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Anton the Greek is alive and well (and domiciled in Greece)
by Jerry Fitch
For years people have been asking me whatever happened to former light heavyweight champion (NBA
version), Anton Christoforidis, a former resident of Ohio and the Cleveland area.
And for years I have come up empty with an answer. I wrote to Geneva, Ohio, where Anton had a restaurant
and bar for a good number of years and the letter was returned, "No forwarding address".
I wrote to Florida contacts where I heard he had been living and most of those results were the same. . .
nobody seemed to know where he had gone, what he was doing. In fact one source said and I quote "Anton
died two years ago in Fort Lauderdale."
Now I thought this to be a strange piece of information when in fact a guy of his stature surely would have
made the news services or some obit column somewhere. How could he be gone without a trace?
A logical answer was that maybe Anton returned to his native Greece and stayed. Yet I had no contacts in
Greece and not a soul seemed able to confirm my notion.
And then in early February of this year I caught wind of an item that Anton had shown up at a local club fight.
I had not attended the bouts because of my usual conflicting work schedule so I called a close friend and he
told me that Anton was indeed in Cleveland for a visit and that he was staying at one of the beter hotels
downtown.
I placed a call to the establishment (Jim Swingos) and found him out for the evening so I left my name and
phone number. Then I went to bed and figured I'd never hear from him because he didn't know me from
Adam.
Early the next morning I got quite a surprise when the phone rang and a man spoke with a heavy Greek
ascent. It was my missing Anton Christoforidis!
After explaining who I was avid making my point I tried for a couple days to meet this man that had seemed to
vanish from the boxing world and the real world.
My interest in Anton came strictly from write ups and conversations with local buffs who saw him fight in
Cleveland many times during the 40's when he called this city home.
I also talked to former opponents of Anton's like Jimmy Bivins and Lloyd Marshall. Naturally I was interested
in meeting this- man, a truly remarkable fighter and Greek legend in this own right.
So finally after calling and writing and doing everything else I could think of I met with Anton for two or three
hours in the dining room of the hotel. And my years of waiting were not in vain.
I found Anton to be remarkably fit (weighs only 160 Ibs), mighty friendly and happy to talk about his days in
the ring and since. He pulled no punches and my moments with him were most educational and entertaining
to say the least.
Anton spoke of his fights and life in Europe before the War. How he fought in front of Adolph Hitler in 1938,
winning the European Middleweight crown from Bep Van Klaveren in 1938 in Rotterdam, etc.
Anton went on about his reasons for coming to America. He said, "I was fighting in Paris and vacationing in
Normandy on September 3, 1939, and when the War broke out I got my passport in order and decided to
come to the States and give it a try. I had already fought Solly Krieger in New York and won and people like,
Mike Jacobs and other New York fight people said I probably could make out okay in the States."
And make out okay he did. Anton won seven more after the Krieger victory until he came to Cleveland and
Jimmy Bivins beat him on a close decision.
Anton quickly said, "The loss to Bivins was strictly a hometowner as far as I am concerned. I admired Bivins
as a fighter and he, could hit you good with both hands, but I know I won and would have gotten the decision
anywhere but in Cleveland, Jimmy's hometown."
But Cleveland soon took to Anton Christoforidis as an adopted son and old timers still talk about his thrilling
fights here with Jimmy Reeves, whom he kayoed in two rounds and decisioned in ten, Jimmy Bivins, Lloyd
Marshall and others.
And the members of the local Greek population point with special pride the night they saw their hero defeat
Melio Bettina at the Cleveland Arena for the NBA Light heavyweight championship of the world. That took
place on January 13, 1941.
Although Anton didn't hold the crown long you couldn't take his courage or achievements away from him.
Gus Lesnevich stripped him of his title in New York on May 22, 1941. Anton was never to get another crack
at any crown after losing the 15 rounder to Gus.
I say "any crown" because although Anton fought many light heavys and even heavyweights, he was actually
nothing more than a middleweight himself, usually weighed in the 160's.
Anton recalled his thrilling win over Ceferino Garcia, the bolo puncher from the Philippines. Anton was
surprised to hear that Ceferino had recently died, but he happily recalled his meeting with him as the
headliner on the Cleveland News, Chrlstmas Toyfund Show on December 1,1941.
