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The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia -- Title Claimant

Freddie Steele
(Frederick Earle Steele [Burgett] )

BORN   December 18 1912; Seattle, Washington
DIED August 23 1984; Aberdeen, Washington
HEIGHT 5-10 1/2
WEIGHT 127-161 lbs
MANAGER Dave Miller

Steele aspired to be a boxer ever since he was a young boy watching the fighters train around Tacoma; He, himself, was a very good fighter, a sizzling two-handed hitter and plenty game; Freddie lost only two fights during his first ten years in the ring; During his career, he won the NBA Middleweight Championship of the World and the Middleweight Championship of the World (as recognized by New York state)

Among those he defeated were Ceferino Garcia, Ralph Chong, Leonard Bennett, Joe Glick, Bucky Lawless, Andy Divodi, "Baby" Joe Gans, Vince Dundee, William "Gorilla" Jones, Swede Berglund, Young Stuhley, Meyer Grace, Henry Firpo, Eddie "Babe" Risko, Jackie Aldare, Gus Lesnevich, Paul Pirrone, Frank Battaglia, Ken Overlin, Carmen Barth, Solly Krieger, and Al Hostak

Herb Goldman ranked Steele as the #17 All-Time Middleweight; Freddie was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1989 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1999

1926
Nov 10 Jimmy Britt                 Bellingham, Wa                   W  4
Nov 24 Jimmy Britt                 Bellingham, Wa                   D  4
Dec  8 M. Canning                  Bellingham, Wa                   W  4

1927
Jan  5 George Wilson               Bellingham, Wa                   W  4
Mar 16 Jimmy Britt                 Bellingham, Wa                   D  4
Apr 27 Nick Vonda                  Bellingham, Wa                   W  4

1928
Jan 12 Hermosa "Hermo" Villa       Tacoma, Wa                       W  4
Mar  1 Billy Edwards               Tacoma, Wa                      KO  4
Mar 15 Bud Weaver                  Tacoma, Wa                      TK  4
May  3 Billy Quilter               Tacoma, Wa                      KO  2
May 18 "Young" Tex Vernon          Olympia, Wa                      W  6
Jun 12 Eddie Harmon                Chehalis, Wa                     D  4
Jul  4 Harry "Young" Ketchel       Centralia, Wa                   KO  1
Aug    Larry Hannon                Centralia, Wa                    D  4
          -Some sources report "W 4" at "Tacoma, Wa"
Sep    Jimmy Warfield              Tacoma, Wa                      KO  1
Sep 20 Ralph Smith                 Tacoma, Wa                       W  4
          -Some sources report "D 4"
Oct    Eddie Harmon                Tacoma, Wa                      KO  2
Nov 22 Johnny Leonard              Tacoma, Wa                       W  4

1929
Jan  1 Jimmy Pavolic               Tacoma, Wa                       D  4
       Eddie Harmon                Bellingham, Wa                  KO  1
       Harry Davis                 Bellingham, Wa                  KO  1
       Len Lockren                 Tacoma, Wa                       D  4
       Len Lockren                 Tacoma, Wa                       W  4
       Floyd "Soldier" Brown       Tacoma, Wa                       W  4
May  9 Eddie Foster                Tacoma, Wa                      KO  2
Jun 27 Ralph Smith                 Tacoma, Wa                       W  4
Aug  5 Arnold Smith                Tacoma, Wa                      KO  1
       Honey Melody                Tacoma, Wa                      KO  3
Oct  8 Johnny Lussier              Tacoma, Wa                       W  4
Nov 14 Harry Davis                 Tacoma, Wa                      TK  2
Nov 21 Paddy Ryan                  Tacoma, Wa                      KO  1
Dec 19 Jimmy Pavolic               Tacoma, Wa                       W  6

1930
Jan  9 Frankie Monroe              Tacoma, Wa                       W  6
Jan 23 Joe Nash                    Tacoma, Wa                      KO  2
Feb 27 Jack "Red" Rondeaux         Tacoma, Wa                      KO  3
          -Some sources report "KO 4"
Mar  6 Jimmy Britt                 Tacoma, Wa                       D  6
       Joe Townsend                Seattle, Wa                      D  6
May  8 Joe Townsend                Tacoma, Wa                       W  6
May 22 Joe Townsend                Tacoma, Wa                       W  6
Jun 26 Tommy Fielding              Tacoma, Wa                       W  6
Jul 10 Tommy Fielding              Tacoma, Wa                       W  6
Sep 11 Jimmy Farrar                Seattle, Wa                     TK  3
Oct  2 Leslie "Wildcat" Carter     Tacoma, Wa                      TK  5
Oct 16 Al Gracio                   Tacoma, Wa                      TK  1
       Joe Coffman                 Tacoma, Wa                       W  6
Dec 11 Tony Portillo               Tacoma, Wa                       D  6
Dec 17 Tony Portillo               Seattle, Wa                      L  6

