Julie Kogon

Julie Kogon (1918–1986) was an American lightweight boxer and world title contender from New Haven, Connecticut.

Kogon was ranked by Nat Fleischer's Ring boxing magazine as the tenth best lightweight in the world for July 1944 and later won the Connecticut Lightweight Championship in January 1947. He came extremely close to becoming the New York State Boxing Commission's World Featherweight Championship when he defeated reigning champion Petey Scalzo in October 1940, placing him as one of the top ten or better contenders for two weight classes in a seven-year period. In the 1940s, he defeated both the European and Italian lightweight champion. Most exceptional was his losing only once by knockout in 142 bouts.

Early life and early career highlights Kogon was born to Jewish parents on April 4, 1918, to what would become a struggling family of five boys and five girls. He grew up on New Haven, Connecticut's Portsea Street. Earning a great deal of boxing experience as an amateur, Kogon amassed an exceptional 85-2 record. Beginning his professional career in 1937, Though both fighters fought under 131 pounds, very close to the featherweight range, Kogon was never recognized as a world featherweight championship, as he was a pound or two overweight.

Loss to European light champion, 1941 On January 21, 1941, Kogon lost to the 1938 European lightweight champion, Italian boxer Aldo Spoldi, in an exciting and hard fought contest, at the arena in New Haven in a ten-round points decision. There were no knockdowns and according to the referee, Spoldi took six rounds, and Kogon three. Though Kogon performed well in the first three rounds, he tired in the fourth, fifth, and sixth, while Spoldi piled on points causing Kogon to clinch and hold. To the rising excitement of the crowd of 3000, Spoldi closed the contest in the final rounds by scoring frequently with left jabs and hooks.

In the five weeks from October 5 to November 15, of 1943, Kogon won five consecutive fights by knockout. Shortly after, the manager of the reigning New York World lightweight champion Beau Jack, Chick Wergeles, turned down an offer of 10,000 from promoter John Attell, for Jack to defend his championship against Kogon in his hometown of New London. Though Wergeles said he turned it down because he could get far more if the fight took place in New York, it seems equally likely he feared risking Jack's lightweight title after he watched Kogon complete his fifth consecutive knockout against Buster Beaupre in New Haven that December.

World light champ Ike Williams, 1944 On July 20, 1944, Kogon faced the great black 1946 NBA New York world lightweight champion Ike Williams before a sizable crowd of 6,500 at Madison Square Garden, and lost in a ten-round unanimous decision. Some boxing analysts faulted Kogon for gaining an advantage over an injured Williams in the sixth and seventh but not adequately following up. When Kogon landed a right on Williams in the sixth after breaking from a clutch, he stepped back instead of following his advantage and in the seventh when he again landed some effective rights, he again stepped back. Kogon had a two-pound advantage in weight, but a two-inch disadvantage in height, which may have played a greater role in his cautious self-defense, or he may have simply appreciated the extraordinary skill of the future world lightweight champion.

In the remaining rounds, Williams did most of the punching and gained an advantage in points. In the tenth and final round, Kogon grabbed Williams by the waist after receiving a blow and moved him across the ring, finally landing on top of him as both boxers tripped on the ropes. The referee completed a count of six before the boxers were back on their feet. The judges sided more strongly with Williams giving no more than two rounds to Kogon.

New England light champ, 1947 On January 6, 1947, Kogon captured the New England lightweight title when he won a twelve-round points decision from Pat Demers at the Arena in New Haven before his loyal hometown audience who were thrilled with the decision. Both men weighed in as lightweights at 135.

In front of 5000 fans on March 17, 1947, LuLu Constantino lost decisively to Kogon at his most common venue, the Arena in New Haven in a ten-round points decision. Kogon won with effective counter-punching, giving him nine of the ten rounds according to the referee's scoring. He had an exceptional night and capped his fifth consecutive victory.

On July 9, 1947, he retained the New England lightweight title when he stopped Greek boxer Nick Stato in a 12th-round knockout at the Auditorium in Hartford, Connecticut, six months after first taking it from Demers.

World light champ Bob Montgomery, 1947 On June 2, 1947, in New Haven, Kogon met the accomplished Bob Montgomery, reigning New York Boxing Commission's world lightweight champion, and fought a close, skillful, well paced match. In another slight to Kogon's boxing legacy, the bout was not a title match. In perhaps his most significant late career bouts, Kogon appeared to lead through the first eight rounds, but his championship opponent pulled ahead with a furious body attack in the last two rounds to win on points. At least five of the rounds were judged as close with Kogon taking the lead in three. Once again, Kogon performed well against the best in his weight class but failed to close at the end. He had met Montgomery twice in 1941, in Chicago and Brooklyn, losing both times on points. In their October 25, 1941, bout in Chicago before a substantial audience of 4,500, Montgomery "pressed a punishing body attack throughout the bout", for a decisive ten-round decision. Kogon fought with quality defensive skill winning three rounds in the contest.

Win over light champ of Italy, Aldo Minelli, 1947 On August 4, 1947, Kogon defeated Italian boxer Aldo Minelli, a claimant to Italy's lightweight championship in a ten-round points decision in West Haven, Connecticut. An angry group of the 4,500 fans present at the bout kicked and scratched Lou Bogash, the referee as he walked from the ring after the fight. On September 8, 1947, Kogon drew with Minelli at New Haven in 10 rounds. Two weeks later on September 22, Minelli defeated Kogan in a twelve-round points decision before a smaller crowd of 3,000 in a fight that was described as "dull".

Kogon's last bout and final loss came to Teddy Davis in a ten-round points decision at the Arena in New Haven, Connecticut on May 22, 1950, in a ten-round points decision.

Life after boxing Shortly before his boxing retirement, Kogon bought a New Haven lunch restaurant on Norton Street. After selling it, he worked as a salesman for a Ford dealership.

After his professional career ended, Kogon worked as an instructor of intramural boxing at Yale.

He died on December 20, 1986, in Pampano Beach, Florida, at the age of 68, leaving two children and four grandchildren. Services were at the Star of David Funeral Chapel in the city of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he was buried in the Garden of Sinai Cemetery.

Selected fights

Win Tony Marteliano Jun 6, 1939 Queens, NY 4th Round TKO Future fly champion Win Petey Scalzo Oct 4, 1940 New York 8 Rounds Scalzo - World feather champNon-title Loss Aldo Spoldi Jan 21, 1941 New Haven, CT 10 Rounds Former Italian Light champ Loss Willie Pep Jun 6, 1944 Hartford, CT 8 Rounds Pep- World feather champNon-title Loss Ike Williams Jul 20, 1944 New York 10 Rounds UD Pep- Future World light champ Win Pat Demers Jan 6, 1947 New Haven, CT 12 Rounds Won New England light title Win LuLu Constantino Mar 17, 1947 New Haven, CT 10 Rounds Win Nick Stato Jul 9, 1947 New Haven, CT 12 Round KO Kept New England light title Loss Jimmy Carter Jul 26, 1948 Springfield, MA 7 Round TKO(br)Kogon's only KO loss Future World light champ

Achievements and honors

Kogon was inducted into The Connecticut Boxing Hall of Fame on November 21, 2009.