Harry Jeffra

Harry Jeffra
Statistics
Real name Ignacius Pasquale Guiffi
Rated at Bantamweight
Height 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Nationality United States American
Born November 30, 1914;
Baltimore, Maryland
Died September 1988
Baltimore, Maryland
Boxing record
Total fights 68
Wins 93
Wins by KO 27
Losses 20
Draws 7
No contests 0

Harry Jeffra (born Ignacius Pasquale Guiffi on November 30, 1914 - September 1988) was an American boxer. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, he was a former world bantamweight and NYSAC featherweight boxing champion. Jeffra's career spanned from 1933 to 1950, and his final record showed 93 wins (27 KOs) 20 losses and 7 draws.

Jeffra captured the bantamweight title by outpointing Puerto Rican great Sixto Escobar on September 23, 1937. Escobar, however, regained the title by outpointing Jeffra on February 20, 1938. The two met again with no title on the line. In what would be Escobar's last fight, Jeffra was awarded a 10 round decision.

Jeffra then moved up in weight to featherweight, where he fought several bouts against Joey Archibald. On September 28, 1939, Archibald successfully defended his world featherweight title against Jeffra when he was awarded a very controversial split decision after 15 rounds. Most writers scored the fight for Jeffra.

On May 20, 1940, Jeffra outpointed Archibald to win the NYSAC version of the world featherweight crown, but re-lost the title to Archibald on May 12, 1941. Harry defeated such men as Lou Salica, Joey Archibald, "Pittsburgh" Jackie Wilson, Sixto Escobar, Phil Terranova, Ruby Bradley, Tommy Forte, Joey Iannotti, Mike Raffa, Indian Quintana, Nicky Jerome and Bill Speary. Harry was inducted into the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1982. Jeffra died in September 1988.

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