Pete Rademacher

Pete Rademacher
Statistics
Real name	Thomas Peter Rademacher
Rated at	Heavyweight
Nationality	American
Born	November 20, 1928 Tieton, Washington, U.S.
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	23
Wins	15
Wins by KO	8
Losses	7
Draws	1
No contests	0
Medal record Men's Boxing Competitor for  United States Olympic Games 1956 Melbourne Heavyweight

Thomas Peter "Pete" Rademacher (born November 20, 1928) is a former boxer who made boxing history by being the only man to fight for the world heavyweight championship in his first professional fight. Rademacher first began boxing as a form of rehabilitation during his recovery from Rheumatic fever, which he contracted in military school.

Amateur career

In his amateur career, Rademacher had 79 fights, going 72-7. He won a series of tournaments, including the 1949, 1951, 1952, and 1953 Seattle Golden Gloves (he lost in 1950 to Zora Folley, who he would face several times in his career), and the US Amateur Championship as a heavyweight in 1953—avenging his earlier loss to Folley. He also captured the Chicago Golden Gloves, the All-Army championship, and the Service championship in 1956, before qualifying for the Olympic team. In the Olympics, held in Melbourne, he captured a gold medal in the heavyweight division.

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.

Rademacher dropped Patterson in round two, but Patterson recovered and defeated him by a knockout in six.

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.

Professional boxing record

Later life

After retirement, he went into business at McNeil Corporation in Akron, Ohio. He retired as President in 1987. In 1996, he and two of his daughters helped carry the Olympic torch around the streets of Cleveland, Ohio.

Rademacher is active in local politics in Medina County, Ohio. He is also well known in northern Ohio for the amazing gasoline-powered one wheel "unicycle" he rides in local parades.

External links

• Professional boxing record for Pete Rademacher from BoxRec
• Alternate record site