Mickey Walker's Record

BoxBuzz · Post by **BoxBuzz** » 15 Mar 2006, 14:42

Could someone just chime in and give some info on Mickey? He's a fighter I have always wanted to know more about. Any books reccomended here? or memories or acquired info that you would like to share? He deserves his own thread here and now he has it.

http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=9035

TheRiverCityHippy · Post by **TheRiverCityHippy** » 15 Mar 2006, 17:03

didnt he end up a respected primative artist?

BoxBuzz · Post by **BoxBuzz** » 15 Mar 2006, 17:20

Mickey Walker
The man knicknamed "The Toy Bulldog" was a welterweight and middleweight champion but ultimately won the hearts of boxing fans by fearlessly taking on heavyweights and light heavyweights.
In 1922, Walker dethroned welterweight champion Jack Britton and made successful title defenses against Pete Latzo, Jimmy Jones, Lew Tendler and Bobby Barrett.

Even as a welterweight the 5-foot 7-inch Walker began thinking big. With manager Jack "Doc" Kearns handling his career, nearly any opponent at nearly any time could be produced.

In 1925, fought to a no decision with light heavyweight champion Mike McTigue in a title bout and lost a 15-round decision to middleweight king Harry Greb. The Greb fight was a thrilling affair and legend has it that the two warriors went at it again in the streets of New York City after arguing the result of the fight in a saloon.

Walker lossed the welterweight crown to Latzo in 1926 but he wouldn't be without a title for long. Before the year ended, he defeated middleweight champion Tiger Flowers.

Again, he sought bigger challenges and knocked out McTigue, then an ex-champ, and decisioned future light heavyweight champion Paul Berlanbach.

In 1929, he challenged 175-pound champion Tommy Loughran but lost a 10-round split decision. By 1931, Walker was fighting heavyweights and decided to relinquish his middleweight throne after beating top big men such as Johnny Risko and Bearcat Wright. Also in '31, Walker battled future heavyweight champion Jack Sharkey to a draw.

Heavyweight contenders King Levinsky, Paulino Uzcudun and Arthur DeKuh fell victim to Walker in 1932 but former heavyweight champ Max Schmeling knocked him out in eight rounds the same year. One more try at the light heavyweight crown came in 1933 but Maxie Rosenbloom scored a decision over Walker. A year later, Walker avenged the loss to Rosenbloom in a non-title fight.

After scoring a second-round knockout over Red Bush in 1939, Walker retired

Martin Sosa Cameron · Post by **Martin Sosa Cameron** » 15 Mar 2006, 20:46

What a good bio of Mickey Walker! Another great Irish, of course. I remember, too, he beat other top big men: Leo Lomski, King Levinsky, Paulino Uzcudun, Jim Maloney, Arthur DeKuh, Salvatore Ruggiriello...

Nat Fleischer rated the greatest Middleweights as follows:

1 Stanley Ketchell
2 Tommy Ryan
3 Harry Greb
4 Mickey Walker
5 Sugar Ray Robinson

And The Ring Magazine best five:

1 Stanley Ketchell
2 Sugar Ray Robinson
3 Harry Greb
4 Mickey Walker
5 Carlos Monzón

Ezzard · Post by **Ezzard** » 16 Mar 2006, 10:53

BoxBuzz wrote:Mickey Walker
The man knicknamed "The Toy Bulldog" was a welterweight and middleweight champion but ultimately won the hearts of boxing fans by fearlessly taking on heavyweights and light heavyweights.
In 1922, Walker dethroned welterweight champion Jack Britton and made successful title defenses against Pete Latzo, Jimmy Jones, Lew Tendler and Bobby Barrett.

Even as a welterweight the 5-foot 7-inch Walker began thinking big. With manager Jack "Doc" Kearns handling his career, nearly any opponent at nearly any time could be produced.

In 1925, fought to a no decision with light heavyweight champion Mike McTigue in a title bout and lost a 15-round decision to middleweight king Harry Greb. The Greb fight was a thrilling affair and legend has it that the two warriors went at it again in the streets of New York City after arguing the result of the fight in a saloon.

Walker lossed the welterweight crown to Latzo in 1926 but he wouldn't be without a title for long. Before the year ended, he defeated middleweight champion Tiger Flowers.

Again, he sought bigger challenges and knocked out McTigue, then an ex-champ, and decisioned future light heavyweight champion Paul Berlanbach.

In 1929, he challenged 175-pound champion Tommy Loughran but lost a 10-round split decision. By 1931, Walker was fighting heavyweights and decided to relinquish his middleweight throne after beating top big men such as Johnny Risko and Bearcat Wright. Also in '31, Walker battled future heavyweight champion Jack Sharkey to a draw.

Heavyweight contenders King Levinsky, Paulino Uzcudun and Arthur DeKuh fell victim to Walker in 1932 but former heavyweight champ Max Schmeling knocked him out in eight rounds the same year. One more try at the light heavyweight crown came in 1933 but Maxie Rosenbloom scored a decision over Walker. A year later, Walker avenged the loss to Rosenbloom in a non-title fight.

After scoring a second-round knockout over Red Bush in 1939, Walker retired

Buzzy

Walker took the title from Flowers but was he open to fighting other black fighters too? It's always interesting to look back and see which whites would (Greb) and which wouldn't (Tunney).

RowanSmith · Post by **RowanSmith** » 16 Mar 2006, 11:46

Walker did fight blacks besides Flowers, including Wilson Yarbo, Bearcat Wright and KO White, but witht he exception of Wright, these were second tier guys. He never defended his title against a black challenger and their were a few good ones, for both his welterweight and middleweight title, including Harry Smith, Jack McVey, Gorilla Jones and Allentown Joe Gans for his middleweight honors and most notably, Panama Joe Gans for his welterweight honors. Not to mention that Walker avoided a rematch with Flowers. Walker also refused Gans as an opponent in 1921, while a young contender. Walker's fight with Flowers was a somewhat contrevesial decision. I believe that both Wright and Yarbo knocked Walker down.

Ezzard · Post by **Ezzard** » 16 Mar 2006, 12:26

RowanSmith wrote:Walker did fight blacks besides Flowers, including Wilson Yarbo, Bearcat Wright and KO White, but witht he exception of Wright, these were second tier guys. He never defended his title against a black challenger and their were a few good ones, for both his welterweight and middleweight title, including Harry Smith, Jack McVey, Gorilla Jones and Allentown Joe Gans for his middleweight honors and most notably, Panama Joe Gans for his welterweight honors. Not to mention that Walker avoided a rematch with Flowers. Walker also refused Gans as an opponent in 1921, while a young contender. Walker's fight with Flowers was a somewhat contrevesial decision. I believe that both Wright and Yarbo knocked Walker down.

Thanks Rowan

What's your take on Walker's record?

sharkeysboy · Post by **sharkeysboy** » 18 Mar 2006, 10:10

The Walker decision over Tiger was almost universally despised by the white and black press alike. In his autobiography he brags about how Al Capone was a great friend. The Flowers fight was held in Chicago. You do the math. His autobiography, Toy Bulldog, is pretty entertaining and readily available at Abebooks.com.

sharkeysboy · Post by **sharkeysboy** » 18 Mar 2006, 10:11

The Walker decision over Tiger was almost universally despised by the white and black press alike. In his autobiography he brags about how Al Capone was a great friend. The Flowers fight was held in Chicago. You do the math. His autobiography, Toy Bulldog, is pretty entertaining and readily available at Abebooks.com.