Christopher Battaglia (February 18, 1908 – July 25, 1977) better known as Battling Battalino, was an American Undisputed Featherweight boxing champion. Born in Hartford, Connecticut, Battalino engaged in 88 bouts during his career, of which he won 57 (23 knockouts), lost 26, and drew 3. He was managed by Hy Malley and Lenny Marello. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2003.
Early life and amateur boxing career Christopher Battaglia was born on February 18, 1908, to an Italian family in Hartford, Connecticut. The son of Italian immigrants, he never attended high school, but worked in a typewriter factory and labored in the tobacco fields.Roberts, DeJames B., and Scutt, Alexander G., The Boxing Register: International Boxing Hall of Fame Official Record Book, (2006), Fourth Edition, McBooks Press, Inc., Ithaca, New York, pgs. 68
A good amateur boxer, Battalino won the National AAU featherweight championship in Boston in 1927. He had fifty-nine amateur bouts, knocking out forty-six of his opponents.Heller (1994), p. 143
Professional boxer Taking the world featherweight championship from André Routis, September, 1929 Battalino became a professional boxer in June 1927. His first big win came on July 26, 1929, when he upset NBA world bantamweight champion "Panama" Al Brown on a 10-round decision in Hartford, Connecticut. Battalino knocked Brown down for a short count in the third. He won the first four rounds, and held his own through the remaining six."Battalino Whips Al Brown, Bantamweight", The Boston Globe, Boston, Massachusetts, pg. 8, 27 July 1928
The victory over Brown made Battalino a top contender and garnered him a title match with world featherweight champion André Routis on September 23, 1929, in his hometown, Hartford, Connecticut. The 21-year-old Battalino made the most of his opportunity and defeated Frenchman Routis over 15 rounds, becoming one of the youngest competitors to win the world featherweight title. Before an enthused audience of 13,866, Battalino outboxed and outsmarted the older Routis at both long range, and infighting, and landed more blows. In a rare occurrence, Battalino was awarded all fifteen of the rounds in the championship fight. The new champion had become a Hartford Hero when the Mayor presented him a medal the previous November for saving a child from drowning."Connecticut Youth Carries Bout All Way", Press and Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton, New York, pg. 23, 24 September 1929
On April 25, 1930, Battalino defeated former world bantamweight champion Bushy Graham in a non-title fight before a crowd of 6,000, winning at least eight of the ten rounds in a points decision in Hartford, Connecticut. A stiff left hook in the fourth put Battalino to the mat for a count of eight, and Battalino piled up a comfortable points margin through the rest of the match. The referee scored nine rounds for Battalino. Graham had little chance to mount an effective offense against the continuous attack of Battalino, and his right was tied up blocking the left of Battalino. He made few effective blows with his left after his knockdown in the fourth. According to several sources, Graham took "one of the worst trouncings of his career"."Battalino Trounces Graham Before 6000 to Capture Decision", Hartford Courant, Hartford, Connecticut, pg. 1, 26 April 1930Worst trounchings of his career, in Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, New York, pg. 17, 26 April 1930 He had lost to former champion Graham on September 24, 1931, in a non-title split decision in Cincinnati, before later knocking out Graham on November 19, 1931, at Chicago Stadium 1:44 into the first round.
World featherweight title defenses, 1930-31 During the next two years, he successfully defended his crown by defeating Ignacio Fernandez, Earl Mastro, and Hall of Famers Kid Chocolate, Fidel LaBarba, and Freddie Miller.
On February 25, 1930, Battalino defeated Ignazio Fernandez in a ten-round points decision in Hartford, taking eight of ten rounds. He beat Fernandez again in a title match in East Hartford, Connecticut, with a fifth-round knockout, the first of Fernandez's career.
Battalino defeated Kid Chocolate in a fifteen-round unanimous decision before a crowd of 15,000 at Madison Square Garden for the NYSAC world featherweight championship on December 12, 1930. Battalino, who began as a 2–1 underdog, was down in the first round from a left and right to the chin for a count of nine, but made a comeback through the rest of the furious bout. As was his custom when boxing more skilled opponents, Battalino took the offensive, never giving his opponent room to fire effective counterpunches. In a close bout, the Associated Press gave Battalino eight rounds, with only seven to Chocolate. Battalino landed body blows against Chocolate to gain a points advantage in the eleventh through the fourteenth rounds, though Chocolate led the first two rounds as well as the eighth through tenth, and the final round by a shade.Neil, Edward, The Morning News, Wilmington, Delaware, pg. 11, 13 December 1930
Battalino convincingly defeated Hall of Famer Fidel LaBarba at Madison Square Garden before a crowd of 9,000 in a fifteen round Unanimous Decision on May 22, 1931. In the somewhat close NYSAC world featherweight title bout, Battalino brought the battle to LaBarba throughout the contest, though some ringside felt LaBarba had landed the cleaner blows. Battalino was forced to score frequently during the infighting against the studied defense of LaBarba. LaBarba was forced to hold frequently to rest from the constant assault of his opponent. After his victory, most of the boxing world began to acknowledge that Battalino was a champion who had earned his title, as his opponent LaBarba was highly respected and a 2-1 favorite in the early betting."Hartford Italian is too Rugged for West Coast Featherweight", Times Herald, Olean, New York, pg. 10, 23 May 1931
Battalino defeated Earl Mastro in a ten round mixed decision NBA featherweight world championship bout on November 4, 1931, before a crowd of 14,000 at Chicago Stadium. Mastro was briefly down in the second and down for a count of nine from a left to the body in the sixth. In the last two rounds, Battalino closed strongly and battered Mastro nearly at will, extending his points margin."Battalino's Strong Finish Licks Mastro", Press and Sun Bulletin, Binghamton, New York, pg. 24, 5 November 1931
Important non-title bouts while holding the world featherweight title Battalino's best known competitors among his non-title victories included Lew Massey, Bud Taylor, Eddie Shea and Al Singer.
