Petey Sarron

Petey Sarron (November 21, 1906 – July 3, 1994) was an American boxer who became a National Boxing Association (NBA) Featherweight Champion on May 11, 1936, defeating Freddie Miller at Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2016.

Sarron was a member of the Olympic Team at flyweight in boxing for the United States during the 1924 Summer Olympics. Dave Evans and Jimmy Erwin worked as his managers and promoters. He was best known as a fast, elusive battler, with a windmill attack.

During his career he defeated such opponents as Benny Bass and Frankie Covelli. He lost his World Featherweight Championship to the gifted Henry Armstrong in a sixth-round knockout at Madison Square Garden.

Early life Pete Sarron was born in Birmingham, Alabama on November 21, 1906. Sarron's parents were Syrians who emigrated to Alabama from Lebanon. Like many boxers of his era, he made an early living selling newspapers, beginning at age six. Early in life, he found Dave Evans at the Birmingham Boy's Club who mentored him in boxing, and helped manage his career. He would return the favor and support the club after becoming a successful boxer. After High School, he had ambitions to study law and become an attorney.

Amateur and early professional career Sarron fought future World Flyweight Champion Fidel LaBarba at the age of eighteen in the May 1924 National AAU Flyweight Semi-final and Olympic Trials in Boston. Sarron's performance allowed him to become an alternate for the United States during the 1924 Summer Olympics. He would meet LaBarba again on April 22, 1932, before a crowd of 2,986 at Olympia Stadium in Detroit, losing the NBA World Featherweight elimination bout in a ten-round decision. The decision for LaBarba was not popular with the crowd, though he used a stinging left jab to sufficient effect to win the bout in the opinion of referee Slim McClelland. Sarron had trouble evading the jabs of LaBarba though he made a stronger finish in the last two rounds. LaBarba jabbed frequently with his long left, but tired somewhat in the last two rounds, when Sarron made a stand though his punches lacked the authority to do much damage.

Defeating former NBA Flyweight Champion Pinky Silverberg On May 25, 1929, Sarron defeated Pinky Silverberg, in an important fifteen round points decision in Melbourne, Australia in the featherweight range at 120 pounds. Silverberg had formerly held the NBA World Flyweight Championship in 1927–8, but had been stripped of the title, and was fighting at the lower featherweight range of 120 with Sarron.

On January 23, 1934, Sarron, at the featherweight range of 128 pounds, met Frankie Covelli at Portner's Arena in Alexandria, Virginia, losing in a ten-round points decision. On March 8, 1935, however, he beat Covelli at the Coliseum in Coral Gables, Florida in a ten-round points decision. In 1940, Covelli would contend for the NBA World Featherweight Title in Washington D.C. In December 1929 Bass had taken the World Jr. Lightweight Title.

Bouts with Freddie Miller, Feather Champ On March 2, 1936, Sarron met Southpaw Freddie Miller at the Coliseum in Coral Gables, Florida losing in a fifteen-round decision. The Referee and one judge scored the fight for Miller with 6 rounds won, 3 tied, and 6 even. Two of the six rounds given to Miller were due to Sarron fouls. Sarron collected the relatively modest sum of $10,000 for his win.

Win over Laurie Stevens Fighting as a lightweight, on January 16, 1937, Sarron defeated Laurie Stevens in a non-title fight at Wanderer's Stadium in Johannesburg in a twelfth-round knockout. Stevens had taken the South African Lightweight title in 1933 as well as the British Empire Lightweight Championship in January, 1936, only one year before his meeting with Sarron. Stevens was also a former British Olympic boxer.

Loss of Feather Championship Sarron lost his title to the exceptional black boxing champion Henry Armstrong in a sixth-round knockout on October 29, 1937, before a crowd of 11,847 at Madison Square Garden. Several sources reported it was Sarron's first knockout in twelve years of fighting. Sarron looked in control in the first, but by the second round had been staggered by the blows of Armstrong, who would have won the third but for a low blow dealt to Sarron. Sarron managed to remain even in the fourth but by the fifth was again badly staggered by a blow from Armstrong, who had no trouble ending the bout in the sixth with a left hook to the chin of Sarron who tried vainly to cover with his gloves. The following year the incomparable Armstrong took both the World Welterweight and World Lightweight Championships.

Sarron retired from boxing on July 17, 1939, after losing his last bout, a ten-round points decision against Sammy Angott at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Life after boxing During his life, Sarron enjoyed reading golfing, and fishing, and had ambitions to become an attorney and study law. He was studious and articulate for a young man who chose boxing as a profession.

In late 1953, he became the Secretary of the Miami Boxing Commission. He married Patrinilla "Pat" Farah, who was also of Lebanese/Syrian descent. The couple had two boys, Peter and Ronald. Throughout his life, Sarron maintained a very close relationship with his family. During the 1960s, Sarron worked as an enforcement agent for the Florida Beverage Department, enforcing state and federal tobacco laws. He eventually retired in Miami and died there at age 87 on July 3, 1994.

Achievements and honors Sarron was featured on the cover of the November 1936 The Ring magazine.

He was an inductee into the 2016 International Boxing Hall of Fame. unless otherwise stated.

Official record

All newspaper decisions are officially regarded as “no decision” bouts and are not counted in the win/loss/draw column.

Unofficial record

Record with the inclusion of newspaper decisions in the win/loss/draw column.