Pete Rademacher
Pete Rademacher | |||||||||||
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Rademacher in 1961 | |||||||||||
Statistics | |||||||||||
Real name | Thomas Peter Rademacher | ||||||||||
Weight(s) | Heavyweight | ||||||||||
Height | 187 cm (6 ft 2 in)[1] | ||||||||||
Reach | 196 cm (77 in)[1] | ||||||||||
Nationality |
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Born |
Tieton, Washington, U.S.[2] | November 20, 1928||||||||||
Stance | Orthodox | ||||||||||
Boxing record | |||||||||||
Total fights | 23 | ||||||||||
Wins | 15 | ||||||||||
Wins by KO | 8 | ||||||||||
Losses | 7 | ||||||||||
Draws | 1 | ||||||||||
No contests | 0 | ||||||||||
Medal record
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Thomas Peter "Pete" Rademacher (born November 20, 1928) is a retired American heavyweight boxer. He is the only person who contested the world heavyweight championship in his first professional bout. Rademacher took up boxing as a form of rehabilitation during his recovery from rheumatic fever, which he contracted in military school.[3]
Amateur career
In his amateur career, Rademacher won 72 bouts and lost 7. He won a series of tournaments, including the 1949 and 1951–1953 Seattle Golden Gloves (he lost in 1950 to Zora Folley, who was his frequent opponent throughout his boxing career), and the US Amateur Championship as a heavyweight in 1953—avenging his earlier loss to Folley.
He captured the Chicago Golden Gloves, the All-Army championship, and the Service championship in 1956, before qualifying for the Olympic team. At the Olympics he captured a gold medal in the heavyweight division and served as the American flag bearer at the closing ceremony.[2]
Olympic results
- Defeated Josef Němec KO 2
- Defeated Daan Bekker KO 3
- Defeated Lev Mukhin KO 1
Rademacher also attended college, playing offensive line on the football team for Washington State.
Professional career
After winning the gold medal, Rademacher started saying that he would be able to become world heavyweight champion in his first professional fight. He made his belief public and was able to lure world Heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson into defending his crown against the debutant Rademacher. It is the only time to date that a fighter making his professional debut has challenged for the world heavyweight title. The bout was refereed by former lightheavyweight champion Tommy Loughran, who himself had contended for the heavy crown once, vs. Primo Carnera, in 1934.[1]
Rademacher dropped Patterson in round two, but Patterson recovered and knocked Rademacher down seven times, defeating him by a knockout in round six.[2][1]
Rademacher fought Zora Folley, Brian London, George Chuvalo, Buddy Turman, and the former world light heavyweight champion, Archie Moore. He lost to Moore, Folley and London but beat Chuvalo, Clark, and Turman. His last bout was with former world middleweight champion Carl "Bobo" Olson, whom he beat by decision.[1]
Personal life
Rademacher is married to Margaret and has a daughter Susan (born c. 1954–1955).[4] Besides boxing he was a successful salesman and inventor. He was president of the company Kiefer-McNeil that was started by a fellow Olympian Adolph Kiefer.[2]
Professional boxing record
15 Wins (8 knockouts, 7 decisions), 7 Losses (6 knockouts, 1 decision), 1 Draw[1] | |||||||
Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round | Date | Location | Notes |
Win | 87–12 | UD | 10 | April 3, 1962 | |||
Loss | 29–1 | PTS | 10 | January 20, 1962 | |||
Win | 35–8–1 | TKO | 9 | November 30, 1961 | |||
Loss | 181–22–9 | TKO | 6 | October 23, 1961 | Referee stopped the bout at 2:10 of the sixth round. | ||
Loss | 19–5–1 | KO | 2 | August 17, 1961 | Pete knocked out at 2:40 of the second round. | ||
Loss | 17–0 | KO | 5 | April 29, 1961 | |||
Win | 12–17–3 | KO | 1 | April 14, 1961 | |||
Win | 27–13–2 | KO | 1 | February 22, 1961 | Taylor knocked out at 2:47 of the first round. | ||
Win | 35–10–1 | UD | 10 | January 23, 1961 | 100–92, 100–91, 100–91. | ||
Win | 44–23–7 | UD | 10 | December 13, 1960 | 47–43, 48–42, 49–42. | ||
Win | 17–3–1 | SD | 10 | December 8, 1960 | 99–90, 97–95, 96–99. | ||
Win | 17–3–1 | UD | 10 | July 19, 1960 | |||
Win | 42–1 | TKO | 10 | June 29, 1960 | Referee stopped the bout at 2:27 of the tenth round. | ||
Loss | 22–6 | KO | 7 | April 26, 1960 | Pete knocked out at 0:15 of the seventh round. | ||
Draw | 20–3–3 | PTS | 10 | April 8, 1960 | |||
Win | 13–0 | KO | 7 | February 6, 1960 | |||
Win | 8–12–1 | PTS | 8 | December 9, 1959 | |||
Win | 3–4 | KO | 1 | November 12, 1959 | |||
Win | 13–12 | UD | 10 | September 29, 1959 | 99–93, 99–91, 99–92. | ||
Win | 18–13–2 | TKO | 3 | September 17, 1959 | Rocky Marciano refereed the fight. | ||
Win | 20–11–1 | TKO | 5 | August 13, 1959 | |||
Loss | 40–2–2 | KO | 4 | July 25, 1958 | Pete knocked out at 1:15 of the fourth round. | ||
Loss | 32–1 | KO | 6 | August 22, 1957 | World Heavyweight Title. Pete knocked out at 2:57 of the sixth round. |
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Pete Rademacher. Boxrec.
- 1 2 3 4 Pete Rademacher. sports-reference.com
- ↑ Borrone, Bert (July 31, 1957). "Suspicion Grows That Marciano Is Using Role As Coach Of Rademacher As Stepping Stone To Comeback Try". Park City Daily News. Bowling Green, Kentucky. p. 13.
- ↑ File:Wife and daughter of Pete Rademacher 1957.jpg
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pete Rademacher. |