Battalino defeated Lew Massey on May 5, 1930, in a ten round mixed decision in Philadelphia before a crowd of 7,000. Massey was close to being knocked out in the seventh but was saved by the bell. The non-title bout was described as slow and deliberate and featured frequent clinching, though much was initiated by Massey who feared Battalino's right."Battalino Scores Over Lew Massey", The Evening News, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, pg. 12, 6 May 1930 Massey had defeated Battalino the previous January in a ten round unanimous decision.
Battalino defeated 1927 World Bantamweight Champion Bud Taylor in a ten round points decision before a modest 6,600 fans on August 18, 1930, in East Hartford, Connecticut. In a compelling win, Battalino was awarded eight of the ten rounds by the referee with only the eighth to Taylor. Using his right to protect his head and body, Battalino was very effective with his left, but almost always from inside, and the fight's consistent infighting and frequent clinching, did not please the crowd. It was not until the eighth that a steady flurry of punches from long range took place, and Taylor was able to land a strong left to the chin of Battalino.Keane, Albert, "Battalino Scores Clean Cut Victory Over Bud Taylor at Hurley Stadium", Hartford Courant, Hartford, Connecticut, pg. 1, 14, 19 August 1930
In a non-title bout, Lois "Kid" Kaplan, 1925 world featherweight champion, defeated Battalino in a ten round points decision before a crowd of 7,000 on September 24, 1930, at Hurley Stadium in Hartford, Connecticut. The referee and the single judge both gave Kaplan a convincing nine of the ten rounds, in an exciting bout that featured no knockdowns. The referee gave Kaplan all but the fifth, which he scored as even. Battalino was forced to fight on the defensive most of the way, but managed a few staggering rights to the head and heart of Kaplan, though they were never sufficient to slow Kaplan's attack more than momentarily. Governor Trumball of Connecticut attended the bout and spoke briefly.Keane, Albert, "Kaplan Scores Decisive Ten Round Victory", Hartford Courant, Hartford, Connecticut, pgs. 1, 21, 25 September 1930"Kid Kaplan Defeats Battalino in Ten Rounds", The Minneapolis Star, Minneapolis, Minnesota, pg. 17, 25 September 1930
On September 15, 1931, Battalino defeated Eddie Shea before a crowd of 5000 in Hartford in a ten round points decision. Battalino took a number of hard shots in the second, third, and fourth, but he fought fiercely in the infighting and may have landed some of the hardest and cleanest blows of his later career. From the fourth round on, Battalino's infighting dominated and he was eventually credited with eight of the ten rounds.Keane, Albert, "Battalino Beats Shea Before 5000", Hartford, Courant, Hartford, Connecticut, pg. 13, 16 September 1931
While still holding the championship, Battalino decisively defeated 1930 world lightweight champion Al Singer, before a crowd of 17,000 at New York's Madison Square Garden on December 11, 1931. Battalino may have bobbed and weaved away from Singer's early volleys in the first, and was likely shaken by a blow or two, but his counterattack was devastating to his opponent."Ed Hughes' Column", Brooklyn Daily Eagle Brooklyn, New York, pg. 15, 12 December 1931 Though Singer started strong very early in the opening round, he was soon put down three times by Battalino, and went down in the second from a series of rights to the chin for a count of seven. After he rose, he was chased around the ring by Battalino who put him down again with a right to the chin for a count of four, just before the referee justifiably called the bout a technical knockout and helped move Singer to his corner. Singer's labored retreat from Battalino after he was first put down, his inability to defend himself, and his struggle to mount an attack, indicated a boxer who had, at least for the moment, lost most of his physical faculties. Both boxers were above the featherweight limit preventing any chance of the match being a featherweight title match."Battalino Kayoes Al Singer in Second", The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, pg. 16, 12 December 1931
Relinquishing the world featherweight titles, 1932 Battalino was originally scheduled to defend his titles against Lew Feldman on January 9, 1932, but missed weight the day before. With the bout thus canceled, Battalino was summarily stripped of his NYSAC title. This was also the first time that a boxing match scheduled for Madison Square Garden had been canceled the afternoon of the night in which the bout was scheduled.