Description
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Ad Wolgast
Born: February 8 1888 Cadillac, Michigan
Died: April 14 1955 (aged 67) Camarillo, California
Height: 5’4″
Weight: 118-133 lbs
Division: Lightweight
Record:
Total fights: 90
Wins: 61
Wins by KO: 42
Losses: 13
Draws: 16
Biography:
Adolphus Wolgast turned professional in 1906, and on February 22, 1910 he won the World Lightweight Title with a technical knockout (TKO) during the 40-round Battling Nelson. After the California bout, both fighters were arrested and charged with violating the anti-prizefighting law. Wolgast would later defend the title against Mexican Joe Rivers in 1912, a bout that caused controversy.
Delivering simultaneous blows, they knocked each other out. Referee Jack Welch counted to ten and the bout was over. However, he awarded the win to Wolgast, claiming that Ad had started to rise before the fatal ten. Rivers’ fans let out a roar, believing he had been fouled. To add to the confusion, the timekeeper insisted the round had ended when Welch reached the count of four. But Welch’s ruling became the official verdict. Wolgast ultimately defended the belt five times before losing it to Willie Ritchie in 1912.
Late in his career and afterwards, Wolgast was taken ill and experienced a loss of memory; He was cared for by Jack Doyle (of Los Angeles, California) and eventually sent to a sanitarium.
Charley Rose ranked Wolgast as the #9 All-Time Lightweight; Ad was elected to the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1958 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2000.
More info:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_Wolgast
http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/wolgast.htm
