BoxRec

For 1930 you would mention guys like Joe Louis Max Baer Max Schmeling Jack Sharkey Primo Carnera and for other weight classes like welterweight and lightweight you would mention guys like Henry Armstrong Barney Ross Jimmy McLarnin Tony Canzoneri Lou Ambers but I havenet seen any of the middleweight from 1930s getting mentioned as much or talked about compared to the other weight classes from 1930s so why is that?

Well, maybe we should talk about them more!

I don't there was one guy that really stand out in the era, which may be part of the reason. There was a lot of parity. There are some Hall of Famers like Gorilla Jones, Freddie Steele, Marcel Thil, Lou Brouillard, Teddy Yarosz.

It was also an era where there was some dispute as to who the champion was, which confuses things a bit.

After Mickey Walker gave up the title, Gorilla Jones, Marcel Thil, Ben Jeby, Lou Broullard, Vince Dundee, Teddy Yarosz, Babe Risko, Freddie Steele, Fred Apostoli, Al Hostak, and Cerfino Garcia all had some claim on the title at one or another. Thats a lot to chew on.

Ken Overlin was also an outstanding fighter from that era no one seems to talk about.

Mickey Walker was pretty famous back then(early 1930'S)
He even took on heavyweights like Max Schmeling and Jack Sharkey.
He even later published his autobiography.

Freddie Steele was really popular.
he was consireded one of the hardest punchers in Middelweight history.
He even became a movie actor.

Then become forgotten

1474360 wrote: ↑12 Apr 2025, 14:27 Then become forgotten

So then ,let's all remember Freddie Steele all over again on this forum !
( and those eyes of a Natural Born Killa !)

One wonders how far into the 1930's that Mickey Walker could have remained Middleweight Champion ?
if he had stayed at his best fighting weight (158 lbs)at 5 ft 6" tall.
He relinquished as Middleweight Champion in June 1931 (a month before turning 30)
and instead went up to fight light-heavyweights and heavyweights
including one power puncher who stood 6 ft 3 inches and weighed 220 lbs,
If walker had continued as MW up until 1934, he may have fought such future MW champs like
Gorilla Jones, Marcel thil, Len Harvey
and contender like Tiger Thomas,, Ben Jeby, Chuck Devlin or even Sammy Slaughter
(whom all fought for the various MW titles in the early 1930's.

Frankie Carbo's significant influence on boxing in the U.S. began with middleweights in the 1930s. Carbo's primary objective at that point was arranging betting coups.

DavidKehler wrote: ↑16 May 2025, 12:47 Frankie Carbo's significant influence on boxing in the U.S. began with middleweights in the 1930s. Carbo's primary objective at that point was arranging betting coups.

Funny I just posted about Carbo in your thread about Runyons article before I read this. Didn’t realize Carbo was around at that point

Owney Madden (who was born in England) was involved in it too back then of course.
BTW if Mickey Walker had stuck strickly to being a middleweight up until 1933/1934,
he may have also fought future MW champs Lou Brouiland and Teddy Yaroz.

That would have been interesting.

Expug wrote: ↑05 Apr 2025, 14:36 Ken Overlin was also an outstanding fighter from that era no one seems to talk about.

Kevin Overlin had a draw with the great Ezzard Charles of all people. I think that he has also beaten the Cincinnati Cobra the fight before that.

elmersalsa wrote: ↑17 May 2025, 12:27

Expug wrote: ↑05 Apr 2025, 14:36 Ken Overlin was also an outstanding fighter from that era no one seems to talk about.

Kevin Overlin had a draw with the great Ezzard Charles of all people. I think that he has also beaten the Cincinnati Cobra the fight before that.

Ken Overlin, not Kevin.