1931
Jan  1 Tony Portillo               Tacoma, Wa                       W  6
Feb 12 Mickey Trad                 Tacoma, Wa                       W  6
          -Some sources report 2/13/31
Feb 18 Joe Townsend                Seattle, Wa                      D  6
Mar  6 Mickey Cochrane             Yakima, Wa                      KO  2
Mar 26 Nels Ferguson               Tacoma, Wa                       W  6
Apr  8 Nels Ferguson               Seattle, Wa                     TK  2
Apr 16 Richie "Sailor" King        Tacoma, Wa                      KO  1
Apr 22 Teddy Palacios              Seattle, Wa                     KO  1
May  7 Esten Hunter                Tacoma, Wa                       W  6
May 13 Joe Townsend                Seattle, Wa                     KO  2
May 27 Jimmy Owens                 Seattle, Wa                      W  6
Jun 10 Jimmy Owens                 Seattle, Wa                      W  6
Jul 16 Al Gracio                   Spokane, Wa                     TK  3
          -Some sources report "Dishman, Wa"
Jun    Don Fraser                  Spokane, Wa                      W  6
          -Some sources report "Dishman, Wa"
Aug 20 Johnny Woods                Spokane, Wa                     TK  3
          -Some sources report "Dishman, Wa"
Sep 23 "Cowboy" Sammy Evans        Seattle, Wa                      W  6
Nov 30 Matt Calo                   Tacoma, Wa                       W  6
 
1932
Mar  3 Freddie Goldstein           Tacoma, Wa                       W  6
Mar 16 "Tiger" Lee Page            Seattle, Wa                      W  6
Mar 24 Matt Calo                   Tacoma, Wa                       W  6
Apr  7 Bobby Vincent               Tacoma, Wa                       W  6
Apr 27 Tony Portillo               Seattle, Wa                      W  6
May 18 Ceferino Garcia             Seattle, Wa                     KO  2
May 24 Frankie Stetson             Portland, Or                     W  6
Jun  1 Alfonso Gonzales            Seattle, Wa                      W  6
Jun 30 Larry Murphy                Spokane, Wa                      W  6
          -Some sources report "Dishman, Wa"
Jul 20 Ralph Chong                 Seattle, Wa                     TK  6
Aug  3 "Tiger" Lee Page            Spokane, Wa                      W  6
Aug 11 Alfonso Gonzales            Tacoma, Wa                       W  6
Aug 26 Billy Townsend              Seattle, Wa                      W  6
Sep  7 David Velasco               Seattle, Wa                      W  6
Sep 20 Ceferino Garcia             Los Angeles, Ca                 KO  2
Sep 27 Tommy Herman                Los Angeles, Ca                  L  4
Oct 26 Tommy Herman                Seattle, Wa                      W  6
Nov  3 Millio Millitti             Tacoma, Wa                       W  6
Nov 17 Battling Dozier             Tacoma, Wa                       W  6

1933
Jan 17 Leonard Bennett             Seattle, Wa                      W  6
May 18 Gilbert Attell              Tacoma, Wa                      KO  3
       "Tiger" Lee Page            Tacoma, Wa                       W  6
Jun  6 Al Lewis                    Seattle, Wa                     KO  3
Jun 22 Joe Glick                   Spokane, Wa                      W  8
Jun 27 Eddie Ran                   Seattle, Wa                      W  6
Aug  8 Frankie Petrolle            Seattle, Wa                     KO  3
Oct 12 Petey Mike                  Tacoma, Wa                       W 10

1934 
Feb 15 Leonard Bennett             Tacoma, Wa                       W  8
Feb 27 Johnny "Bandit" Romero      Seattle, Wa                     KO  2
Mar  8 Vivencio Alcante            Tacoma, Wa                      KO  2
Apr 10 Eddie Murdock               Seattle, Wa                     KO  4
Apr 26 Joe Cardoza                 Tacoma, Wa                      KO  2
May 22 William "Gorilla" Jones     Seattle, Wa                      D 10
Jun  8 Babe Marino                 San Francisco, Ca                W 10
Jun 22 Sammy "Kid" Slaughter       San Francisco, Ca               NC  1
Jun 29 Bucky Lawless               Seattle, Wa                     TK  2
Oct 25 Joe Glick                   Yakima, Wa                      KO  1
          -Some sources report 10/25/34
Nov  1 Andy Divodi                 Tacoma, Wa                       W 10
Nov 13 Jimmy Evans                 Seattle, Wa                     TK  4
Dec  5 Jack Hibbard                Walla Walla, Wa                 TK  4
Dec 20 Andy Divodi                 Tacoma, Wa                      KO  6

