Billy Conn

Light Heavyweight
Billy Conn avatar image
Billy Conn professional boxer headshot

Billy Conn
"The Pittsburgh Kid"

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Wins

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Losses

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Draws

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KO%

Billy Conn was one of the most prolific boxers of his generation, with a professional boxing career that spanned over 14 years, from 1934 to 1948. In total, he fought in 76 fights, winning 64 of them, with 15 of those being KO wins. He suffered 11 losses and had one draw. Throughout his career, Conn won a total of three world titles, with three title defenses. He is known for his incredible accomplishments in the boxing world, his notable victories over six Hall-of-Famers, and his remarkable performances in fights.

One of the highlights of Conn's career was his first world title fight on July 15, 1939, at the age of 21. He faced off against Melio Bettina for the light-heavyweight NBA (vacant), NYSAC, and The Ring titles. Conn won the fight via a 15-round unanimous decision, becoming the light-heavyweight champion of the world. This victory marked the start of Conn's journey towards becoming one of the most renowned boxers of his generation, paving the way for his subsequent fights.

Another significant fight in Conn's career was when he faced Tony Zale and won via 12th round unanimous decision on February 13, 1942. This fight was one of Conn's best performances, showcasing his strength and willpower to win. He displayed tremendous courage throughout the match, trading blows with Zale and ultimately emerging victorious.

Although Conn had a successful career, he faced significant challenges in some of his fights. For instance, on June 19, 1946, he lost to Joe Louis via 8th round KO in a fight he put up a valiant effort. Conn was fighting for the NBA, NYSAC, and The Ring heavyweight titles, but ultimately lost to Louis. Despite his setback, Conn remained steadfast, and his relentless work ethic would continue to inspire and keep him in high regard amongst boxing enthusiasts.

In all, Billy Conn had eleven losses in his professional boxing career, two of which came from title bouts and nine of these losses from non-title fights. His first loss was against Pete Leone via 3rd round RTD on November 12, 1934. He suffered three losses via KO and lost eight times through decisions.

Conn is regarded as one of the greatest boxers of his generation and was known for his excellent performance in the ring. He had an exceptional record, which speaks volumes about his brilliance as a boxer. He had a total of 15 knockout wins, with three of the losses he suffered via knockout. His record speaks to his excellent skillset, work ethic, and endurance as a fighter, which yielded him multiple championships throughout his tenure in the boxing world.

During his career, Conn went toe-to-toe with some of the best boxers of his generation, which includes six Hall-of-Famers (Mike O'Dowd, Tony Zale, Fred Apostoli, Young Corbett III, Teddy Yarosz, and Fritzie Zivic). He also took on Ira Hughes, Buddy Knox, Danny Hassett, Gus Lesnevich, Lee Savold, and Melio Bettina. These boxers were some of the most skilled of their generation, and Conn's victories over them only speaks to his ability and skill as a fighter.

In 1990, Conn received induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF). This induction marked a significant milestone in his career, further cementing his legacy as one of the most exceptional boxers of all time.

Overall, Billy Conn dedicated several years of his life to boxing, during which he remained focused, determined, and dedicated to his craft. He had a remarkable career and made a name for himself in the boxing world. His skill, work ethic, and talent characterized his time in the ring, leading him to be regarded as one of the best boxers of all time, leaving an indelible mark on the sport.

