.

In 1923 he also unified the world featherweight championship by defeating Eugene Criqui of France. Jack Bernstein won the World Junior Lightweight Championship on May 30, 1923 from titleholder Dundee in New York City’s Velodrome in a unanimous 15-round decision. Dundee won it back on December 17 that same year in a 15-round decision in Madison Square Garden. In their return bout Bernstein again dominated Dundee. Some media called the decision for Dundee “outrageous,” “putrid,” and “a heist.” Time Magazine wrote: “… the crowd hooted. The fans and the journalists watching could credit Dundee with at most only three victorious rounds, the last three, and possibly two other rounds drawn. The judges brought in a decision favoring Dundee. There was blank astonishment. Then a chorus of hoots and denunciations shook the building.” Another critic, Wilbur Wood, wrote: “It will be many a year before the memory of the decision handed down in the Bernstein-Dundee fight can be softened down sufficiently to prevent sportsman from undergoing an attack of nausea when it is called to mind.” And the New York Times reported: “The decision shocked a crowd of 13,589 persons.”[1] The two fought a “rubber” third match 10 months later, on Septem­ber 15, 1924, 3 months after Dundee lost his Junior Lightweight title. This time the 15-round decision went unanimously to Bernstein.

Unable to make the weight he relinquished the featherweight crown in 1924. Although today he is almost completely forgotten, Dundee was highly regarded by many old time boxing experts. Ring Magazine founder and editor, Nat Fleischer, rated Dundee in the top five of his list of greatest featherweights of all time

Manitoba Free Press, Winnipeg

24 October 1927
Johnny Dundee Attempting To Regain Crown
Ancient Boxer Meets Tony Canzoneri Tonight

BY FRANK GETTY
New York, Oct. 23.—Sentiment, bunk and dollars will play their part tomorrow night when Johnny Dundee, now growing grey above the cauliflowers returns to the ring at the featherweight limit to meet lusty young Tony Canzoneri o£ Brooklyn.

Fight fans, few of them deluded by the claim that the featherweight championship is at stake, will flock to see the gallant old survivor of 325 ring battles in action once more. The fans are sentimental about Johnny, and it must be admitted that during his 16 years In the ring he has given them a run for their sentiment.

Retired  Undefeated

But Dundee as everyone knows, is no more featherweight champion of the world than rotund, rosy nosed old Jack McAuliffe is lightweight champion. Both retired undefeated, but with their retirements their titles passed on. That is the law of the game and all talk of championships being won and lost in the ring is irrelevant.

If Johnny really believed himself champion of the world at 126 pounds he would be almost as pitiful a figure as old “Ad Wolgast, out there on the far coast, training, training ceaselessly for ‘my next fight.’

The facts of the matter are that Johnny needs the money, family extravagance having over-taxed his ring earnings, and this meeting with young Canzoneri at the featherweight limit presents Dundee’s last opportunity for a shot at the big money which the fight game reserves for its headliners.

Title Passed On

Johnny never defended the 126 pound title he won from heroic Gene Criqui four years ago. “Kid” Kaplan succeeded Dundee when the “Scotch Wop” withdrew from featherweight competition and the Meriden kid in turn retired and passed on the title to the others of his division,

At the moment, Benny Bass, of Philadelphia is recognized by the National Boxing association as featherweight champion and the New York State Athletic association, the only rival boxing body of any epic, has not protested the recognition.

Meanwhile, Dundee has been fighting Junior lightweights, lightweights and even welterweights, with indifferent success. He was beaten by Martinez, a Spaniard who weights 20 pounds more than the weight limit which Johnny is making for Canzoneri.

Johnny had to make 126 pounds in order that there might be a championship tag at tomorrow night’s fight. Otherwise, the affair would be hardly what the boys call a “natural.” Canzoneri should punch his poor old opponent’s head off.

