JOEY DE JOHN
MIDDLEWEIGHT 1944-1955

Joey DeJohn was born in and lived most of his life in Syracuse. He was nicknamed the Golden Boy.

He fought professionally from 1944-1955 compiling a 74 (52 KO's)-14-2 record. From 1946 to 1948 he resided and trained in Buffalo where he purchased a home. He fought 17 fights in the city all at Memorial Auditorium. Most of his bouts were in Syracuse with a few in Rochester and other nearby towns. He knocked out capable fighters at the Aud including Henry Chmielewski, Sonny Home and Tony Demicco. In 1949 he was knocked down 3 times in the 8th round by Jake Lamotta and lost by TKO after securing a lead in the bout. He lost a split decision to Henry Brimm in 1951 at the Auditorium. Joey also KO'd Lee Sala and Irish Bob Murphy in Syracuse.

DeJohn was great at pulling in the fans to his fights. Win, lose or draw his fights were always exciting because of his pulverizing power in either hand. His biggest fault, it has been said, was his eagerness to knock his opponent "dead". This left him open to defeat after leading a fight, hence him being stopped in 10 of his 14 battles.

In Joey's biggest fights of his career, he would fall just short. In 1948 he faced Lee Sala with a title bid on the line. He knocked Sala down four times; the last was early in the 6th round after a savage left-right combination. DeJohn moved in to finish him off, but Sala threw a wicked left hook that caught DeJohn clean on the jaw. The punch fractured his jaw, cracked two of his teeth and sent him crashing to the canvas. Joey got up but Sala finished him off along the ropes.

DeJohn had the talent to challenge for the middleweight title and had the rankings to prove it. But by his own admission he lacked the zeal. "I got lazy", DeJohn would admit. "I got a few dollars, so I went out bumming around."

His exciting style was a crowd favorite that would lead to packed houses in Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse.

Tonight Ring 44 is honored to enshrine Joey DeJohn in the Buffalo boxing Hall of Fame.