Anton laughed, "They told me this guy had a bolo punch. I said what on earth is a bolo punch? I soon found
out because in round one Garcia hit me with one in the ribs and I almost died. I thought my ribs were caved
in and I could hardly breath. It took me a while to figure this rugged guy out but then I did and I cut him to
ribbons and won the decision easily."
Actually Anton did get one more crack at a title, a cardboard one called the "Duration" light heavyweight
crown. He met his old rival (they had previously split two 10-rounders in Cleveland) Jimmy Bivins in a
15-rounder at the old Cleveland Arena on Feb 23, 1943 and Bivins emerged the winner although Anton felt
he won that one also. "I was back in the dressing room and another fight was going on and I heard all kinds
of booing. I wondered what it was and went out and found out the people were still booing the decision Bivins
got over me", sighed Anton.
Anton said that he felt the only "real loss" he had in Cleveland was to former Clevelander, Lloyd Marshall on
April 21, 1943. Anton said, "I broke my left hand in the early going and it handicapped me but you couldn't
broke my left hand in the early going and it handicapped me but you couldn't take anything away from Lloyd,
he was a great fighter. So was Bivins for that matter, they both were real good."
Getting to the reason why Anton seemed to disappear for so many years, the explanation was rather simple.
These are Anton's exact words. . ."l was divorced in 1961 and in 1968 decided to retire to Florida. I sold my
interests in Geneva, Ohio and went down to Florida. In 1970 I decided to take a trip back to Greece for the
first time. I liked it a lot and in 1971 decided to visit for 45 days. The; 45 days has turned out to be ten years
this May."
Anton became a US citizen many years ago and retains that even though he lives in his homeland. . People
will recall he served in the Navy for our country to boot. He has a small pension and Social Security and as
he puts it, "i am not rich but I am doing okay."
Anton took up golf and plays many rounds daily in the sunny climate of Greece. He is a National hero and
much respected and a happy man needless to say.
As for todays fighters, Anton quickly says, "I was born about 40 years too soon (He is 62) and-could have
been very rich if I fought today."
by Jerry Fitch
For years people have been asking me whatever happened to former light heavyweight champion (NBA
version), Anton Christoforidis, a former resident of Ohio and the Cleveland area.
And for years I have come up empty with an answer. I wrote to Geneva, Ohio, where Anton had a restaurant
and bar for a good number of years and the letter was returned, "No forwarding address".
I wrote to Florida contacts where I heard he had been living and most of those results were the same. . .
nobody seemed to know where he had gone, what he was doing. In fact one source said and I quote "Anton
died two years ago in Fort Lauderdale."
Now I thought this to be a strange piece of information when in fact a guy of his stature surely would have
made the news services or some obit column somewhere. How could he be gone without a trace?
A logical answer was that maybe Anton returned to his native Greece and stayed. Yet I had no contacts in
Greece and not a soul seemed able to confirm my notion.
And then in early February of this year I caught wind of an item that Anton had shown up at a local club fight.
I had not attended the bouts because of my usual conflicting work schedule so I called a close friend and he
told me that Anton was indeed in Cleveland for a visit and that he was staying at one of the beter hotels
downtown.
I placed a call to the establishment (Jim Swingos) and found him out for the evening so I left my name and
phone number. Then I went to bed and figured I'd never hear from him because he didn't know me from
Adam.
Early the next morning I got quite a surprise when the phone rang and a man spoke with a heavy Greek
ascent. It was my missing Anton Christoforidis!
After explaining who I was avid making my point I tried for a couple days to meet this man that had seemed to
vanish from the boxing world and the real world.
My interest in Anton came strictly from write ups and conversations with local buffs who saw him fight in
Cleveland many times during the 40's when he called this city home.
I also talked to former opponents of Anton's like Jimmy Bivins and Lloyd Marshall. Naturally I was interested
in meeting this- man, a truly remarkable fighter and Greek legend in this own right.
So finally after calling and writing and doing everything else I could think of I met with Anton for two or three
hours in the dining room of the hotel. And my years of waiting were not in vain.
