Frank Klaus was an American boxer from 1904 to 1918.
18 Facts About Frank Klaus
1.
2.
Frank Klaus was born on December 30,1887, to German-American parents in Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh.
3.
Frank Klaus worked as a young man at the Westinghouse Machine Shop, and mined coal with his father.
4.
Frank Klaus started boxing training early and after winning an amateur tournament at East Pittsburgh's Wilmerding Athletic Club was recognized to have boxing promise by local boxing mentor George Engel.
5.
Frank Klaus began his amateur career as early as 1904, and in February 1905 had three round wins on points in Pittsburgh against Frank Walton, and James Harris.
6.
On October 18,1911, Frank Klaus defeated the great contender Leo Houck in a newspaper win by both the Philadelphia Item and the Philadelphia Record.
7.
Frank Klaus claimed the World Middleweight Title a few years after it became vacant upon the death of Stanley Ketchel in October 1910.
8.
Accounts vary as to when Frank Klaus was officially champion, but Frank Klaus himself first claimed the title after defeating Sailor Ed Petrosky in a 20-round points decision in San Francisco on February 22,1912.
9.
Frank Klaus was officially recognized as champion by sanctioning bodies on March 5,1913.
10.
On September 9,1912, Frank Klaus defeated Marcel Moreau in Savoie, France as the result of a low blow foul in the fourth of fifteen rounds.
11.
On July 1,1913, Frank Klaus had an important win where he was awarded a third-round TKO against Jimmy Gardner in Boston.
12.
Gardner put up a great defense until the end of the second round, when Frank Klaus threw some hard punches over the defenses of Gardner.
13.
Frank Klaus had faced Gardner on at least three previous occasions.
14.
The extra weight Frank Klaus was carrying in his midsection led many reporters to believe he had not trained adequately for the bout, and had underestimated the ability of his opponent.
15.
Frank Klaus retired from boxing at age 26 shortly after his second loss to George Chip.
16.
Frank Klaus died February 8,1948, at his home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania after a severe heart attack.
17.
Frank Klaus was survived by his widow, two sons and three daughters.
18.
Frank Klaus was elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2008.