Anton Raadik

Infobox_Boxer|name=Anton Raadik


realname=Anton Raadik
nationality=flagicon|EST Estonian
nickname=Rampaging Estonian
weight=Middleweight
birth_date=January 15, 1917
death_date=March 13, 1999
death_place=Chicago, Illinois
birth_place=Raikküla, Estonia
home=Chicago, Illinois
style=Orthodox
total=63
wins=37
KO=26
losses=25
draws=1
no contests=0|

Anton "Rampaging Estonian" Raadik (January 15, 1917 – March 13, 1999) was the most famous Estonian born Middleweight boxer of the 1940s and 50s fighting out of Chicago, Illinois.

Professional Boxing Career

Anton Raadik was European Middleweight Champion in 1939. On May 13, 1939, he lost a 3-round decision to middleweight Jimmy Reeves at Chicago in the International Golden Gloves. In all, he had a reported 130 amateur fights, winning 118.

In 1940 and 1941 he had his first three professional fights in Moscow. In 1943 he won three more fights in Scandinavia, losing only to Oiva Purho in Goteborg in 1944. He was inactive in 1945, before moving to Chicago, Illinois in 1946.

In the USA, Raadik made quick progress and in December 1946 fought the formidable Jake LaMotta. In 1947 he lost to two famous and experienced opponents, Georgie Abrams and Al Hostak.

On October 31, 1947, he had his most famous fight, with future middleweight champion Marcel Cerdan, in Chicago. Cerdan was far ahead on points going into the tenth round, but then Raadik floored him three times and came close to stopping him, only to lose the decision.

Raadik boxed until 1952, winning some fights and losing more often than he won. He fought such highly regarded opponents as Carl (Bobo) Olson, Robert Villemain, Steve Belloise, and Harry (Kid) Matthews, but his greatest opportunity was in the past. [cite web
url=http://www.boxrec.com/media/index.php/Anton_Raadik
title=Anton Raadik at Boxing Encyclopedia
publisher=Boxrec.com
accessdate=2007-04-26]

See also

External links

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Books

*"Mis juhtus Anton Raadikuga?" by Jaan Sepp, Juhan Maidlo - 1997. ISBN 9985-57-147-9

References