Mickey Walker (boxer)

Walker boxed professionally for the first time on February 10, 1919, fighting Dominic Orsini to a four-round no-decision in his hometown of Elizabeth, New Jersey. Walker did not venture from Elizabeth until his eighteenth bout, when he went to fight at Newark. On April 29, 1919, he was defeated by knockout in round one by Phil Delmontt, suffering his first defeat.

In 1920, he boxed twelve times, winning two and participating in ten no-decisions. Once again, all his bouts were held in New Jersey, which was, at the time, one of the areas where scoring systems had not been installed in boxing, therefore, each fight that lasted the scheduled distance was automatically declared a no-decision, regardless of who the better boxer had been.

He boxed sixteen times in 1921, winning six, losing one and having nine no-decisions. By then, Rhode Island had already become one of the areas where decisions from points scoring had been legislated and this attracted Walker. He lost on a disqualification to Joe Stenafik his first time there, but earned his first decision win in twelve rounds against Kid Green the second time around. He also met world champion boxer Jack Britton in a no-decision back in his home state of New Jersey and beat Nate Siegal in Boston.

In 1922, Walker went 3–4–4 before getting a world title shot. He lost to Jock Malone that year. However, on November 1, 1922, he fought for the world welterweight title against Britton, reigning champion. Walker outpointed Britton over fifteen rounds to take the title.

He had thirteen fights in 1923, winning 11, having one no decision and one no contest. He defended the title twice, against Pete Latzo and Jimmy Jones. Nine bouts followed in 1924, Walker winning six and having three no decisions. He defeated Lew Tendler and Bobby Barrett in defense of his world title and had two of his three no decisions that year against Jock Malone.

After winning two fights to start 1925, he went up in division to challenge World Middleweight Champion Harry Greb on July 2 but failed to win the Middleweight crown at that time, losing a fifteen-round decision to the 160-pound (73 kg) division champion. He went back to the welterweight division, defending his title against Dave Shade and retaining it by decision. He won three bouts, lost one and had three no decisions that year.

Walker (right), posing with Tiger Flowers before their 1926 title bout

On May 20, 1926, he lost the World Welterweight title in a rematch with Pete Latzo. It seemed Walker, now in his 20s, had physically matured out the welterweight division; though many might also point to his extra-curriculars. Whatever the reasons, Walker then began concentrating on winning the World Middleweight Championship. On November 22, he finally was able to beat Jock Malone. On December 3, he reclaimed the world's middleweight title with a controversial ten-round decision over world champion Tiger Flowers. He kept that title for five years, defending it three times during that period. He beat Mike McTigue and former world champion Paul Berlenbach.

On March 28, 1929, he tried to become a member of the exclusive group of boxers who have been world champions in three different weight divisions, but lost a close ten-round decision to World Light Heavyweight Champion Tommy Loughran. On June 19, 1931, Walker decided to vacate his world middleweight title and move up to the heavyweight division.

His debut as a Heavyweight on July 22 against former World Heavyweight Champion Jack Sharkey, ended with a fifteen-round draw (tie). In 1932, he went 5–1, beating such fighters as King Levinsky and Paulino Uzcudun before facing former World Heavyweight Champion Max Schmeling, who knocked Walker out in round eight.

He went down in weight again, to the light heavyweight division in 1933, when he lost a fifteen-round decision to Maxie Rosenbloom for the world title. The next year, Walker rematched Rosenbloom and was awarded a decision win. Unfortunately for Walker, Rosenbloom remained the champion, having taken Walker on in a non-title fight. Undaunted, Walker kept campaigning in that division until 1935, when he retired after losing to Eric Seelig by a seven-round technical knockout.