Joe Mandot By Rob Snell


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Name: Joe Mandot

Alias: Baker Boy

Born: 1891-08-03

Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Died: 1956-07-29 (Age:64)

Nationality: US American

Hometown: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Height: 5′ 6″ / 168cm

Boxing Record: click

The Syracuse Herald

9 May 1913

Joe Mandot Tells Ripley

It wasn't my fight with Leach Cross," snapped little Joe Mandot the Southern champion. "'Course Leach knocked me out, all right I'm not trying to discredit him in any way. He knocked me out as far as they knock 'em out. but it wasn't my hardest fight he continued, vehemently.

I had Cross licked a mile until I ran into that one in the last round. It was an easy fight for me up to that moment, and when I tell you that a knockout, a real knockout, doesn't hurt, why, you will understand the reason. Course a knockout does hurt. I should say so. But not physically, it’s a mental pain. It hurts a fellow’s feelings. His pride and his reputation, and the pride of New Orleans's famous French market shook his head sadly.

Then he told us of the real "hardest battle." He told it to us convincingly and unhesitatingly. Our steno set it down word for word, and (far be it from us to work when we don't have to) so, here goes:

"After a very successful season in the winter of 1911 and 1912. When I had knocked out Young Saylor, who was then coming fast and also had beaten such boys as Matty Baldwin, Pal Moore, Billy Allen and jack Redmond, and was just getting into big league company. I was matched with Owen Moran the clever English lightweight, for eight rounds at Memphis, Tenn., which, as you know was my headquarters. They thought in that town that I could beat any man big or little in the world.

They made me a two-to-one favorite over Moran, which of course was wrong as his record was a wonderful one, but it shows what a load they put on my shoulders when I always entered the ring, for I had to think of all the boys betting on me. Well, the night of the fight came along and we weighed in 133 pounds at. 6 o'clock, and both made the weight easy.

There Moran pulled a little talk that made me think, for he said to Jimmie Johnson: Do you think I will hurt this boy much if I hit him as hard as I did Bat Nelson when I knocked him out in fourteen rounds. Of course Jimmie was right back with the answer: 'Oh. you will have to be a little careful or you might kill him If you hit him like that. It made me more determined to get the jump on him from the first round land try and outpoint him or die in the attempt When I got to the Arena a srnall affair, the place was packed to the doors, and there were thousands

of fans who could not get near.

It was raining too, oh so hard. It looked like there roust have been a hole in the skies. After about fifteen minutes of hard work I got to my dressing room but the rain was even coming in there which made me feel a little out at sorts.

"We entered the ring about 9:45 and I never had seen such a crowd in my life. But the cocky little Englishman never left the center of the ring, just stood there and waited for both the gong and me.

Well, they both soon came to him and the first round was a hummer. I felt him out and could see he was trying to do to me what he had done to Nelson, but I managed to beat him to what punches he started. I felt better after that and in the second round came the fireworks.

I had been fighting for about a minute, and had begun to take the aggressive, when all of a sudden I thought someone had thrown a brick. The first thing I knew the referee was counting. I heard him say five, I could hear him quite plain, but somehow I could not think. Yet I could hear the rain hitting on the roof as plain as can be. A million things passed through my mind then, for I can see it all now, and all of a sudden I done something that old timers who were at the ringside say they have never seen a boy do before.Even Moran was stunned to see me do what I did.

I took my right hand, and while lying on the floor, punched myself in the jaw about five times, for I had somewhat of a hairy idea that if I could shake my head I might possibly come to.

It worked wonders with me and when the referee got to eight I was on one knee and then I took one good punch at myself, and as it were knocked myself back on my feet. So when the referee said nine I was standing up and could see Moran in front of me swinging his arms.

I think I did a wise thing here for I did not attempt to block with one arm, but just swung my two arms from left to right as fast as I could. With the hope that I would catch his punches on them. Moran got so anxious to put me away that he was wild, and by the time the round was over my head was fairly clear. I went to my corner and rubbed my head with both hands and when I came out I felt as fresh as ever.

Then Moran tried his punch again — a terrific right hook — but it did not do any damage, and beginning with the fourth round I stepped right after Owen myself and not only blocked his hooks but crossed him with my right repeatedly, and on many occasions rocked him, but not enough to drop him. After that I was getting better all the time and I carried him at such

a fast clip in the last two rounds that I more than evened up the knockdown and the referee gave me the decision.

But let me tell you, I had to fight some, and to this day I have often wondered what made me punch myself while on the floor taking the count .I found Moran one of the nicest little fellows I ever met and after the fight he came to my dressing room, and stretching out his hand, he said,

"Kid, you're the gamest fighter I ever met, and if you don't become champion of the world some day you will come mighty close," and I hope his words come true.

I have had many fights and have fought Ad Wolgast and beat him here In New Orleans, have beaten Joe Rivers, and met Willie Ritchie, and stopped the majority of the best lightweights, but never do I ever expect to have as hard or sensational a fight as I had with Owen Moran.

End

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