Karl Mildenberger ~ 'I Had The Formula To Beat Cassius Clay'

[Bill Paxtom]

Bringing in Joe Loius? very interesting a bit like Price bringing in Lennox Lewis.

February 1963

Joe Louis analysis of Karl Mildenberger

The southpaw has good technical skills. He has a very good right-jab, in that it
is accurate. But he doesn't snap it, as he tends to push it out there.

His left-hand is a mystery, as it looks like a good punch, but it has little power.

Karl doesn't get his body behind the punch. It is a long-armed punch, and there
is no 'zip' at the end of the punch.

The other thing, is that Karl squares up. It's like he isn't sure if he wants to fight
orthodox or southpaw. His feet get too close together, and when he throws a punch
it has no 'mass-force' behind it.

He must have been taught wrong early in his career, and he never re-adjusted.

[Bill Paxtom]

July 6, 1963

Deutschlandhalle ~ Berlin, Germany

{#15} Karl Mildenberger ~ 36-2-1 {13 KO's} ~ 191 lbs. ~ {Age; 25 years, 8 months}
vs.
{#11} Wayne Bethea ~ 31-15-4 {13 KO's} ~ 204 lbs. ~ {Age; 33 years, 4 months}
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is the '2nd-Bout' between these two Heavyweights. Karl won a solid 10-Round Decision
over Wayne 20-Months earlier, back on November 3, 1961 in Hamburg, Germany.

Karl has now moved up to #15 World-Ranked, and a win here should move him back near
the edge of the Top 10.

The 33 year-old American - Wayne Bethea has suddenly moved into the 'spotlight' following
several upset wins.

Wayne's career appeared over in March 1962, and he retired. But he decided to give one
more try in September 1962.

That was followed with impressive performances against;
* September 22, 1962 ... {W Dec 10} .. Joe Bygraves
* March 22, 1963 ........... {KO 4} ......... Franceso De Piccoli
* April 5, 1963 .............. {Draw 10} ..... Guilio Rinaldi
* May 5, 1963 .............. {Draw 10} ..... Santo Amonti
* May 23, 1963 ............. {W Dec 8} .... Guiseppe Magliardi

Wayne's last '4-Bouts' were held in Italy, where he has been labeled as the 'Italian Slayer'.

Wayne has been asking for a Championship Bout with Champion - Sonny Liston since scoring
the upset {KO 4} over 'highly-touted' Francesco De Piccoli on March 22nd.

The word is, if Wayne can defeat Karl Mildenberger, he may just get a chance at Sonny in
September, possibly in Italy.

Wayne Bethea >
"They thought that I was a broken down 'War-Horse'. But I steam-rolled those guys in Italy. In
those '2-Bouts' that were Draws, remember they were in my opponents home-country. If those
bouts were held anywhere else on this Planet, I would have gotten the Decision easily."

"The last time I fought Mildenberger, I was just going through the motions. Now it's a different
story, because now this is an Elimination Bout with a chance to get Sonny Liston again, but this
time for a World Championship."

[Bill Paxtom]

Saturday Night ~ July 6, 1963

Deutschlandhalle ~ Berlin, Germany

~ Mildenberger Outclasses Bethea Again ~

~ German Beats Wayne Bethea ~

German Heavyweight - Karl Mildenberger {191 lbs.} scored an impressive 10-Round Decision over
veteran American Heavyweight - Wayne Bethea.

The southpaw Mildenberger took off from the Opening-Bell, and scored with solid right-jabs,
right-hooks and left-crosses on the 33 year-old Bethea {204 lbs.}, who was unable to match
the young German's speed.

The German was more accurate and much faster than the slugging American, and controlled
the first '8-Rounds' of the fast-moving match with quickness and excellent footwork.

Hopelessly behind on Points, Bethea made a gallant charge in Round 9, when he was able to
get in close to deliver hard-punches to Mildenberger's body, to slow the fast-moving southpaw
German down.

But Bethea expounded all his energy in Round 9, and was exhausted at the Bell.

Mildenberger picked up the action in Round 10, and easily out-classed the tiring Bethea with
'crisp' right-left {one-two's} to the head and body throughout the Round.

