Holtzer, Maurice

A featherweight, Holtzer was the French and European champion in that weight class in the 1930s. In 1937, he also claimed the vacant IBU (International Boxing Union) world title, but was stripped of the title the following year because the IBU wanted to unify the titles in all weight classes.

Birth and Death Dates:
b. January 21, 1906 - d. January 1960

Career Highlights:
Born in Troyes, Holzter began his professional boxing career in the mid-1920s in Paris. He won his first two fights and five of his first eight bouts. By the end of 1927, Maurice was considered one of the top featherweights in France with a record of 25 victories in 34 fights. The following year, he traveled to the United States and fought in such cities as Cleveland, Chicago, Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Denver, Los Angeles, and many others.

During his tour of the U.S., Holtzer fought the great Louis "Kid" Kaplan in June 1930. Maurice lost a ten-round decision to the former world champion. Five months later, Holtzer fought another former world champion, bantamweight Charles "Bud" Taylor. This time, Maurice won the bout in a ten-round decision. Three weeks later on December 4, 1930, the two boxers had a rematch and Holtzer won another ten-round decision.

In 1931, Holtzer returned to France and became one of the best featherweights in the country. He won his first nine fights back in France before losing to Georges LePerson in a fight for the French featherweight title in May 1932. He rebounded from that loss by going undefeated in 1933 (ten wins) and then getting another shot at the French title in December 1934 against Francois Augier. Maurice won a 12-round decision to capture his first career title.

In March 1935, Holtzer fought for the vacant European featherweight title against Vittorio Tamagnini and won a 15-round decision. The following year, he defended his European crown against Georges LePerson and won on a 13-round technical knockout (LePerson had defeated Maurice for the French title in 1932). In February 1936, Holtzer again successfully defended his title by defeating Joseph Parisis in a 15-round decision.

After beating Parisis, Holtzer had a series of fights in England and then went to South Africa in late 1936. The following year, he defended his European title against Phil Dolhem in Algiers, Algeria in a bout that was also for the vacated IBU world featherweight title. Maurice won a 15-round decision to capture his third title. In February 1938, he defended his European and IBU titles against Maurice DuBois in Geneva, Switzerland -- the bout ended in a 15-round draw.

Three months later, Holtzer was stripped of his IBU title as that governing body stripped all of its champions in an effort to have one universally recognized champion (according to www.boxrec.com). Maurice fought for the next year before retiring in 1939.

Origin:
Troyes, France

Physical description:
5'6-1/2", 125 pounds

Career Statistics:
Professional record (incomplete):
Wins: 74 wins (18 by knockout)
Losses: 28
Draws: 7

< Previous |  Next >