Harry Jeffra

Who was Harry Jeffra?

Harry Jeffra' 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 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 decsiion 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 lost the title back 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.