Growing Too Fast

Tony recently tried in vain to win the bantamweight championship. He was growing too fast. Now he is a natural featherweight, although if he keeps  on at the spaghetti it won’t be long before he’ll be up among the lightweights. With Benny Bass only just beginning to enjoy the fruits of his 126 pound title, the chances of Canzoneri getting a match with the Philadelphian were remote.

Tile Dundee affair presented an opportunity for Tony to “talk title,” at any rate. And here was a chance for Dundee to appear once more as in headliner, perhaps for the last time. So Johnny consented to boil him self down from his every day weigh of 145 pounds to the featherweight

limit of 126. At the latter weight he will try to go 16 rounds with Tony If he loses he will concede the “championship” to Canzoneri, which after all appears to be the purpose of the bout. Of course, if by some miracle and Dundee has done too much in the ring these 16 years for it to be declared impossible Johnny should climb through the ropes and hand his young opponent a first class whipping.

All  this business and bunk and dollars would be forgotten in the screaming, uproarious, tumultuous enthusiasm which would ring the rafters of Madison Square Garden.

Manitoba Free Press, Winnipeg

24 October 1927


Johnny Dundee Attempting To Regain Crown


Ancient Boxer Meets Tony Canzoneri Tonight

BY FRANK GETTY
dundee2New York, Oct. 23.—Sentiment, bunk and dollars will play their part tomorrow night when Johnny Dundee, now growing grey above the cauliflowers returns to the ring at the featherweight limit to meet lusty young Tony Canzoneri o£ Brooklyn.

Fight fans, few of them deluded by the claim that the featherweight championship is at stake, will flock to see the gallant old survivor of 325 ring battles in action once more. The fans are sentimental about Johnny, and it must be admitted that during his 16 years In the ring he has given them a run for their sentiment.

Retired  Undefeated

But Dundee as everyone knows, is no more featherweight champion of the world than rotund, rosy nosed old Jack McAuliffe is lightweight champion. Both retired undefeated, but with their retirements their titles passed on. That is the law of the game and all talk of championships being won and lost in the ring is irrelevant.

If Johnny really believed himself champion of the world at 126 pounds he would be almost as pitiful a figure as old “Ad Wolgast, out there on the far coast, training, training ceaselessly for ‘my next fight.’

The facts of the matter are that Johnny needs the money, family extravagance having over-taxed his ring earnings, and this meeting with young Canzoneri at the featherweight limit presents Dundee’s last opportunity for a shot at the big money which the fight game reserves for its headliners.

Title Passed On

Johnny never defended the 126 pound title he won from heroic Gene Criqui four years ago. “Kid” Kaplan succeeded Dundee when the “Scotch Wop” withdrew from featherweight competition and the Meriden kid in turn retired and passed on the title to the others of his division,

At the moment, Benny Bass, of Philadelphia is recognized by the National Boxing association as featherweight champion and the New York State Athletic association, the only rival boxing body of any epic, has not protested the recognition.

Meanwhile, Dundee has been fighting Junior lightweights, lightweights and even welterweights, with indifferent success. He was beaten by Martinez, a Spaniard who weights 20 pounds more than the weight limit which Johnny is making for Canzoneri.

Johnny had to make 126 pounds in order that there might be a championship tag at tomorrow night’s fight. Otherwise, the affair would be hardly what the boys call a “natural.” Canzoneri should punch his poor old opponent’s head off.

Growing Too Fast

Tony recently tried in vain to win the bantamweight championship. He was growing too fast. Now he is a natural featherweight, although if he keeps  on at the spaghetti it won’t be long before he’ll be up among the lightweights. With Benny Bass only just beginning to enjoy the fruits of his 126 pound title, the chances of Canzoneri getting a match with the Philadelphian were remote.

Tile Dundee affair presented an opportunity for Tony to “talk title,” at any rate. And here was a chance for Dundee to appear once more as in headliner, perhaps for the last time. So Johnny consented to boil him self down from his every day weigh of 145 pounds to the featherweight

limit of 126. At the latter weight he will try to go 16 rounds with Tony If he loses he will concede the “championship” to Canzoneri, which after all appears to be the purpose of the bout. Of course, if by some miracle and Dundee has done too much in the ring these 16 years for it to be declared impossible Johnny should climb through the ropes and hand his young opponent a first class whipping.

