Johnny Miler (August 10, 1910 – June 17, 1976), born John Miletich, was a professional boxer who competed in the
1932 Summer Olympics
The 1932 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the X Olympiad and also known as Los Angeles 1932) were an international multi-sport event held from July 30 to August 14, 1932, in Los Angeles, California, United States. The Games were held du ...
in the light-heavyweight class for the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
.
In late 1932 or early 1933, Miler defeated future heavyweight champion
Joe Louis
Joseph Louis Barrow (May 13, 1914 – April 12, 1981) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1934 to 1951. Nicknamed "the Brown Bomber", Louis is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential boxers of all time. He r ...
in an amateur bout.
Other notable fights included three professional bouts against "Slapsie"
Maxie Rosenbloom
Max Everitt Rosenbloom (November 6, 1906 – March 6, 1976) was an American professional boxer, actor, and television personality. Nicknamed "Slapsy Maxie", he was inducted into '' The Ring's'' Boxing Hall of Fame in 1972, the International Je ...
that ended in two losses and a no decision,
and a four round exhibition bout against
Max Baer in 1934.
Miler quit professional boxing in 1938. He is the great-uncle of
UFC Hall of Fame
The UFC Hall of Fame is a List of halls and walks of fame, hall of fame which honors mixed martial artists and MMA personalities, established and maintained by the U.S.-based mixed martial arts promotion Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). In a ...
mixed martial artist
Pat Miletich
Patrick Jay Miletich (; born March 9, 1968) is a retired Americans, American mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist and former sports commentator. He is known for his fights in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, where he became the first UFC W ...
.
Early life
Born John Miletich to
Croatian immigrant parents in Hocking, Iowa, a vanished coal mining town just south of
Albia, Miler farmed and worked the local coal mines. He supplemented his income by accepting the challenges of traveling carnival strongmen, defeating them in wrestling or boxing matches. He moved to Detroit in 1930.
Boxing
Joe Louis
Miler defeated Louis in three rounds in what was Louis' first organized boxing match, sending Louis to the mat seven times.
1932 Summer Olympics
Despite evidence that Miler had boxed professionally,
he won the 1932 Olympic trials in San Francisco and represented the United States in Los Angeles in the light-heavyweight class. Miler lost to
William Murphy of Ireland on points in the first match.
Professional boxing
Miler 'officially' debuted professionally as a light-heavyweight on January 12, 1933, against Leon Jasinski in Grand Rapids, Michigan, winning the bout on points. He went on to compile a 12 win (7 by knockout) – 12 loss – 3 draw record over the next years.
After boxing
Miler eventually joined the Navy then returned to Albia, joining the police force. Miler died on June 17, 1976, in Iowa City, Iowa.
Professional boxing record
, -
, align="center" colspan=8, 12 Wins (7 knockouts, 5 decisions), 12 Losses (7 knockouts, 4 decisions, 1 disqualification), 3 Draws
, -
, align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3", Result
, align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3", Record
, align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3", Opponent
, align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3", Type
, align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3", Rd., Time
, align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3", Date
, align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3", Location
, align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3", Notes
, -align=center
, Loss
, 12-12-3
, Johnny Paycheck
, TKO
, 3
, October 17, 1938
, align=left,
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Iowa, most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is the county seat of Polk County, Iowa, Polk County with parts extending into Warren County, Iowa, Wa ...
,
, -align=center
, Loss
, 12-11-3
, Jimmy Adamick
, TKO
, 2
, April 16, 1937
, align=left,
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
,
, -align=center
, Loss
, 12-10-3
, Moose Irwin
, Points
, 6
, February 16, 1937
, align=left,
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
,
, -align=center
, style="background:#abcdef;", Draw
, 12-9-3
, Joe Bauer
, Technical Draw
, 10
, February 2, 1937
, align=left,
Modesto, California
Modesto ( ; ) is the county seat and largest city of Stanislaus County, California, United States. With a population of 218,069 according to 2022 United States Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau estimates, it is the List of cities and towns in Ca ...
, align=left,
, -align=center
, Loss
, 12-9-2
, Bob Nestell
, KO
, 2 , 1:51
, November 27, 1936
, align=left,
Hollywood, California
Hollywood, sometimes informally called Tinseltown, is a List of districts and neighborhoods in Los Angeles, neighborhood and district in the Central Los Angeles, central region of Los Angeles County, California, within the city of Los Angeles. ...
,
, -align=center
, Loss
, 12-8-2
, Art "Young" Campbell
, Disqualification
, 11
, April 13, 1936
, align=left,
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
, align=left,
, -align=center
, Loss
, 12-7-2
,
Ambrose Palmer
Ambrose Harold Palmer (16 October 1910 – 16 October 1990) was a talented world-class professional prize fighter and a leading Australian rules footballer of the 1930s and early 1940s.
Family
The third child of the Victorian champion lig ...
, TKO
, 8
, March 16, 1936
, align=left, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
, align=left,
, -align=center
, Win
, 12-6-2
, Pret Ferrar
, No Decision
, 10
, November 12, 1935
, align=left, Des Moines, Iowa
, align=left,
, -align=center
, Win
, 12-6-2
, Harry Hobbs
, No Decision
, 8
, October 15, 1935
, align=left,
Ottumwa, Iowa
Ottumwa ( ) is a List of cities in Iowa, city in and the county seat of Wapello County, Iowa, United States. The population was 25,529 at the time of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. Census. Located in the state's southeastern section, th ...
