BUD
CHRISTIANO
LIGHTWEIGHT/Buffalo, New York
1917-1927
Bud Christiano was born on May 15, 1897 and passed away on August 24,
1964. He was one part of the fighting Christiano brothers, the other
half of the tandem
being Al Rogers.
Christiano had 130 fights in a career that lasted from 1917-1927. He spent the
second half of 1918 in the United States Navy, serving as a fight instructor.
From the beginning of his career until mid March of 1919 he fought under the
name "Young Gus Christie." Beginning with the Al Kale fight (3/31 /19)
and extending to the end of his career he would be known as Bud Christiano. As
his career unfolded, expert commentators referred to his "speed, two-handed
attack and aggressive style," As early as 1920, he was referred to as a "crafty
veteran." Following an August 4, 1920 draw with Jimmy Goodrich and a victory
over Goodrich two weeks later, the reporter credits Christiano's "stamina,
pep, non-stop attack and strong body attack" for his success. After returning
from a long western trip, Christiano won a 10-round decision over Teddy Joyce
on October 18, 1921. He was a much better fighter after the trip. According to
the Courier Express article, Christiano was as "fast as lightning" and
eluded most of Joyce's punches. Christiano displayed "all his old ring craft
and possibly a bit more class and his work was quite a revelation to the local
fistic fancy
of which there was a big gathering on hand."
One of the most interesting fights in Christiano's career was an October
12, 1920 12-round draw with Jimmy Goodrich that was fought in the fog
at Bison Stadium.
Christiano also had two no-decisions against Goodrich in August of 1920.
In 1922 Bud Christiano was a serious contender for the junior lightweight championship.
He was now headquartered in Chicago and was being groomed by Tommy Walsh and
Nate Lewis. Their goal was a crack at Johnny Dundee's Junior Lightweight crown.
After a successful six months of fighting throughout the Midwest, Christiano
returned to Buffalo for a Summer break before resuming his training in Chicago.
Although he fought successfully for the remainder of 1922 and through out 1923,
he never did get a shot at the title. His only local fight in 1923 was a 6-round
draw against Bobby Tracey.
In November of 1922 Tommy Walsh made arrangements for Bud Christiano to fight
three four-round bouts on the West Coast. From the end of World War I till the
middle of the 1920's, California fights were limited to only four rounds. Prior
to the California trip the Chicago edition of The Ring included a picture of
Christiano and a brief article. The author spoke quite favorably of Bud. "Christiano,
with his style of boxing will make a big hit on the West Coast. He fights every
second he is the ring."
Although Christiano defeated Jimmy Goodrich and Joe Reno in Philadelphia and
Harry Cook in Buffalo, his other big fights in 1924, against some of the top
fighters in the 1920's, all ended in defeats. A victory against one or more of
these contenders might have led to a title fight. He lost 10-round decisions
to Benny Valger and Joe Dundee as well as a 6-round decision to K.O. Mars and
a 12-round decision to Joe Jawson. Mars and Valger both lost Featherweight title
fights to Johnny Kilbane. Valger also fought Jimmy Goodrich, Rocky Kansas, Frankie
Britt and Johnny Dundee. Mars went into the ring against Lew Tendler, Sammy Mandell,
Red Cap Wilson, Rocky Kansas and Frankie Britt. Jawson fought all the top lightweights
of the day; Sammy Mandell, Rocky Kansas and Jimmy Goodrich. Joe Dundee fought
Mickey Walker, Lew Tendler, Red Cap Wilson and Pete Latzo. He defeated Latzo
for the Welterweight title, and held the title from 1927-29.
From 1925 to the end of his career in 1927 there was a very noticeable decline
in Bud Christiano's skills and number of fights. A one-round knockout of Ray
Romney in July of 1925 and 10-round decision over