The UPI scored the bout for Karl Mildenberger {8-1-1} in Rounds.

[Bill Paxtom]

October 13, 1963

Westfalenhalle ~ Dortmund, Germany

{#12} Karl Mildenberger ~ 37-2-1 {13 KO's} ~ 193 lbs. ~ 6' 1 1/2" ~ {Age; 25 years, 11 months}
vs.
{#20} Joe Erskine ~ 43-6-1 {13 KO's} ~ 200 lbs. ~ 5' 11" ~ {Age; 29 years, 9 months}
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Karl Mildenberger takes on another ''cagey' veteran in his quest to re-enter the Top 10
World Ratings.

Karl has gone {7-0-1} in his 8-Bouts since getting {KO'd in 1} by Dick Richardson 20-Months ago,
back on February 24, 1962.

Joe Erskine is a cagey and smart '10-Year' veteran from Wales. Erskine is a former British Heavyweight
Champion {1956/1957/1958}, and former Commonwealth 'British Empire' Champion {1957/1958}.

Erskine was also a World-Rated Top 10 Heavyweight for 6-Straight years in;
> 1956/1957/1958/1959/1960/1961

Erskine had retired in April 1962, after getting {TKO'd in 9} by Henry Cooper for the
British Heavyweight Championship on April 2nd.

But Erskine returned in November 1962, and has won 4-Straight' bouts to earn a #20 World Ranking.

Though Erksine is generally considered a 'tough-as-nails' fighter, all '6' of his losses have been by stoppage
{TKO'd of KO'd}.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~ German Mildenberger Scores Tight Decision Win Over Former British Champ Erskine ~

~ Ex-British Champ Erskine Loses To Mildenberger In Dortmund ~

German Karl Mildenberger fighting before a home-country crowd, rallied over the last 3-Rounds of the bout
to win a narrow 10-Round Decision over veteran Joe Erskine.

The action was heated early, and fought on relatively even grounds. Mildenberger was aggressive, as
he fired in with his right-hand, while the visiting Welshman used thudding body-punches while in close.

The best action occurred in Rounds 3, 4 and 5, as both fighter landed their best punches, rocking each other
with solid blows to both the head and body.

The veteran Erskine came on strong in Rounds 6 and 7, as he scored with good hooks and maintained a
steady-attack to the body, to gain a slight-edge in Points over the German who was forced backwards
and on the defensive.

But Mildenberger sped up the pace in Round 8 as the veteran Erskine slowed down. The German then
out-scored the short-plodding Welshman with repeated right-jabs and right-hooks, and with left-hands to
both the head and body over the last 3-Rounds.

The UPI scored the bout for Karl Mildenberger {6-4-0} in Rounds.

[Bill Paxtom]

November 6, 1963

~ German Karl Mildenberger Enters The Top 10 World Ratings ~

*** Sonny Liston
#1 .. Cassius Clay
#2 .. Doug Jones
#3 .. Ernie Terrell
#4 .. Cleveland Williams
#5 .. Zora Folley
#6 .. Eddie Machen
#7 .. Floyd Patterson
#8 .. George Chuvalo
#9 .. Billy Daniels
#10. Karl Mildenberger
#11. Henry Copper
#12. Tony Alongi
#13. Brian London

Bruno Mueller {Managed for Karl Mildenbeger} >

"Now that we're back in the Top 10 {last rated at #9, February 1962}, we can focus on taking on
one of the guys rated just ahead of us."

"We do have our sights set on former Champion - Floyd Patterson. I think the Promoters are putting
together an offer of { $250,000 } to see if he will come over here to fight Karl in March 1965. Patterson's
camp has mentioned Sweden, but we can offer him more money if he come's to Germany."

[Bill Paxtom]

November 29, 1963

Festhalle ~ Frankfurt, Germany

Attendance ....... { 8300 } Sell-Out

{#10} Karl Mildenberger ~ 38-2-1 {13 KO's} ~ 6' 1 1/2" ~ 194 lbs. ~ {Age; 26 years, 0 months}
vs.
{#9} Billy 'The Barber' Daniels ~ 18-4-0 {9 KO's} ~ 6' 4" ~ 187 lbs. ~ {Age; 26 years, 2 months}
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Karl Mildenberger will take on his toughest American Heavyweight to date in New York's Billy Daniels.