I found Anton to be remarkably fit (weighs only 160 Ibs), mighty friendly and happy to talk about his days in
the ring and since. He pulled no punches and my moments with him were most educational and entertaining
to say the least.
Anton spoke of his fights and life in Europe before the War. How he fought in front of Adolph Hitler in 1938,
winning the European Middleweight crown from Bep Van Klaveren in 1938 in Rotterdam, etc.
Anton went on about his reasons for coming to America. He said, "I was fighting in Paris and vacationing in
Normandy on September 3, 1939, and when the War broke out I got my passport in order and decided to
come to the States and give it a try. I had already fought Solly Krieger in New York and won and people like,
Mike Jacobs and other New York fight people said I probably could make out okay in the States."
And make out okay he did. Anton won seven more after the Krieger victory until he came to Cleveland and
Jimmy Bivins beat him on a close decision.
Anton quickly said, "The loss to Bivins was strictly a hometowner as far as I am concerned. I admired Bivins
as a fighter and he, could hit you good with both hands, but I know I won and would have gotten the decision
anywhere but in Cleveland, Jimmy's hometown."
But Cleveland soon took to Anton Christoforidis as an adopted son and old timers still talk about his thrilling
fights here with Jimmy Reeves, whom he kayoed in two rounds and decisioned in ten, Jimmy Bivins, Lloyd
Marshall and others.
And the members of the local Greek population point with special pride the night they saw their hero defeat
Melio Bettina at the Cleveland Arena for the NBA Light heavyweight championship of the world. That took
place on January 13, 1941.
Although Anton didn't hold the crown long you couldn't take his courage or achievements away from him.
Gus Lesnevich stripped him of his title in New York on May 22, 1941. Anton was never to get another crack
at any crown after losing the 15 rounder to Gus.
I say "any crown" because although Anton fought many light heavys and even heavyweights, he was actually
nothing more than a middleweight himself, usually weighed in the 160's.
Anton recalled his thrilling win over Ceferino Garcia, the bolo puncher from the Philippines. Anton was
surprised to hear that Ceferino had recently died, but he happily recalled his meeting with him as the
headliner on the Cleveland News, Chrlstmas Toyfund Show on December 1,1941.
Anton laughed, "They told me this guy had a bolo punch. I said what on earth is a bolo punch? I soon found
out because in round one Garcia hit me with one in the ribs and I almost died. I thought my ribs were caved
in and I could hardly breath. It took me a while to figure this rugged guy out but then I did and I cut him to
ribbons and won the decision easily."
Actually Anton did get one more crack at a title, a cardboard one called the "Duration" light heavyweight
crown. He met his old rival (they had previously split two 10-rounders in Cleveland) Jimmy Bivins in a
15-rounder at the old Cleveland Arena on Feb 23, 1943 and Bivins emerged the winner although Anton felt
he won that one also. "I was back in the dressing room and another fight was going on and I heard all kinds
of booing. I wondered what it was and went out and found out the people were still booing the decision Bivins
got over me", sighed Anton.
Anton said that he felt the only "real loss" he had in Cleveland was to former Clevelander, Lloyd Marshall on
April 21, 1943. Anton said, "I broke my left hand in the early going and it handicapped me but you couldn't
broke my left hand in the early going and it handicapped me but you couldn't take anything away from Lloyd,
he was a great fighter. So was Bivins for that matter, they both were real good."
Getting to the reason why Anton seemed to disappear for so many years, the explanation was rather simple.
These are Anton's exact words. . ."l was divorced in 1961 and in 1968 decided to retire to Florida. I sold my
interests in Geneva, Ohio and went down to Florida. In 1970 I decided to take a trip back to Greece for the
first time. I liked it a lot and in 1971 decided to visit for 45 days. The; 45 days has turned out to be ten years
this May."
Anton became a US citizen many years ago and retains that even though he lives in his homeland. . People
will recall he served in the Navy for our country to boot. He has a small pension and Social Security and as
he puts it, "i am not rich but I am doing okay."
Anton took up golf and plays many rounds daily in the sunny climate of Greece. He is a National hero and
much respected and a happy man needless to say.
As for todays fighters, Anton quickly says, "I was born about 40 years too soon (He is 62) and-could have
been very rich if I fought today."
