Adolf Heuser was a German boxer, who was the champion of Germany and Europe at both light heavyweight and heavyweight, and International Boxing Union world champion at light heavyweight.
14 Facts About Adolf Heuser
1.
2.
Adolf Heuser had thirty amateur fights before making his professional debut on 2 August 1929 at light heavyweight with a points win over former European champion Fernand Delarge.
3.
Adolf Heuser travelled to the United States in October 1931 for a series of fights.
4.
Adolf Heuser won all of his remaining fights on the US trip, before returning to Germany after suffering an ear injury.
5.
In June 1932, Adolf Heuser knocked out Jose Martinez Valero in the first round in Valencia to take the vacant IBU European light heavyweight title.
6.
Adolf Heuser went on to lose his last three fights of his second spell in the US.
7.
Adolf Heuser had been due to fight John Henry Lewis for the NYSAC world title, but the fight was cancelled after the NYSAC controversially stripped Lewis of the title.
8.
Adolf Heuser moved up to heavyweight and in March 1939 beat Heinz Lazek to become European heavyweight champion.
9.
Heuser was initially ordered to defend this European title against Italian champion Sante De Leo, which prompted the German authorities to threaten to withdraw from the IBU in protest, but in July 1939 Heuser faced Max Schmeling in front of 70,000 people at the Adolf-Hitler-Kampfbahn, Stuttgart, with the German and European titles at stake; Schmeling knocked him out in the first round.
10.
Adolf Heuser remained unconscious in the ring for some time, and needed artificial respiration to revive him.
11.
Adolf Heuser moved back up to heavyweight, and after losing to Walter Neusel, a draw with Lazek and a win over Kolblin led to a challenge for Lazek's German heavyweight title in February 1942; Adolf Heuser knocked Lazek out in the third round to become German champion .
12.
Adolf Heuser suffered from depression and was left impoverished by World War II, in which his house was destroyed, and although he never fought for a title again, he continued until February 1949, his final fight a loss to Helmut Janke, having only won one of his last twelve fights, subsequently retiring at the age of 41.
13.
Adolf Heuser spent the rest of his life in a psychiatric hospital, spending some time working as a volunteer in a restaurant in Bonn.
14.
Adolf Heuser died on 19 November 1988 in the Rheinische Landeskliniken in Bonn, at the age of 81.