When he was a boy growing up in Chicago, Barnet Rasofsky planned to be a Talmudic scholar and Hebrew teacher. In 1924, however, when Barnet was 14 years old, his father, an immigrant rabbi and grocer, was shot and killed by two men who robbed the family store. Barnet�s mother, left with five children to support, had a nervous breakdown and was sent to live with relatives. Barnet and his oldest brother Morrie went to live with a cousin; his three youngest siblings were placed in an orphanage.

In his grief, Barnet Rasofsky renounced his Orthodox faith and sought revenge on the world by becoming a petty thief, numbers runner and brawler. He vowed to make enough money by whatever means he could to reunite their family. Barnet took up amateur boxing, pawning the medals he won for the few dollars they would bring. Sometimes, he would take six fights in a week. Barnet grew tougher with each confrontation. At age 19, he turned professional and took the name Barney Ross, so his mother, now back on her feet, wouldn�t know he was fighting and worry about his safety. As Barney Ross, he won championships and election to the Boxing Hall of Fame.

After almost 200 fights as an amateur and more than 20 as a professional, Ross�s big break came in 1933, when he fought tough Tony Canzoneri in Chicago for the world lightweight (137 pound) title and won by a split decision. To prove that his victory was no fluke, Ross agreed to a rematch in Canzoneri�s hometown, New York City. Before a pro-Canzoneri crowd of 60,000, Ross won a unanimous decision. Never a powerful