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The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia -- Lineal Champion

"Fritzie" Zivic
(Ferdinand Henry John Zivcich )
(the "Croat Comet"; Mr. "Tough-on-Tough")

BORN   May 8 1913; Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania (Some sources report Pittsburgh)
DIED May 16 1984; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (Some sources report May 17 1984)
HEIGHT 5-10 (Some sources report 5-9)
WEIGHT 128-160 lbs
MANAGERS Luke Carney, Louis Stokan
TRAINER Bobby Quinn

Zivic was a busy and talented man with his fists and a very popular fighter; But, he could also be extremely rough, an expert in guerilla warfare, and use his head, elbows, forearms, knees and thumbs (although he denied using his thumbs); According to the "Tough Man" - any part of his enemy was a "fair-game" target - yes, any part !!!

Fritzie knew how to fight and was one of five fighting Zivic brothers - along with Joe, Eddie, Pete and Jack; During his career, he won he Welterweight Championship of the World

Zivic fought seven future Hall of Famers and nine world champions; He defeated such men as Henry Armstrong, Charley Burley, Sammy Angott, Lew Jenkins, Giacobe "Jake" LaMotta, Freddie "Red" Cochrane, Al "Bummy" Davis, Johnny Jadick, Anthony "Izzy" Jannazzo, Jackie Burke, Eddie Booker, Harry Weekly, Bobby Pacho, "Baby" Salvy Saban, Kenny LaSalle, Kid Azteca, Milt Aron, Saverio Turiello, Johnny Barbara, Laddie Tonielli, Tony Falco, Chuck Woods, Harry Dublinsky, "Baby" Sal Sorio, Eddie Ran, Pete "K.O." Castillo, Maxie Berger, Reuben Shank,  Carmen Notch, Billy Arnold and "Wild" Bill McDowell

Zivic was inducted into the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1972, the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1987 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1993

1931
Oct  5 Al Rettinger                Pittsburgh, Pa                  TK  1
Nov 16 Steve Senich                Pittsburgh, Pa                   L  6

1932
Jan  1 Paddy Gilmore               Pittsburgh, Pa                  KO  4
Mar  4 Elmer Kozak                 Pittsburgh, Pa                  TK  4
Jun  9 Young Lowstetter            Millvale, Pa                     W  6
Jun 22 Steve Senich                North Braddock, Pa               L  6
Sep 26 Jim Dorsey                  Pittsburgh, Pa                  KO  4
Oct 14 Terry Waner                 Pittsburgh, Pa                  TK  3
Nov 18 Jerry Clements              Pittsburgh, Pa                   L  6
Dec 13 Billy Criggin               Pittsburgh, Pa                   W  4

1933
Jan 30 George Schlee               Pittsburgh, Pa                  TK  3
          -Some sources report "KO 2"
Feb  8 Steve Senich                Pittsburgh, Pa                  KO  2
Mar 24 U.S. "Kid" Carpenter        Pittsburgh, Pa                  KO  4
          -Some sources report 3/27/33
Apr 10 Eddie Brannon               Pittsburgh, Pa                  KO  6
Apr 28 Patsy Hennigan              Pittsburgh, Pa                   W  6
Jun 26 Don Asto                    Pittsburgh, Pa                   W  6
Jul 10 Don Asto                    Pittsburgh, Pa                  KO  3
Aug  7 Joey Greb                   Millsdale, Pa                    W  6
          -Some sources report "W 10"
Oct 12 Joe Pimenthal               Pasadena, Ca                    KO  4
Nov  3 Gus Vargas                  San Francisco, Ca               KO  2
Nov 23 Don Miller                  Stockton, Ca                    KO  3
          -Some sources report "Pasadena, Ca"
Dec  4 Homer Foster                Los Angeles, Ca                  D  4
Dec 15 Vincent Martinez            Hollywood, Ca                    W  4
Dec 27 Rodolfo "Rudy" Ayon         Los Angeles, Ca                  W  4