, align=left,
, -align=center
, Loss
, 12-6-2
, Fred Lenhart
, TKO
, 8
, June 26, 1935
, align=left,
Spokane, Washington
Spokane ( ) is the most populous city in eastern Washington and the county seat of Spokane County, Washington, United States. It lies along the Spokane River, adjacent to the Selkirk Mountains, and west of the Rocky Mountain foothills, south o ...
, align=left,
, -align=center
, Loss
, 12-5-2
, Abe Feldman
, TKO
, 5
, May 10, 1935
, align=left, Hollywood, California
, align=left,
, -align=center
, style="background:#abcdef;", Draw
, 12-4-2
, Wesley Ketchell
, Draw
, 10
, April 12, 1935
, align=left, Hollywood, California
,
, -align=center
, Loss
, 12-4-1
, Frank Rowsey
, Loss
, 10
, March 1, 1935
, align=left, Hollywood, California
,
, -align=center
, Loss
, 12-3-1
,
Maxie Rosenbloom
Max Everitt Rosenbloom (November 6, 1906 – March 6, 1976) was an American professional boxer, actor, and television personality. Nicknamed "Slapsy Maxie", he was inducted into '' The Ring's'' Boxing Hall of Fame in 1972, the International Je ...
, Loss
, 10
, February 5, 1935
, align=left, Los Angeles, California
,
, -align=center
, Loss
, 12-2-1
, Ray Actis
, TKO
, 6 , 1:35
, January 4, 1935
, align=left,
San Francisco, California
San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
,
, -align=center
, style="background:#abcdef;", Draw
, 12-1-1
, Maxie Rosenbloom
, No Decision
, 10
, October 22, 1934
, align=left, Des Moines, Iowa
, align=left,
,
, -align=center
, Win
, 12-1-1
, Joe Goeders
, No Decision
, 8
, September 3, 1934
, align=left,
Graettinger, Iowa
Graettinger is a city in Palo Alto County, Iowa, United States. The population was 832 at the time of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census.
History
Graettinger got its start in the 1880s, following construction of the Burlington, Cedar Rap ...
, align=left,
, -align=center
, Win
, 12-1-1
, Johnny Neumann
, TKO
, 4
, August 16, 1934
, align=left,
Knoxville, Iowa
Knoxville is a city in and the county seat of Marion County, Iowa, United States. The population was 7,595 at the time of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, an increase from 7,313 in the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. Knoxville ...
,
, -align=center
, Win
, 11-1-1
, Jack Stocker
, KO
, 4
, July 26, 1934
, align=left,
Oskaloosa, Iowa
Oskaloosa is a List of cities in Iowa, city in, and the county seat of, Mahaska County, Iowa. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, Oskaloosa was a national center of bituminous coal mining. The population was 11,558 in the 2020 U ...
,
, -align=center
, Win
, 10-1-1
, Johnny Saxon
, KO
, 3
, May 29, 1934
, align=left, Des Moines, Iowa
,
, -align=center
, Win
, 9-1-1
, Red Fields
, KO
, 3
, May 23, 1934
, align=left, Ottumwa, Iowa
,
, -align=center
, Win
, 8-1-1
, Billy Thomas
, KO
, 3
, April 23, 1934
, align=left,
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
,
, -align=center
, Loss
, 7-1-1
, Maxie Rosenbloom
, Decision
, 10
, April 9, 1934
, align=left, New Orleans, Louisiana
,
, -align=center
, Win
, 7-0-1
, Al White
, Points
, 4
, March 1, 1934
, align=left,
Miami, Florida
Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
,
, -align=center
, Win
, 6-0-1
, Johnny Whiters
, Points
, 10
, December 12 (est.), 1934
, align=left, Unknown
,
, -align=center
, style="background:#abcdef;", Draw
, 5-0-1
, Joe Lipps
, Draw
, 8
, October 30, 1933
, align=left,
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville ( ) is a city in Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. Located at the confluence of the French Broad River, French Broad and Swannanoa River, Swannanoa rivers, it is the county seat of Buncombe County. It is the most populou ...
,
, -align=center
, Win
, 5-0-0
, Ed Anderson
, Points
, 8
, October 18, 1933
, align=left,
Mount Clemens, Michigan
Mount Clemens is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 15,697 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the county seat, seat of government of Macomb County, Michigan, Macomb County and part of the Metro Detroit, Det ...
,
, -align=center
, Win
, 4-0-0
, Flash Ryser
, KO
,
, March 1 (est.), 1933
, align=left, Detroit, Michigan
,
, -align=center
, Win
, 3-0-0
, Willie Davies
, Points
, 8
, February 1, 1933
, align=left, Detroit, Michigan
, align=left,
, -align=center
, Win
, 2-0-0
, Bobby Mathews
, KO
, 1
, February 1, 1933
, align=left, Detroit, Michigan
, align=left,
, -align=center
, Win
, 1-0-0
, Leon Jasinski
, Points
, 6
, January 12, 1933
, align=left,
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is the largest city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, United States. With a population of 198,917 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 200,117 in 2024, Grand Rapids is the List of municipalities ...
,
References
Further reading
* Bak, Richard (2011), ''Detroitland: A Collection of Movers, Shakers, Lost Souls, and History Makers from Detroit's Past'', Painted Turtle,
{{DEFAULTSORT:Miler, Johnny
Boxers from Iowa
Heavyweight boxers
1910 births
Boxers at the 1932 Summer Olympics
Olympic boxers for the United States
American male boxers
1976 deaths
American people of Croatian descent
20th-century American sportsmen