Thomas Peter Rademacher (November 20, 1928 – June 4, 2020) was an American heavyweight boxer.[3] As an amateur, he was a gold medalist at the 1956 Olympics.[4] Rademacher became the only person to challenge for the world heavyweight championship in his first professional bout when he faced Floyd Patterson in Seattle on August 22, 1957.[5][6] He compiled a 15-7-1 record over 23 professional bouts.
In his amateur career, Rademacher won 72 bouts and lost 7. He won a series of tournaments, including the 1949 and 1951–1953 SeattleGolden Gloves (he lost in 1950 to Zora Folley, who was his frequent opponent throughout his boxing career), and the US Amateur Championship as a heavyweight in 1953—avenging his earlier loss to Folley.
He captured the Chicago Golden Gloves, the All-Army championship, and the Service championship in 1956, before qualifying for the Olympic team. At the Olympics, he captured a gold medal in the heavyweight division and served as the U.S. flag bearer at the closing ceremony.[2]
1956 Olympic results
Round of 16: bye
Quarterfinal: Defeated Josef Němec (Czechoslovakia) KO 2
Semifinal: Defeated Daan Bekker (South Africa) KO 3
Final: Defeated Lev Mukhin (Soviet Union) KO 1 (won gold medal)
Rademacher also attended college, playing offensive line on the football team for Washington State.
After winning the gold medal, Rademacher started saying that he would be able to become world heavyweight champion in his first professional fight. He made his belief public and was able to lure world Heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson into defending his crown against him in his professional debut. It is the only time to date that a fighter making his professional debut has challenged for the world heavyweight title.
The bout, at Sick's Stadium in Seattle, was refereed by former light-heavyweight champion Tommy Loughran, who himself had contended for the heavy crown once, vs. Primo Carnera, in 1934. Rademacher dropped Patterson in round two, but Patterson recovered and knocked Rademacher down seven times, defeating him by a knockout in round six.[1][2][6] Legendary boxing promoter Jack Hurley promoted the match.
Rademacher had Finnish ancestry; his maternal grandparents were immigrants from Finland.[8] He was married to Margaret and had a daughter Susan (born c. 1954–1955).[9] In addition to boxing, he was a salesman and inventor. He was president of the company Kiefer-McNeil which was founded by fellow Olympian, Adolph Kiefer.[2] Rademacher died in Sandusky, Ohio on June 4, 2020, at the age of 91.[10][11] His brain was donated for medical research.[10]
1904–1908: +158 lb (71.7 kg) · 1920–1936: +175 lb (79.4 kg) · 1948: +80 kg · 1952–1980: +81 kg · 1984–2012: 81–91 kg · 2016–2020: 82–91 kg · 2024–: 81–92 kg
