Inducted on September 12, 1971
Willie La Marte was born on June 16, 1904, in Newark, and started his boxing career in 1922 at the age of 18.
For his size and weight he was rated one of the hardest bangers in the Fly Weight division.
He met such warriors as Joe Jackson, Young Anthony, Tony Mack, Do Do Jackson, Johnny Brennan, Kid Durand, Archie Bell, Frankie Mason, Terry Tinkle, Router Parra, Frisco Grande, Ivan Hares.
He won a 15 round decision over Corporal Izzy Schwartz in Newark on August 22, 1929, for the Flyweight title.
If Izzy is here tonight he will still tell you it isn’t so!
Among others he boxed were Willie Cubic, Frankie Genaro three times, Al Brown twice, Ernie Paluso twice, Joey Ross, Sammy Sanchez and Willie Davis twice, one a o-round draw in 1926 and one a 10 rounder in 1927.
In 1927, he went 10 rounds no decision with Frankie Genaro and also a 10-round draw.
In 1930 he lost a l0 round decision to Genaro. Among others, familiar names like Happy Atherton, Midget Wolgast, Elizabeth’s Mickey Bellero twice and Fidel La Barba appear in the record books.
Willie was married in 1924 and he and Lucy have three sons, all are now residents of Belleville, New Jersey.
Boxing Record: click