Tiplitz, Joey

Never given a title shot, Tiplitz was a good lightweight in the 1920s who could not seem to beat the top fighters in his division. After retiring in the late 1920s due to failing eyesight, Tiplitz operated a newsstand in midtown Manhattan. He eventually become blind, but continued to run his newsstand.

Birth and Death Dates:
unknown

Career Highlights:
Born in Russia, Tiplitz and his family emigrated to the United States and settled in Brooklyn. In the mid-1910s, he fought as an amateur with the Educational Alliance Athletic Club and in 1914, reached the final of the New York State championship in the 145-pound division, where he lost to Augie Ratner of the 92nd Street YMHA. The following year, Tiplitz captured the State title in the same weight class.

Tiplitz fought in clubs in the New York area in 1917 before joining the U.S. Army, where he continued to box. In March 1918, the New York Times reported that in the welterweight class, "Tiplitz, Company G 306th Infantry was given a decision over Lebisp...' Following the war, Tiplitz turned professional, but because the Frawley Law (passed in 1917) prohibited boxing in New York State, he and many others were forced to fight in New England or Pennsylvania. Tiplitz traveled south from New York to the Philadelphia area. Managed by Phil Glassman, Tiplitz was described as 'Tiplitz of Philadelphia' in the newspapers as he worked his way up the ranks.

In June-July 1919, he fought the great Johnny Dundee twice within the span of six weeks. The first bout, on June 4, ended in a no decision, but Dundee won the second bout on July 21 on a decision. In between those two fights, Tiplitz received his big break as he faced contender George "K.O." Chaney on the undercard of a Joe Welling-Lew Tendler fight (other Jewish boxers on the card were Battling Levinsky and 'Kid' Lewis). Still a teenager at the age of 19, Tiplitz was nervous prior to the fight with his more experienced opponent (Chaney had over 100 pro fights to his name). Tiplitz scurried around the ring for the first two rounds, but then surprised everyone by knocking out Chaney in the third round with a left uppercut!

The victory over Chaney made Tiplitz a fairly well-known boxer in the Philadelphia area and he began fighting prestigious opponents. Later that year, he fought future world lightweight champ Rocky Kansas in a no decision bout. In the early 1920s, Tiplitz remained on the fringe of lightweight contenders, losing popular verdicts to Chaney and Dundee in 1921 (he lost another bout to Dundee on a decision). In 1924, he then faced future welterweight champ Joe Dundee (no relation to Johnny Dundee) twice, with one draw and one loss by disqualification. That year, Tiplitz also fought Lew Tendler and lost a 10-round decision; they had a rematch in 1925 with the same result. In 1926, toward the end of his professional career, Tiplitz had a rematch with Rocky Kansas (a ten-round loss), and was knocked out by Mushy Callahan in the second-round.

Origin:
Russia

Career Statistics:
Professional record (incomplete):
Wins: 30 (12 by knockout)
Losses: 25
Draws: 7
No decisions: 39

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