LaBarba began boxing around age 12 or 13 in little amateur cards held weekly at places such as the Elks Club, which were promoted by Carlo Curtiss, who had been one of World Heavyweight Champion Jess Willard's managers.

Eventually, Central Junior High School boxing instructor Bob Howard saw his potential.

According to an interview published January 28, 1927 in some United States newspapers, LaBarba mentioned that he defeated a boy named Dave Mariney (a.k.a.

Blake took an interest in the young and talented Fidel LaBarba, and asked Bob Howard to have him come down to the club. "

While in high school, he sometimes worked nights until midnight, racking pins at a bowling alley, then sleeping on a cot in back of the building.

In the morning he would grab a bite to eat at the local restaurant, then head off to school about a mile away.

LaBarba won the gold medal in the flyweight division at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris.

On August 22, 1925, LaBarba defeated Frankie Genaro in a convincing 10-round decision to win the American Flyweight title.

La Barba dominated the fight, knocked Clark down five times and won all twelve rounds.

LaBarba'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.

After the fight, he underwent surgery to repair the tear, but it was unsuccessful and he eventually had to have the eye removed.