Billy Daniels is a 6'4" tall lanky boxer with an aggressive-style. The American has a good left-hand,
and a dangerous whipping over-hand right.

Billy has lost '3-Straight in 1963, but they were all close bouts and against top World-Class fighters.
* October 17th ...... {L Dec 10} > Zora Folley
* June 14th .......... {L Dec 10} > Doug Jones
* March 19th ........ {L Dec 10} > Cleveland Williams

Before that, Billy scored wins over >
* January 12, 1963 ..... {TKO 5} > Tony Alongi
* November 3, 1962 .. {TKO 10} > Mike De John

Billy also lost a 'well-fought' bout to Cassius Clay on May 19, 1962 > when he was stopped on
cuts {L TKO 7} after having Clay in difficulty during the middle-Rounds.

Billy, who is ranked at #7 WBA, is both tough and awkward, and he has never been floored.

Billy Daniels>
"If Karl Mildenberger wants to move up, he'll have to beat me. And that is not going to happen."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~ German Mildenberger Earns High-Ranking, Stops American Daniels In 3 ~

~ Karl Mildenberger Dumps American In Third ~

German Heavyweight - Karl Mildenberger proved he is worthy of a High-Ranking as he demolished
Amercian - Billy 'The Barber' Daniels with a 'single' body-punch in Round 3.

The southpaw German was in control from the Opening-Bell, and raked the tall and lanky Daniels
with 'jolting' right-hands and left-hooks throughout the first 2-Rounds.

In Round 3, Mildenberger went after Daniels with a torrid-pace, backing him up to the Ropes.
Then the German delivered a thunderous left-hook to the ribs.

Daniels went down on his knee's, and then went to a sitting position on the canvas while the
Referee counted him out at 1:17 of Round 3.

[Bill Paxtom]

December 3, 1963

~ A 'New' Max Schmeling ~

'At Last Came A German Boxer In The World Class Before'

Manager > Bruno Muller with his World-Ranked Heavyweight Karl Mildenberger



Bruno Muller {Manager} >

Part 1

Karl started off an as Amateur Wrestler, where he won numerous Championships and Awards. That success
brought him to the Amateur Boxing events held in his hometown of Kaiserslautern in Rheinland-Pflaz in 1954
when he was only Age; 16

By 1956, Karl was an unbeatable boxer in the {81 kg} Light-Heavyweight Division in the Rheinland Region.
He was feared by everyone. In one Tournament, Karl knocked out 9-of-10 opponents, as only '1' boxer made
it past the 1st-Round and lasted the 3-Round distance.

In 1957, Karl fought in the Germany National Championships at Kiel on October 19, 1957 > where he made
it to the Finals, only to lose a 'close' 3-Round Decision to George Krenz.

On June 21, 1958 > Karl fulfilled his Boxing goal, and won the National Championship at Dortmund in the
{81 Kg} Light-Heavyweight Division by defeating {TKO 2} Hubert Helfer.

Immediately after that win, Managers and Advisors lined up to convince Karl {Age; 20 years, 11 months} to
turn Professional. Karl posted an amateur record of { 52-12 }.

Though he was in demand, many {Boxing Experts} thought that Karl would have a short career as a Professional,
because as though he was a hard-puncher, the southpaw-banger lacked finesse, and Karl was not that good of a
Ring-tactician.

But, Karl did turn Professional, and signed a Fight Contract' with Willi Knorzer, a Stuttgart Radio Enthusiast.

Karl Mildenberger fought under the nickname of 'Knockout Karl', and 'KO Karl'.

Karl turned Professional on October 15, 1958 > and thru 1-Year posted an undefeated record of
11-0-0 with {4 KO's}, while earning the #4 Ranking in the German Light-Heavyweight Division, while
earning a position in the National Championship Eliminator.