1934
Jan  5 Luis Carranza               Los Angeles, Ca                  W  6
          -Some sources report "W 4" on 5/29/34
Jan 23 "Baby" Sal Sorio            Los Angeles, Ca                 TK  2
Jan 30 Lloyd Smith                 Los Angeles, Ca                  D  6
          -Some sources report 3/06/34
Feb  6 Perfecto Lopez              Los Angeles, Ca                  W  6
          -Some sources report 2/22/34
Apr  1 Phil Rios                   Los Angeles, Ca                  W  6
May  8 Lloyd Smith                 Los Angeles, Ca                  D  6
Jul  2 Eddie Ran                   Millvale, Pa                     W 10
Jul 25 "Young" Joe Firpo           Conneaut Lake, Pa                W  8
          -Some sources report "W 10" on 8/17/34
Sep  2 Harry Carlton               Pittsburgh, Pa                   W 10
          -Some sources report 9/27/34
Oct 25 Laddie Tonelli              Chicago, Il                     LK  3
          -Some sources report "LK 2" on 10/26/34

1935
Feb  4 Jimmy Leto                  Holyoke, Ma                      L 10
         -Some sources report 2/05/35
Feb 18 Johnny Jadick               Washington, DC                   L 10
Mar  4 Pete "K.O." Castillo        Holyoke, Ma                      W 10
Mar 25 Dominic Mancini             Pittsburgh, Pa                   D 10
          -Some sources report 4/01/35
Apr  2 Dominic Mancini             Pittsburgh, Pa                  TK 11
          -Some sources report 4/08/35
Apr 16 Marty Gornick               Steubenville, Oh                KO  5
Apr 29 Freddie Chenoweth           Chicago, Il                      W  8
May  6 Sammy Chivas                Chicago, Il                     TK  3
May 21 Eddie Adams                 Kent, Oh                        TK  8
          -Some sources report 5/30/35
Jul  1 Lou Ambers                  Millvale, Pa                     L 10
Jul 15 Jackie McFarland            Millvale, Pa                     W 10
          -Some sources report 7/16/35
Jul 29 Mike Barto                  Millvale, Pa                     W 10
          -Some sources report "W 12" on 8/01/35
Aug  6 Joey Ferrando               Jersey City, NJ                  L 10
          -Some sources report 8/08/35
Sep 30 Tony Herrera                Pittsburgh, Pa                   L 10
Oct  4 George Salvadore            New York, NY                     L  6
Dec 16 Billy Celebron              Chicago, Il                      L 10

1936
Jan 13 Eddie Cool                  Pittsburgh, Pa                   L 10
Jan 27 Joey Ferrando               New York, NY                     L  8
Feb 24 Chuck Woods                 Pittsburgh, Pa                   L 10
Apr    Joe Flocco                  Harrisburg, Pa                   W 10
Apr 17 "Young" Gene Buffalo        Atlantic City, NJ                L 10
May 22 Billy Celebron              St. Louis, Mo                   KO  1
Jun  9 Tony Falco                  Millvale, Pa                    TK  8
Jun 17 Al Manfredo                 St. Louis, Mo                    W 10
          -Some sources report 6/27/36
Jul  2 Lou Jallos                  Steubenville, Oh                KO  3
          -Some sources report "W 10"
Jul  6 Laddie Tonelli              Millvale, Pa                    TK  4
Jul 22 Mickey Duris                Johnstown, Pa                    W 12
Jul 30 Laddie Tonelli              Pittsburgh, Pa                  TK  6
Aug 12 Anacleto Locatelli          Brooklyn, NY                     L 10
          -Some sources report 8/13/36
Sep 28 Jackie McFarland            Canton, Oh                       W 10
Oct  5 Johnny Durso                Pittsburgh, Pa                  KO  2
Oct 16 Chuck Woods                 St. Louis, Mo                   KO  6
Nov  9 Gaston LeCadre              Pittsburgh, Pa                   W 10
Dec  2 Harry Dublinsky             Pittsburgh, Pa                  TK  6
Dec 28 Billy Conn                  Pittsburgh, Pa                   L 10

1937
Feb 11 Johnny Jadick               Pittsburgh, Pa                  KO  6
Mar  1 Bobby Pacho                 Pittsburgh, Pa                   W 10
Apr  6 Chuck Woods                 Detroit, Mi                      W 10
May 21 Tony Petroskey              Muskegon, Mi                     W 10
          -Some sources report 5/27/37
Oct 27 Frankie Portland            Clarksburg, WV                  KO  2
          -Some sources report 10/29/37
Nov 18 Jimmy Reilly                McKeesport, Pa                  KO  2
          -Some sources report "KO 1"
Dec 25 Tommy Bland                 Pittsburgh, Pa                   L 10

