Julie Kogon (1918-1986) was an American lightweight boxer and world title contender from New Haven, Connecticut. Kogon was ranked by Nat Fleischer's Ring boxing magazine as the tenth best lightweight in the world for July 1944 and later won the Connecticut Lightweight Championship in January 1947. He came extremely close to becoming the New York State Boxing Commission's World Featherweight Championship when he defeated reigning champion Petey Scalzo in October 1940, placing him as one of the top ten or better contenders for two weight classes in a seven-year period. In the 1940s, he defeated both the European and Italian lightweight champion. Most exceptional was his losing only once by knockout in 142 bouts. Early life and early career highlights Kogon was born to Jewish parents on April 4, 1918 to what would become a struggling family of five boys and five girls. He grew up on New Haven, Connecticut's Portsea Street. Earning a great deal of boxing experience as an amateur, Kogon amassed an exceptional 85-2 record. Beginning his professional career in 1937, he was one of several Jewish boxers to wear the six pointed Star of David on his boxing trunks below his initials throughout his career. Though religious symbols were later banned from boxer's sportswear, in the troubled world climate of the early 1940s Jewish boxers wearing the Star of David represented strength and the survival of their heritage to many of their Jewish fans. Some boxing analysts compared his vertical stance, with little crouching, to the great New York Jewish lightweight champion Benny Leonard who was also an idol of many Jewish fans. Kogon quickly earned an enthusiastic following in New Haven, and at one time appeared in 70 fights in the city, many to packed or full houses. Win over World feather champ, Petey Scalzo, 1940 Kogon went undefeated in his first 22 fights, with 17 wins, with 0 losses, 4 draws, and 1 no contest. On June 6, 1939, he decisively defeated Tony Marteliano in a technical knockout in 1:10 of the fourth of an eight-round bout in Queens, New York. In Marteliano's first 37 fights, often with top competitors, Kogon was the first to achieve a knockout or even win a decision. In a stunning upset, on October 4, 1940 he bested Petey Scalzo, reigning New York State Boxing Commission's World Featherweight Champion, in an eight-round points decision at Madison Square Garden. Scalzo