All  this business and bunk and dollars would be forgotten in the screaming, uproarious, tumultuous enthusiasm which would ring the rafters of Madison Square Garden.

Syracuse Herald 27 October 1915

What New York Critics Said

About Ritchie – Dundee Go
New York, Oct. 27.—Johnny Dundee beat Willie Ritchie the former  lightweight champion of  the world, in their bout at Madison Square Garden and beat him through all but about two of ten hot rounds. The queer hop toad tactics of the little Italian seemed to completely befuddle the one-time title holder. Willie was more of a welterweight than a lightweight on the scales, having nearly ten pounds advantage over Dundee and he was more of a second rater than a champion in the ring. A fast and clean boxer at his best, there were  moments when he seemed painfully slow before the weird squatting, hopping; bouncing attack of the Italian.

In the eighth the Californian appeared to finally be getting unlimbered and he caught Dundee on the tip of the jaw with a right hand lick that knocked Johnny to the ropes, following this a second later with another slashing right that staggered Dundee. In the  ninth he unveiled a beautiful right cross, catching Dundee fair on the jaw, but the Italian proved that there is no glass in his facial structure  by shaking off the punch and then winning the round.

Ritchie was cautioned for holding by Bill Brown in the fourth. In the fifth the fighters fall in a heap when Johnny almost hurdled Ritchie in a wild rush. Once Willie slipped and fell on the wet canvas, the rain falling through the open skylight and dampening the surroundings. Through the earlier stages of the fight Ritchie fought in a dazed manner and let Dundee swarm all over him. But in the concluding rounds he was fighting In something like the form that once made him champion.

He had no chance to catch up however. Dundee tried to make every round a winning round and won too far away foe any argument.

There was a row over the matter of weights although the men had agreed to box at catch weights. However there is a boxing commission rule that prohibits one man from weighing ten pounds more than the other. Monteith brought up this rule and after Ritchie had entered the ring the chairman of the commission took him back to the weighing room. He tipped the beam at 141 ¼ pounds with just his shoes on. Dundee who had also entered the ring went back and showed that he weighed 132 ½ pounds.

By Freddie Welsh

Lightweight Champion Of The World
dundee3Johnny Dundee defeated Willie Ritchie in their ten round bout last night. According to my figures Dundee had the advantage in four rounds, three were even and the rest go to Ritchie.

It was a hard slashing fight, and Dundee deserves credit for his showing when you consider he was forced to give away about nine pounds. Dundee did the only thing possible by being on the offensive most of the time, for that was the only way he could overcome the handicap.

Ritchie put up his usual aggressive fight, but he couldn’t keep up with his light-footed rival. In the ninth round it looked gloomy for Dundee. Ritchie landed hard rights to Dundee’s heart. Willie landed a few hard rights and at the finish Johnny appeared to me to be rather tired.

The weight and steady bearing of Ritchie appeared to tire the little Italian. The last round was a thriller arid both boys worked hard enough to get the crowd to its feet.

It is hard thing for a man like Ritchie to fight a fast boy like Dundee, so you’ve got to give Ritchie credit just the same.

It was terribly disappointing that more persons didn’t turn out to see this good fight. As far as I am concerned I’m still willing to fight either Dundee or Ritchie if satisfactory arrangements can be made. Of course, one of the stipulations must be that the fight is conducted under the lightweight scale.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Friends of Willie Ritchie, champion, and Johnny Dundee, the Italian fighter, disagree over the outcome of their ten-round bout last night  Each side claimed their man had the advantage. Dundee  had all the better of the early rounds. His fast work puzzled Ritchie, and it was not until the last few rounds that Ritchie got the Italian’s measure and gave him a severe lacing, evening- up what advantage the New Yorker had earlier in the bout.