1938
Jan  1 Harold Brown                Chicago, Il                      W 10
          -Some sources report 1/07/38
Feb 14 Frankie Blair               Pittsburgh, Pa                   W 10
Mar  7 Tommy Bland                 Pittsburgh, Pa                  TK  8
Mar 21 Charley Burley              Pittsburgh, Pa                   W 10
Apr 12 Remo Fernandez              Detroit, Mi                      W 10
May 29 Peter Mike                  Brooklyn, NY                    KO  1
          -Some sources report 5/20/38
Jun 13 Charley Burley              Millvale, Pa                     L 10
Jun 20 Ercole Buratti              Millvale, Pa                    KO  4
Jul  9 Eddie Conley                Milford, Ct                     KO  6
Jul 12 Phil Furr                   Millvale, Pa                    TK  3
Aug  2 Joe Lemieux                 Newark, NJ                      TK  4
Aug 12 Joe Pennino                 Coney Island, NY                 W  8
Aug 22 Steve Kahley                Newark, NJ                      TK  3
Aug 26 Mickey Paul                 Long Beach, NY                  KO  1
          -Some sources report "KO 3"
Sep 13 Bobby Pacho                 Newark, NJ                       W 10
Oct  3 Paul Cortlyn                Newark, NJ                      KO  4
Oct 10 Jay Macedon                 Newark, NJ                      TK  5
Oct 27 "Baby" Salvy Saban          Pittsburgh, Pa                   W 10
Nov 15 Frankie Blair               Bronx, NY                        W  8
Nov 21 Al Hamilton                 Columbus, Oh                    KO  5
Dec  7 Vincent Pimpinella          Pittsburgh, Pa                   W 10
          -Some sources report 12/08/38
Dec 26 Howell King                 Toledo, Oh                      ND 10
          -Some sources report "NC 10"

1939
Jan 20 Jackie Burke                St. Louis, Mo                    W 10
Feb 10 Eddie Booker                New York, NY                     W  8
Feb 15 Charlie Bell                Columbus, Oh                    KO  3
Mar 20 Nick Pastore                Miami, Fl                       TK 10
          -Some sources report "KO 9"
Mar 29 Bobby Britton               Miami, Fl                        W 10
Apr 20 Jonathan "Tiger Kid" Walker St. Louis, Mo                   KO  1
May  9 Kenny LaSalle               Houston, Tx                      L 10
May 16 Al Traino                   Rochester, NY                    W 10
Jun  5 Kenny LaSalle               Millvale, Pa                     W 10
Jul 11 Jackie Burke                St. Louis, Mo                    W 10
Jul 17 Charley Burley              Pittsburgh, Pa                   L 10
Sep  5 Pete DeRuzza                Millvale, Pa                    TK  6
Sep 12 Ralph Gizzy                 McKeesport, Pa                  TK  2
          -Some sources report 9/21/39
Oct 24 Kid Azteca                  Houston, Tx                      W 10
Oct 30 Milo Theodorescu            Pittsburgh, Pa                   W 10
Nov 18 Billy Lancaster             Brooklyn, NY                    TK  7
Dec  6 Wicky Harkins               Philadelphia, Pa                KO  9
          -Some sources report 12/09/39
Dec 27 Milton Aron                 Chicago, Il                     LK  8

1940
Jan 22 Mike Kaplan                 Philadelphia, Pa                 W 10
Feb 16 Remo Fernandez              Cleveland, Oh                   TK  7
          -Some sources report 3/07/40
Mar  4 Saverio Turiello            Pittsburgh, Pa                  KO  1
          -Some sources eport "KO 3"
Mar 14 Johnny Barbara              Chicago, Il                      W 10
Apr  8 Johnny Barbara              Philadelphia, Pa                 L 10
May  3 Mansfield Driskell          Detroit, Mi                      W 10
May  7 Johnny Barbara              Philadelphia, Pa                 L 10
May 21 Ossie "Bulldog" Harris      Pittsburgh, Pa                  KO  3
          -Some sources report "W 10"
Jun 24 Johnny Rinaldi              Millvale, Pa                    KO  1
Jul  8 Ossie "Bulldog" Harris      Millvale, Pa                     W 10
Jul 22 Leonard Bennett             Chicago, Il                     KO  4
Aug  5 Kenny LaSalle               Millvale, Pa                     W 10
Aug 28 Sammy Angott                Pittsburgh, Pa                   W 10
          -Some sources report 8/29/40
Oct  4 Henry Armstrong             New York, NY                     W 15
          -Welterweight Championship of the World
Nov 15 Al "Bummy" Davis            New York, NY                    WF  2
Nov 26 Ronnie Beaudin              Buffalo, NY                     TK  3
          -Some sources report "KO 2"
Dec 20 Lew Jenkins                 New York, NY                     D 10
          -Jenkins was the Lightweight Champion at the time

