Waldemar Holberg

Waldemar Birger Holberg was a Danish boxer.[1] Born in Copenhagen, Denmark on May 29, 1883, he won the World Welterweight Championship on January 1, 1914, defeating Ray Bronson in Melbourne, Australia in a twenty round points decision. He was a fierce boxer with a KO percentage of 40% in the virtually complete boxing record displayed on BoxRec.[2]

Waldemar Holberg
Statistics
Real nameWaldemar Birger Holberg
Weight(s)Welterweight
Height5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
NationalityDanish
Born(1883-05-29)May 29, 1883
Copenhagen, Denmark
DiedMay 18, 1927(1927-05-18) (aged 43)
Vienna, Austria
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record
Total fights70
Wins39
Wins by KO28
Losses27
Draws4

Boxing career

Prior to his entry into the Olympics, Holberg was a five time amateur champion of Denmark. He won the featherweight division in 1902, and the lightweight division in 1903, 1905, 1907, and 1908. He qualified for the 1908 Summer Olympics, but was eliminated in the first round after losing to future welterweight world champion Matt Wells.[3][4]

After the Olympics, Holberg turned professional making his debut in Denmark. He had a number of wins in Denmark and Germany but moved to England in 1912. After losing two bouts on disqualification, Holberg moved to Australia in 1913 fighting for the Australian lightweight title.

Taking the Australian version of the world welterweight title
Ray Bronson

He had limited success in Australia, losing 6 out of 9 matches but on New Years Day, 1914 met American Ray Bronson in Melbourne in a bout recognized by the Australian boxing authorities as a World Welterweight title. Holberg won easily on points after 20 rounds. He held the title for only twenty-three days, losing it in Melbourne to Irishman Tom McCormick in a sixth round foul on January 24. By several accounts, Holberg sometimes fought with questionable tactics, and had lost five previous fights to fouls.[3] For some reason, McCormick is more often recognized as a world welterweight boxing champion than Holberg.[2][5]

After having lost the world title, he returned to Denmark only to lose two matches in Copenhagen to Danish veteran Dick Nelson on December 2, 1914, and February 14, 1915, one for the Scandinavian Welterweight title. Holberg had his last professional fight on August 29, 1921 when he was stopped in Vienna by Austrian Hans Hirschberger.[2]

Holberg retired from professional boxing in 1921 after his loss to Hirschberger. He died in Vienna on March 18, 1927, at age 43.[3]

