Seelig, Eric

Seelig, the German middleweight and light-heavyweight champion in the early 1930s, had his titles were stripped when the Nazis rose to power -- to this day, Germany still has not restored recognition of his stolen titles. He emigrated to the United States and continued his boxing career. Seelig is a member of the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame.

Birth and Death Dates:
b. July 15, 1909 - d. January 19, 1984

Career Highlights:
A terrific fighter in the early 1930s, Seelig was the German middleweight and light-heavyweight champion when Hitler rose to power. On a July 1933 evening, the night before a scheduled title defense, Nazi goons threatened to kill Seelig if he stepped into the ring the following day. That night, Seelig fled to France. He remained in France for the next two years and fought IBU (International Boxing Union) world middleweight champion Marcel Thil twice in non-title fights, losing both bouts on decisions. In 1934, Seelig fought Gustave Roth for the European middleweight title but lost a 15-round decision.

In 1935, Seelig emigrated to the United States and fought the legendary Mickey Walker in Walker's final professional fight; Seelig knocked out the former champ in the seventh-round. Over the next five years, Seelig fought as both a middleweight and light-heavyweight, but it was as a middleweight that he had the most success. In 1938, he was ranked the No. 6 middleweight in the world by Ring magazine. The following year, he battled NBA (National Boxing Association) world champion Al Hostak for the middleweight title (the championship had been divided since 1932 and would not unify until 1941). On December 11, 1939, the two met in Cleveland, Ohio but the fight lasted only a couple of minutes into the first round before Seelig was knocked out by an uppercut. It was Eric's only title shot and he retired soon afterward.

Origin:
Germany

Career Statistics:
Professional record: (incomplete)
Wins: 43
Losses: 5
Draws: 3

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