TOMMY PAUL
FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION
1932-1933

Tommy Paul, the last Buffalonian to hold a boxing world championship title, was 23 years old in 1932 when he won the National Boxing Associations featherweight title, a crown he wore for 232 days.

Paul who's real name was Gaetano Papa was born on Buffalo's Seventh Street

and one of 12 children. As he put it years later, you had to have fast hands to get enough to eat." He was a natural who could box and hit hard. He would fight with his hands dangling at his side, and had such quick reflexes he didn't need to keep them high. It was the only way he knew to fight. He did all his fighting in a nine year period, starting his career in 1926 as an amateur in the old Oriole Hall on Genesee Street.

Within a three-month period, Paul won the Niagara District, Empire State and National Amateur Athletic championships in the 118 pound class. He promptly turned professional in 1927, but because he was only 18 he was barred for a time from fighting more than six round bouts.

He got his title shot about five years later when, after compiling a professional record of 57-8-8, he was invited to a National Boxing Association tournament in Detroit being held to fill a vacant title in the (126 pound) featherweight division.

Paul rolled through the tournament, winning 10-rounders against Bushy Graham of Utica and Frankie Wallace of Cleveland before decisioning Johnny Pena of New York,City in a 15- rounder at the Detroit Olympia Arena on May 26,1932.

"Paul, superior as a boxer, more experienced and the harder hitter, won by a wide margin," according to the United Press reporter at the fight. "Time and time again Pena found the more experienced Paul jabbing him out of position with his left and slamming home his right."

"My three bouts for the championship were all wars for which I received only about $3,000," Paul recalled in a 1984 interview with Frank Wakefield, a former boxing reporter for the Buffalo News. "The fans were there, but the money wasn't."

Paul fought nine non-title matches winning six and losing three, before losing his crown to Freddie Miller on a 10 round decision in Chicago on January 13, 1933.

Paul, who never got another title shot retired in 1935. Reference books credit him with different records. The Ring Record Book says he had 78 wins, 25 losses and 10 draws or "no decisions" in 113 bouts. Who's Who In Boxing gives Paul a 77-24-9 record in 110 bouts. The Boxing Encyclopedia puts it at 78-25-11 in 114 bouts. However, they all agree he knocked out 28 opponents.