1941
Jan 17 Henry Armstrong             New York, NY                    TK 12
          -Welterweight Championship of the World
Mar 17 Saverio Turiello            New York, NY                     W 10
Mar 20 Felix Garcia                Baltimore, Md                   KO  2
Apr  4 Dick Demaray                Minneapolis, Mn                 KO  5
          -Some sources report "KO 4"
Apr 18 Mike Kaplan                 Boston, Ma                       L 10
May  2 Tony Marteliano             Bronx, NY                        W 10
Jul  2 Al "Bummy" Davis            New York, NY                    TK 10
Jul 14 Johnny Barbara              Philadelphia, Pa                 W 12
Jul 29 Freddie "Red" Cochrane      Newark, NJ                       L 15 
          -Welterweight Championship of the World
Sep 15 Milton Aron                 Pittsburgh, Pa                  KO  5
Oct 31 "Sugar" Ray Robinson        New York, NY                     L 10
Nov 26 Phil Furr                   Washington DC                    W 10
Dec  1 Harry Weekly                Cleveland, Oh                   TK  9
Dec 12 "Young" Kid McCoy           New York, NY                     D 10

1942
Jan 16 "Sugar" Ray Robinson        New York, NY                    LT 10
Feb  8 Raul Carrabantes            Pittsburgh, Pa                   W 10
          -Some sources report 2/09/42
Feb 27 Tony Motisi                 Chicago, Il                      L 10
Mar  9 Isidoro "Izzy" Jannazzo     Pittsburgh, Pa                  TK  5
Mar 30 "Wild" Bill McDowell        Newark, NJ                      TK  6
Apr 13 Maxie Berger                Pittsburgh, Pa                   W 10
Apr 23 Ruben Shank                 Minneapolis, Mn                  L 10
May 25 Lew Jenkins                 Pittsburgh, Pa                  TK 10
Jun  4 Ruben Shank                 Minneapolis, Mn                  W 10
Jun 22 Bobby Britton               Wilkes-Barre, Pa                TK  4
Jun 29 Norman Rubio                Newark, NJ                       L 10
Jul 27 Norman Rubio                Pittsburgh, Pa                  TK  9
Aug 13 Garvey Young                New York, NY                    TK  6
Sep 10 Freddie "Red" Cochrane      New York, NY                     W 10
Sep 21 Johnny Walker               Philadelphia, Pa                 W 10
Oct 13 Tito Taylor                 Milwaukee, Wi                    W 10
Oct 26 Henry Armstrong             San Francisco, Ca                L 10
Nov 16 Richard "Sheik" Rangel      San Francisco, Ca                L 10
Dec 15 Carmen Notch                Pittsburgh, Pa                   W 10

1943
Feb  5 Beau Jack                   New York, NY                     L 10
Feb 16 Mayon Padlo                 Pittsburgh, Pa                   W 10
Mar  5 Beau Jack                   New York, NY                     L 12
Apr 30 Johnny Roszina              Milwaukee, Wi                   TK  8
Jun 10 Giacobe "Jake" LaMotta      Pittsburgh, Pa                   L 10
Jul 12 Giacobe "Jake" LaMotta      Pittsburgh, Pa                   W 15
Aug  9 "Young" Kid McCoy           Pittsburgh, Pa                  TK  4
Aug 23 Bob Montgomery              Philadelphia, Pa                 L 10
Sep 10 Vinnie Vines                New York, NY                    KO  1
Oct 15 Jose Basora                 Detroit, Mi                      L 10
Oct 29 Bobby Richardson            Chicago, Il                      W 10
Nov 12 Giacobe "Jake" LaMotta      New York, NY                     L 10
Dec 20 Ralph Zanelli               Boston, Ma                       L 10