Billy Conn Fight Record

# Date Age Opponent Result Via
76 Nov 25, 1948 31 Jackie Lyons Win KO9
75 Nov 15, 1948 31 Mike O'Dowd Win TKO9
74 Jun 19, 1946 28 Joe Louis Loss KO8
73 Feb 13, 1942 24 Tony Zale Win UD
72 Jan 28, 1942 24 Jay D Turner Win UD
71 Jan 12, 1942 24 Henry Cooper Win UD
70 Jun 18, 1941 23 Joe Louis Loss KO13
69 May 26, 1941 23 Buddy Knox Win TKO8
68 Apr 4, 1941 23 Gunnar Bärlund Win TKO8
67 Mar 5, 1941 23 Danny Hassett Win KO5
66 Feb 27, 1941 23 Ira Hughes Win TKO4
65 Nov 29, 1940 23 Lee Savold Win UD
64 Oct 18, 1940 23 Al McCoy Win UD
63 Sep 6, 1940 22 Bob Pastor Win KO13
62 Jun 5, 1940 22 Gus Lesnevich Win UD
61 Jan 10, 1940 22 Henry Cooper Win UD
60 Nov 17, 1939 22 Gus Lesnevich Win UD
59 Sep 25, 1939 21 Melio Bettina Win UD
58 Aug 14, 1939 21 Gus Dorazio Win TKO8
57 Jul 15, 1939 21 Melio Bettina Win UD
56 May 12, 1939 21 Solly Krieger Win UD
55 Feb 10, 1939 21 Fred Apostoli Win UD
54 Jan 6, 1939 21 Fred Apostoli Win UD
53 Nov 28, 1938 21 Solly Krieger Win UD
52 Oct 27, 1938 21 Honeyboy Jones Win PTS
51 Sep 14, 1938 20 Ray Actis Win TKO8
50 Jul 25, 1938 20 Teddy Yarosz Loss UD
49 May 10, 1938 20 Eric Seelig Win MD
48 Apr 4, 1938 20 Domenico Ceccarelli Win PTS
47 Jan 24, 1938 20 Honeyboy Jones Win PTS
46 Dec 16, 1937 20 Solly Krieger Loss UD
45 Nov 8, 1937 20 Young Corbett III Win UD
44 Sep 30, 1937 19 Teddy Yarosz Win SD
43 Aug 13, 1937 19 Young Corbett III Loss PTS
42 Aug 3, 1937 19 Ralph Chong Win RTD5
41 Jun 30, 1937 19 Teddy Yarosz Win SD
40 May 27, 1937 19 Oscar Rankins Win SD
39 May 3, 1937 19 Vince Dundee Win UD
38 Mar 11, 1937 19 Eddie Babe Risko Win UD
37 Dec 28, 1936 19 Fritzie Zivic Win SD
36 Dec 2, 1936 19 Jimmy Brown Win TKO9
35 Oct 22, 1936 19 Ralph Chong Win UD
34 Oct 19, 1936 19 Charley Weise Win UD
33 Sep 21, 1936 18 Roscoe Manning Win TKO5
32 Sep 8, 1936 18 Honeyboy Jones Win SD
31 Aug 10, 1936 18 Teddy Movan Win UD
30 Jul 30, 1936 18 Teddy Movan Win UD
29 Jun 15, 1936 18 General Burrows Win UD
28 Jun 3, 1936 18 Honeyboy Jones Win PTS
27 May 27, 1936 18 Honeyboy Jones Win UD
26 May 19, 1936 18 Dick Ambrose Win SD
25 Apr 27, 1936 18 General Burrows Win PTS
24 Apr 13, 1936 18 Steve Nickleash Win UD
23 Mar 16, 1936 18 Steve Nickleash Win UD
22 Feb 17, 1936 18 Louis Cook Win UD
21 Feb 3, 1936 18 Louis Cook Win UD
20 Jan 27, 1936 18 Johnny Yurcini Win TKO4
19 Nov 18, 1935 18 Steve Walters Win PTS
18 Oct 14, 1935 18 Teddy Movan Draw PTS
17 Oct 7, 1935 17 Johnny Yurcini Win PTS
16 Sep 10, 1935 17 Johnny Yurcini Win PTS
15 Sep 9, 1935 17 George Liggins Win UD
14 Aug 19, 1935 17 Teddy Movan Loss SD
13 Jul 29, 1935 17 Ray Eberle Win UD
12 Jul 9, 1935 17 Teddy Movan Loss PTS
11 Jun 10, 1935 17 Ralph Gizzy Loss PTS
10 Jun 3, 1935 17 Ray Eberle Win SD
9 Apr 25, 1935 17 Ralph Gizzy Loss UD
8 Apr 8, 1935 17 George Schlee Win KO2
7 Mar 13, 1935 17 Stanley Nagy Win PTS
6 Feb 25, 1935 17 Ray Eberle Loss PTS
5 Jan 29, 1935 17 Johnny Birek Win SD
4 Nov 12, 1934 17 Pete Leone Loss RTD3
3 Sep 27, 1934 16 Paddy Gray Win PTS
2 Aug 30, 1934 16 Bob Dorman Win PTS
1 Jul 20, 1934 16 Johnny Lewis Win KO3