1935
Jan 10 Tommy Rios                  Tacoma, Wa                       W 10
Jan 24 "Baby" Joe Gans             Tacoma, Wa                      KO  3
Feb 12 "Indian" Jimmy Rivers       Portland, Wa                    TK  5
Feb 21 "Indian" Jimmy Rivers       Tacoma, Wa                      KO  9
Apr  1 Fred Apostoli               San Francisco, Ca               TK 10
Apr 23 Sammy O'Dell                Seattle, Wa                     KO  1
May 16 "Indian" Mike Payan         Tacoma, Wa                       W 10
Jun 11 Al Rossi                    Seattle, Wa                     TK  2
Jul 30 Vince Dundee                Seattle, Wa                     TK  3
Sep 17 William "Gorilla" Jones     Seattle, Wa                      W 10
Oct 18 Swede Berglund              Hollywood, Ca                   TK  6
Oct 25 "Indian"Mike Payan          San Diego, Ca                   KO  5
Nov 19 Hayden "Young" Stuhley      Seattle, Wa                      W 10

1936
Jan 23 Meyer Grace                 Tacoma, Wa                      KO  1
Feb  4 Henry Firpo                 Seattle, Wa                     KO  2
Feb 25 Hayden "Young" Stuhley      Los Angeles, Ca                  W 10
Mar 24 Eddie "Babe" Risko          Seattle, Wa                      W 10
Apr 28 Tony Fisher                 Seattle, Wa                      W 10
Jul 11 Eddie "Babe" Risko          Seattle, Wa                      W 15
          -NBA Middleweight Championship of the World;
          Middleweight Championship of the World
          (as recognized by New York state)
Aug 20 Jackie Aldare               Tacoma, Wa                      KO  2
Sep  3 Hayden "Young" Stuhley      Spokane, Wa                      W 10
Oct 21 Allen Matthews              Seattle, Wa                      W 10
Nov 17 Gus Lesnevich               Los Angeles, Ca                 TK  2
Nov 27 Al Rossi                    San Diego, Ca                   KO  1
Dec  8 Hayden "Young" Stuhley      Los Angeles, Ca                  W 10

1937
Jan  1 William "Gorilla" Jones     Milwaukee, Wi                    W 10
          -NBA Middleweight Championship of the World;
          Middleweight Championship of the World
          (as recognized by New York state)
Feb 10 Eddie "Babe" Risko          New York, NY                     W 15
          -NBA Middleweight Championship of the World;
          Middleweight Championship of the World
          (as recognized by New York state);
          Some sources report 2/19/37
Mar  2 Paul Pirrone                Philadelphia, Pa                TK  1
May 11 Frank Battaglia             Seattle, Wa                     KO  3
          -NBA Middleweight Championship of the World;
          Middleweight Championship of the World
          (as recognized by New York state)
Jul 21 Charlie "Hobo" Williams     Washington, DC                  TK  8
Aug  7 Albert "Chalky" Wright      Seattle, Wa                     EX  3
Sep 11 Ken Overlin                 Seattle, Wa                     KO  4
          -NBA Middleweight Championship of the World;
          Middleweight Championship of the World
          (as recognized by New York state)

1938
Jan  7 Fred Apostoli               New York, NY                    LT  9
Feb  8 "Irish" Bob Turner          Rochester, NY                   KO  1
Feb 19 Carmen Barth                Cleveland, Oh                   TK  7
          -NBA Middleweight Championship of the World;
          Middleweight Championship of the World
          (as recognized by New York state)

May    -Steele was stripped of the Middleweight Championship
          by New York state

Jun 14 Solly Kreiger               Seattle, Wa                      W 10
Jul 26 Al Hostak                   Seattle, Wa                     LK  1
          -NBA Middleweight Championship of the World;
          Some sources report 7/28/38

1941
May 23 Johnny Casino               Hollywood, Ca                   LT  5


*** The Following Bouts Are Reported But Not Confirmed ***

1929
Mar    Soldier Ryan                Tacoma, Wa                      KO  1
Sep    Jimmy Britt                 Tacoma, Wa                       D  4

1931
Mar    Al Gracio                                                    W  6
Dec    Tommy Fielding                                               W  8


*** Assistance Provided By Seth Callis ***

Record courtesy of Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization

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