1944
Jan  3 Ossie "Bulldog" Harris      Pittsburgh, Pa                  KO 10
Jan 14 Giacobe "Jake" LaMotta      Detroit, Mi                      L 10
Mar 24 Harry Teaney                Milwaukee, Wi                    W 10
          -Some sources report 3/27/44
Mar 29 Freddie Archer              Elizabeth, NJ                    L 10
Jun 26 Tommy Bell                  Pittsburgh, Pa                   L 10
Aug  1 Pete DeRuzza                Houston, Tx                     TK  8 
Sep 12 Felix Morales               San Antonio, Tx                 KO  2
Sep 26 Artie Dorrell               Galveston, Tx                   TK  7
Sep 27 Joey Yarosz                 San Antonio, Tx                 EX  4
Oct 16 Tommy Romano                Shreveport, La                   L 10
Oct 18 Pat Saia                    Dallas, Tx                      TK  8
Nov 14 Chuck Hirst                 Houston, Tx                     KO  5
Nov 29 Manuel Villa                Dallas, Tx                      KO  6
Dec 12 Kid Azteca                  San Antonio, Tx                  W 10

1945
Jan  5 Billy Arnold                New York, NY                     W  8
Feb 22 Kid Estrada                 Camp Maxey, Tx                  KO  2
Mar  6 "Wild" Bill McDowell        Galveston, Tx                    W 10
Mar 22 Ben Evans                   Galveston, Tx                   TK  8
Apr  3 Manuel Villa                San Antonio, Tx                 KO  8
May  7 Kid Azteca                  San Antonio, Tx                  W 10
May  8 Pat Saia                    Beaumont, Tx                     W 10
Jun 12 Baby Zavala                 San Antonio, Tx                 KO  4
Jun 22 Harold Green                New York, NY                     L 10 
Jul  3 Ruben Shank                 Pittsburgh, Pa                   L 10
Jul 10 Ossie "Bulldog" Harris      Millvale, Pa                     L 10
Jul 16 "Wild" Bill McDowell        New Orleans, La                  L 10
Sep 12 Paul Altman                 Houston, Tx                      L 10
Sep 18 Billy Deeg                  Oklahoma City, Ok                W 10
Oct 20 Joe Reddick                 Brooklyn, NY                     L 10
Nov  2 Freddie Archer              New York, NY                     L 10
Nov 13 Joe Curcio                  Elizabeth, NJ                    L 10
Dec 10 Cecil Hudson                New York, NY                     L 10

1946
Jan 15 Al "Red" Priest             Boston, Ma                       L 10
Feb  1 O'Neill Bell                Detroit, Mi                      L 10
Feb 25 Aaron Perry                 Washington, DC                   L 10
Mar 19 Levi Southall               Kansas City, Mo                  W 10
          -Some sources report "ND 10"
Mar 26 Tony Elizondo               San Antonio, Tx                  L 10
Apr  5 Manuel Villa                El Paso, Tx                      D 10
Apr 12 Lincoln Stanley             Portland, Or                     W 10
Apr 18 Don Lee                     Hollywood, Ca                    W 10
Apr 29 Howard Bleyhl               Omaha, Ne                        L 10
May  1 Joey Martinez               Wichita, Ks                     TK  8
May 14 "California" Jackie Wilson  Los Angeles, Ca                  L 10
May 27 Tommy Lemmon                Milwaukee, Wi                    L 10
Oct 29 Russell Wilhite             Memphis, Tn                     TK  5
Nov 12 Al Mobley                   Trenton, NJ                      L  8
Nov 18 Jimmy McGriff               Washington, DC                   D 10
Dec  2 Ralph Zanelli               Providence, RI                   L 10
Dec  6 Pete Mead                   Grand Rapids, Mi                 L 10
Dec 10 Bobby Britton               Memphis, Tn                      W 10

1947
Jan  8 Clyde Gordon                Miami, Fl                        L  9
          -Some sources report "L 10"
Feb  4 Kid Azteca                  Mexico City, Mx                 LK  5
          -Some sources report 2/15/47

1948
Oct 28 Eddie Steele                Macon, Ga                        D 10

1949
Jan 12 Al Reid                     Macon, Ga                        W 10
Jan 17 Eddie Steele                Augusta, Ga                      W 10


*** The Following Bout Is Reported But Not Confirmed ***

1939
Jan  5 Al Costello                 Columbus, Oh                    KO  2


*** Assistance Provided By Seth Callis ***


Record courtesy of Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization

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