Freddie Miller

Freddie Miller (April 3, 1911 – May 8, 1962) was an American boxer from Cincinnati, Ohio, who won over 200 fights and held the NBA world featherweight championship from 1933 to 1936. He was named in Ring magazine's list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years.

Early life and career Miller was born on April 3, 1911, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He would become known as a quick, and clever boxer with excellent ringcraft, and his southpaw stance would give him a difficult style to defend.

In one of his earlier fights against a future contender, Miller faced Phil Zwick on November 28, 1936, beating him by a fourth-round knockout on January 26, 1931, in Wheeling, West Virginia. Zwick would contend for the world featherweight title in 1941. To end any confusion about his championship status, Battalino voluntarily relinquished the title by March and moved up a weightclass to fight at the lightweight limit.

NBA world feather champion On January 13, 1933, Miller fought Tommy Paul for the fourth time. Miller defeated Paul in a ten-round unanimous decision at Chicago Stadium, taking the National Boxing Association World featherweight title. In an exceptionally long reign as champion, Miller fought thirteen times in the next three years before finally losing the title to Petey Sarron on March 2, 1936. Miller successfully defended his title 12 times. He defeated Baby Arizmendi, Abie Israel in a rematch, Jackie Sharkey, Paul Dazzo, Nel Tarleton, Jose Girones, Nel Tarleton a second time, Vernon Cormier, Johnny Pena, Gene Espinosa, and Petey Sarron.

Defenses of the world feather title While still holding the NBA world featherweight title, Miller met Baby Arizmendi, reigning California State World Featherweight champion on January 28, 1933. Miller won the ten-round match by decision at Los Angeles's Olympic Auditorium, retaining the NBA world featherweight title, and gaining the California State world featherweight title.

On March 21, 1933, Miller defeated Filipino Speedy Dado, California bantamweight champion, for the NBA world featherweight title in a ten-round points decision at Olympic Stadium in Los Angeles. Miller won seven of the ten rounds, and had Dado on the floor for a six count from a strong right to the head in the second round. Dado took only rounds three and seven.

Defending the NBA world featherweight title on July 11, 1933, Miller defeated Abie Israel in a fourth-round knockout before 7000 fans at the Civic Ice Arena in Seattle.

In an NBA world featherweight title, Paul Dazzo was knocked out by Miller, 1:20 into the sixth round, at the Jefferson County Armory in Louisville, Kentucky on May 4, 1934. On the eve of the Kentucky Derby, the bout was the first world title held in the Blue Grass state since 1934. Taking an edge from the start, Dazzo was credited with the second, third, fourth, and fifth, with Dazzo holding even in the first.

Miller fought the legendary reigning world bantamweight champion Panama Al Brown on December 24, 1934, in Paris, winning in a non-title ten round points decision.

On July 12, 1935, the Cincinnati featherweight champ defeated Stan Jehu in Dublin, Ireland in a fourth-round decision.

In an NBA world featherweight championship on February 18, 1936, in Seattle, Miller defeated Johnny Pena in a twelfth round unanimous decision. In a decisive victory, ringside reporters credited Miller with every round in the match. He landed the only knockdown of the bout, sending Pena to the canvas for a count of nine in the eleventh. Pena had taken a previous decision over Miller in Oakland.

In one of his last defenses of the NBA world featherweight title, Miller defeated Petey Sarron, future featherweight champion, in a fifteen-round points decision in Coral Cables, Florida, on March 2, 1936. In a controversial decision, two of the six rounds given to Miller were due to Sarron fouls, which included calls for low blows in the ninth, eleventh, and twelfth rounds. In a close bout, the referee gave three rounds to Sarron, six to Miller, and called three even. If not for the low blow calls, Sarron would have taken five rounds.

NBA world feather title loss, May, 1936 On May 11, 1936, he finally lost to Sarron for the NBA world featherweight title in a fifteen-round mixed decision at Griffith Stadium in Washington D.C. One judge ruled the bout a draw, but the other judge and referee ruled for Sarron. It was Miller's twelfth title fight since taking the title in January 1933 from Tommy Paul.

In his last big fight of his career Miller lost to Sammy Angott.

Professional boxing record All information in this section is derived from BoxRec, unless otherwise stated.

Official record

All newspaper decisions are officially regarded as "no decision" bouts and are not counted in the win/loss/draw column.

Unofficial record

Record with the inclusion of newspaper decisions in the win/loss/draw column.