Professional boxing record
70 fights 39 wins 27 losses
By knockout 28 7
By decision 10 12
By disqualification 1 8
Draws 4
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round Date Location Notes
70 Loss 39–27–4 Hans Hirschberger TKO 9 (15) Aug 29, 1921 Sportplatz, Vienna, Austria-Hungary
69 Loss 39–26–4 Willi Spoeri TKO 7 (10) Jul 7, 1921 Sportplatz, Vienna, Austria-Hungary
68 Win 39–25–4 Holger Hansen PTS 12 Feb 22, 1921 Circus, Stockholm, Sweden
67 Loss 38–25–4 Emanuel Jacobsen DQ 5 (15) Sep 13, 1919 Cirkus Variete, Copenhagen, Denmark
66 Win 38–24–4 Johan Ekeroth DQ 15 (20) Aug 1, 1919 Copenhagen, Denmark
65 Loss 37–24–4 Georg Brustad PTS 15 May 26, 1919 Trondheim, Norway
64 Win 37–23–4 Johan Ekeroth PTS 10 Feb 2, 1919 Oslo, Norway
63 Win 36–23–4 Holger Hansen TKO 7 (?) Dec 15, 1918 Oslo, Norway
62 Win 35–23–4 Fred Boston KO 6 (?) Nov 2, 1918 Oslo, Norway
61 Win 34–23–4 Dick Nelson PTS 15 Apr 9, 1918 Turnhallen, Oslo, Norway
60 Win 33–23–4 Frithjof Hansen KO 3 (15) Feb 26, 1918 Turnhallen, Oslo, Norway
59 Win 32–23–4 Sam Brown KO 11 (?) Jan 22, 1918 Turnhallen, Oslo, Norway
58 Win 31–23–4 Willy Carlsen KO 2 (?) Nov 18, 1917 Oslo, Norway
57 Win 30–23–4 Johan Ekeroth TKO 11 (?) Jun 6, 1917 Oslo, Norway
56 Win 29–23–4 Calle Svensson TKO 7 (?) Sep 24, 1916 Stockholm, Sweden
55 Win 28–23–4 Calle Svensson PTS 10 Sep 10, 1916 Stockholm, Sweden
54 Win 27–23–4 Emil Kjellberg TKO 7 (12) Aug 11, 1916 Idrottsplatsen, Råsunda, Sweden
53 Loss 26–23–4 Jack Kid Greenstock PTS 10 Feb 21, 1916 Golders Green Hippodrome, Golders Green, London, England
52 Loss 26–22–4 Willie Farrell TKO 7 (15) Jan 3, 1916 Hoxton Baths, Hoxton, London, England
51 Loss 26–21–4 Willie Farrell PTS 15 Oct 7, 1915 Liverpool Stadium, Pudsey Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, England
50 Loss 26–20–4 Billy Williams PTS 20 Jul 19, 1915 The Ring, Blackfriars Road, Southwark, London, England
49 Loss 26–19–4 Jim Prendy PTS 20 Jun 12, 1915 The Ring, Blackfriars Road, Southwark, London, England
48 Loss 26–18–4 Dai Roberts KO 7 (?) Apr 24, 1915 London, England Location unknown
47 Win 26–17–4 Young Nipper PTS 10 Apr 12, 1915 The Ring, Blackfriars Road Matinee, Southwark, London, England
46 Loss 25–17–4 Sapper McNeil DQ 13 (?) Mar 20, 1915 London, England Location unknown
45 Loss 25–16–4 Dick Nelson KO 15 (20) Feb 14, 1915 Cirkus Bech-Olsen, Copenhagen, Denmark
44 Loss 25–15–4 Dick Nelson PTS 20 Dec 6, 1914 Cirkus Bech-Olsen, Copenhagen, Denmark
43 Loss 25–14–4 Tom McCormick DQ 6 (20) Jan 24, 1914 Baker's Stadium, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Lost world welterweight title
42 Win 25–13–4 Ray Bronson PTS 20 Jan 1, 1914 Baker's Stadium, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Won vacant world welterweight title
41 Loss 24–13–4 Alf Goodwin DQ 14 (20) Dec 20, 1913 Baker's Stadium, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
40 Win 24–12–4 Frank Picato TKO 11 (20) Nov 29, 1913 Baker's Stadium, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
39 Win 23–12–4 Len Porter TKO 8 (20) Nov 15, 1913 Baker's Stadium, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
38 Loss 22–12–4 Young Nipper PTS 20 Nov 1, 1913 Sydney Stadium, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
37 Loss 22–11–4 Hock Keys PTS 20 Oct 18, 1913 Olympic Stadium, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
