Fidel La Barba (September 29, 1905 - on October 3, 1981) was a United States boxer and sportswriter. He was born in New York City on , but he grew up in Los Angeles, California. As a boy he sold newspapers and learned to fight on street corners. La Barba was discovered at age 14 by manager George Blake who embarked him on an amateur career. As an amateur he won the flyweight division at the national Amateur Athletic Union tournament in Boston and he qualified for the United States Olympic team.. September 29 is the 272nd day of the year (273rd in leap years). ... 1905 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... October 3 is the 276th day of the year (277th in Leap years). ... 1981 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 Armed Forces Amateur Boxing Championships, held in 2003. ... Sportswriting is a form of journalism who writes and reports on sports topics and events. ... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the United States, and is at the center of international finance, politics, communications, music, fashion, and culture. ... The Downtown Los Angeles skyline. ... Flyweight is a class in boxing which includes fighters weighing less than 112 lb (50 kg) but above 108 lb. ...

La Barba won the gold medal in the flyweight division at the 1924 Olympics in Paris. Although still in high school, La Barba turned professional that same year. 1924 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... For months before the Olympic Games, runners relay the Olympic Flame from Olympia to the opening ceremony. ... The Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of Paris throughout the world. ...

On August 22, 1925, La Barba defeated Frankie Genaro in a convincing 10 round decision to win the American Flyweight title. In 1927, he won the World Flyweight championship from Elky Clark. La Barba dominated the fight, knocked Clark down five times and won all twelve rounds. August 22 is the 234th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (235th in leap years), with 131 days remaining. ... 1925 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... Frankie Genaro (August 26, 1901-December 27, 1966) was a former Olympic gold medalist and boxing world flyweight champion. ... 1927 was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Seven months later La Barba retired to enter Stanford University. Less than a year later, however, he returned to the ring as a featherweight. He won his first five fights, and in 1931 split two decisions with Kid Chocolate. On May 22, 1931 he was given an opportunity to win the world featherweight title, but was out pointed by Battling Battalino. For other meanings of Stanford, see Stanford (disambiguation). ... Featherweight is a weight class division in the sport of boxing. ... 1931 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Eligio Saldana (January 6, 1910-August 8, 1988), better known as Kid Chocolate, was a Cuban boxer who enjoyed wild success both in the boxing ring and in society life during a span of the 1930s. ... May 22 is the 142nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (143rd in leap years). ... 1931 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Battling Battalino (b. ...

La Barba’s career was prematurely curtailed when he suffered a detached retina in training for a fight against Kid Chocolate for the New York featherweight title. On December 9, 1932, La Barba not only lost the fight in a close decision, but went blind in his eye. After the fight, he underwent surgery to repair the tear, but it was unsuccessful and he eventually had to have the eye removed. December 9 is the 343rd day (344th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1932 is a leap year starting on a Friday. ...

In 1933, he was forced to retire, and returned to Stanford, where he earned a degree in journalism. After graduating from Stanford he worked as a sportswriter, and later worked in public relations, as a screenwriter, and as a technical advisor in Hollywood for boxing movies.

Fidel La Barba died in Los Angeles, California. The Downtown Los Angeles skyline. ...