NEW YORK HERALD
Willie Ritchie the Californian boxer who formally held the lightweight championship but who was trained down fine to make  141 pounds, last night fought a draw of ten rounds with “Johnny” .Dundee, the local contender for the title. Dundee weighed only a little more than 132 pounds and was a true lightweight. If Ritchie had weighed two pounds more than he did there would have been no contest, for the rules of the commission will not permit two contenders in the smaller classes to meet when there is a difference of ten ponds between them.

New York Tribune
Willie Ritchie of California is lightweight champion of America today only because decisions are not allowed in this State. he met Johnny Dundee  of this city  in a ten round bout at Madison Square Garden last night and came out second best after a bout, which sizzled with action in every round, Had the battle been of greater duration Ritchie might have won, for during the last three rounds he easily swept Dundee before him. But the conflict was for  only ten rounds, and in perhaps six of these the local lad showed superiority.

New York Sun
Johnny Dundee a legitimate lightweight of this city,  out boxed Willie Ritchie in their ten-round bout at Madison Square garden last night. Ritchie, a California boy  used to be lightweight champion of the world before he lost a decision in twenty rounds to Freddie Welsh, the Briton. Ritchie never will be lightweight champion again —not unless he loses a leg or a couple of
arms. He is a welterweight and cannot  get away from It. Ritchie last night weighed 141 ¼  pounds, with his shoe Dundee 132 ½ in the same equipment.

New York World
By the grace of the Boxing commission Willie Ritchie of California ,still is the lightweight champion of America. It was a fortunate thing for him that the commission would not permit Referee Bill Brown to give a decision. Had permission been granted Ritchie would have lost his title  for Johnny Dundee of New York  gave  him the trouncing of his life in a ten-round bout at Madison Square garden last night. Dundee had a clear advantage of seven rounds, Ritchie pained  the honors in the eighth and split the popular decision in the other two chapters. Dundee was Ritchie;s master at all styles of fighting.

NEW YORK TIMES
Willie Ritchie, the American lightweight champion, had to extend himself to the limit to get a draw in a speedy, slashing  ten-round bout with Johnny Dundee at Madison Square Garden last night. The bounding Italian’s fast work early in the bout puzzled the champion, and he missed repeatedly.  It wasn’t until the last few rounds that Ritchie got Dundee’s measure, and then he gave him a severe lacing.

The eighth round was a whirlwind and while Dundee was dancing rapidly around his opponent Ritchie clipped him with a right on the jaw, which took the little Italian off his feet and shot him against the ropes. Ritchie drove Dundee around the ring under his fierce attack, and when on the other aide of the ring he again hit him on the jaw and partially knocked him off his feet.

New York Press
In one of those old-fashioned, give-and-take, cockle-of the heart-warming scraps such as father used to see in the old bare-knuckle days, Johnny Dundee shaded Willie Ritchie, the former world’s champion lightweight, in Madison Square garden last night. Ritchie was defeated, but not disgraced, and showed himself to be every inch a champion. Scotty Montieth’s Scotch Wop only was better geared for ten rounds—that was all. All the credit to the dank-skinned flashing son of Italy, however, for his victory on points, for the raging, fighting little scion of the Caesars gave away eight and three-quarter pounds to the former lightweight king of the squared circle, and emerged with a victory which, though as slim as the hair from off the beard of the prophet, was clear and pronounced. What the result would have been in a longer bout is a matter of conjecture. Last  nights battle was a ten round affair, and in It Willie Ritchie had to play second fiddle.

Name: Johnny Dundee
Alias: Scotch Wop
Birth Name: Giuseppe Carrora
Born: 1893-11-22
Birthplace: Sciacca, Sicilia, Italy
Died: 1965-04-22 (Age:71)
Hometown: New York, New York, USA
Stance: Orthodox
Height: 5′ 4½″   /   164cm
Reach: 63″   /   160cm

Managers: Scotty Monteith (1910-1920); James J. Johnston (1920-1929)

Boxing Record: click