36 Win 22–10–4 Harry Puie KO 6 (20) Oct 1, 1913 Baker's Stadium, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
35 Loss 21–10–4 Harry Thomas DQ 20 (20) Sep 13, 1913 Baker's Stadium, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
34 Loss 21–9–4 Herb McCoy PTS 20 Aug 30, 1913 Sydney Stadium, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
33 Loss 21–8–4 Hughie Mehegan KO 17 (20) Jul 12, 1913 Sydney Stadium, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
32 Loss 21–7–4 Paul Brevieres DQ 11 (?) Dec 20, 1912 Élysée Montmartre, Paris, Paris, France
31 Loss 21–6–4 Bill Johnson DQ 11 (?) Dec 16, 1912 Birmingham, West Midlands, England
30 Loss 21–5–4 Bill Johnson DQ 10 (?) Nov 4, 1912 Sparkbrook Stadium, Birmingham, West Midlands, England
29 Win 21–4–4 Jack Ward KO 1 (?) Sep 30, 1912 Birmingham, West Midlands, England
28 Draw 20–4–4 Dick Lee PTS 10 Aug 24, 1912 The Ring, Blackfriars Road, Southwark, London, England
27 Loss 20–4–3 Dick Nelson PTS 20 Jun 33, 1912 Cirkus Bech-Olsen, Copenhagen, Denmark
26 Win 20–3–3 Bobby Dobbs PTS 20 Feb 3, 1912 Vienna, Austria-Hungary
25 Win 19–3–3 Jerry Peterson KO 10 (?) Dec 9, 1911 Vienna, Austria-Hungary
24 Win 18–3–3 Billy Gordon KO 15 (?) Sep 17, 1911 Copenhagen, Denmark
23 Win 17–3–3 Holger Hansen KO 4 (?) Sep 3, 1911 Copenhagen, Denmark
22 Draw 16–3–3 Jack Slim PTS 15 Aug 22, 1911 Berlin, Germany
21 Win 16–3–2 Jimmy Butler KO 4 (?) Aug 20, 1911 Copenhagen, Denmark
20 Win 15–3–2 Paul Mond KO 4 (?) Jul 23, 1911 Berlin, Germany
19 Win 14–3–2 Kid McGordon PTS 15 Apr 23, 1911 Vienna, Austria-Hungary
18 Win 13–3–2 Eugen Legard KO 7 (?) Dec 19, 1910 Berlin, Germany Location unknown
17 Win 12–3–2 Erik Mosuk KO 2 (?) Dec 15, 1910 Berlin, Germany Location unknown
16 Win 11–3–2 H Paullian KO 4 (?) Dec 5, 1910 United States of America Location unknown
15 Win 10–3–2 Alf Elreich KO 6 (?) Sep 12, 1910 Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
14 Win 9–3–2 M Lechleitner KO 2 (?) Sep 9, 1910 Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
13 Win 8–3–2 Alf Elreich KO 4 (?) Apr 7, 1910 Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
12 Win 7–3–2 M Muller KO 3 (?) Apr 28, 1910 Hamburg, Germany
11 Win 6–3–2 E Van Dyk KO 5 (?) Feb 7, 1910 Location unknown
10 Win 5–3–2 Billy Jackson KO 5 (?) Jan 27, 1910 Budapest, Austria-Hungary
9 Loss 4–3–2 Dick Nelson KO 5 (15) Jun 25, 1909 Copenhagen, Denmark
8 Win 4–2–2 Frank KO 1 (?) May 29, 1909 Copenhagen, Denmark
7 Win 3–2–2 Emil Hemming Hansen KO 5 (?) May 29, 1909 Copenhagen, Denmark
6 Draw 2–2–2 Holger Hansen PTS 10 Apr 25, 1909 Copenhagen, Denmark
5 Win 2–2–1 John Jordan PTS 10 Feb 21, 1909 Copenhagen, Denmark
4 Loss 1–2–1 Jim Smith PTS ? Dec 15, 1908 Copenhagen, Denmark
3 Win 1–1–1 Johannes Hindsberg PTS ? Dec 5, 1908 Copenhagen, Denmark
2 Draw 0–1–1 Holger Hansen PTS ? Dec 2, 1908 Copenhagen, Denmark
1 Loss 0–1 Jim Smith PTS ? Dec 1, 1908 Copenhagen, Denmark

See also

References
  1. "Waldemar Holberg". Olympedia. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  2. "Waldemar Holberg". BoxRec. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  3. "Waldemar Holberg". Sr/Olympic Sports. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  4. "Waldemar Holberg Boxing Record". Cyber Boxing Zone. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  5. "Ray Bronson Loses", The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia, pg. 8, 2 January 1914
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