Hyman Barnett "Harry" Mizler (22 January 1913 – March 1990) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

boxer Boxer most commonly refers to: * Boxer (boxing), a competitor in the sport of boxing *Boxer (dog), a breed of dog Boxer or boxers may also refer to: Animal kingdom * Boxer crab * Boxer shrimp, a small group of decapod crustaceans * Boxer snipe ee ...

who competed for

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...

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 duri ...

and won the British BBoC Lightweight title in January 1934.

Early life and amateur career

Mizler was born in Wicket Street, St Georges in the heart of the East End of London to Jewish parents. They had a fish stall in Watney Street Market and after leaving school he worked in the stall along with his brothers Moe and Judah, who also boxed. He had a stellar amateur career, winning the Federation of Working Men's Club's Bantamweight championship in 1929–30, and in 1932-3 held the ABA Amateur Bantamweight title.Silver, Mike (2016). ''Stars of the Ring'', Published by Rowman and Littlefield, Los Angeles, pps. 206-7. Competing at only seventeen in the 1930 Empire Games in Hamilton, Canada, he took the gold medal in the bantamweight class after winning the final against Tommy Holt of

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

. In 1932 he was eliminated in the first round of the lightweight class at the Los Angeles Olympic Games, after losing his bout to the eventual bronze medalist Nathan Bor of the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. His manager Victor Berliner was well known in British boxing circles.Harding, John and Berg, Jack (1987). ''Jack Kid Berg, The Whitechapel Windmill'', pg. 193. Published by Robson Books, Ltd., London. As a professional Mizler had boxing ability, punch and the ability to take punishment. He was a classic stylist who used with devastating effect the textbook English straight left which most present day fighters are taught, but few perfect.

Taking the BBoC British lightweight title, Jan 1934

On 18 January 1934, he defeated Johnny Cuthbert in fifteen rounds at Kensington's Royal Albert Hall for the British Board of Control (BBofC) lightweight title. Greatly more experienced and accomplished, Cuthbert was the 1927 BBoC British featherweight champion. Nonetheless, showing immense talent at an early stage in his career, Mizler's title victory was only his tenth professional fight. Cuthbert was more aggressive in the early rounds, but was unable to connect with sting in his blows, but Mizler's defense improved throughout the fight and he was often brilliant in the use of his left against Cuthbert. In the third and fourth, Mizler clearly began to use his left more effectively. In the closing two rounds, Mizler finally had enough of an advantage to try for a knockout against his opponent but was unable. Cuthbert had continued to connect with blows in previous rounds, but with less frequency and with less effect than Mizler. It was a fast and clean fight, and the referee had little need to call fouls. He successfully defended the BBoC British lightweight title only once, however, against Billy Quinlan on 4 August 1934 at Swansea, Wales, in a fifteen-round points decision.

Loss of lightweight title, Oct 1934

He lost the title on 29 October 1934 at the Royal Albert Hall in Kensington, London, to the vastly more experienced Jewish boxer

Jack Kid Berg Judah Bergman, known as Jack Kid Berg or Jackie Kid Berg (28 June 1909 – 22 April 1991), was an English boxer born in the East End of London, who became the World Light Welterweight Champion in 1930. Biography Judah Bergman was born in Rom ...

when his seconds threw in the towel at the end of the tenth of a scheduled fifteen round bout. Mizzler was said to have "received a ceaseless drubbing from Berg's busy fists", with Berg using both hands against the face of his younger opponent. Berg pulled ahead decisively after the first two rounds. Mizzler's defense was good, and he fought well at long range as was the English custom with a studied punch ready when needed, but he was no match against the relentless two handed attack of Berg who showed greater speed and dominated the infighting, throwing a vicious left to the jaw in the third that put Mizler to the ropes. Mizler could not defend Berg's left hooks to the jaw, and had to retire by the end of the tenth. On 2 October 1935, he fought one of his most exciting bouts, a dramatic come from behind knock out in the eight round against Gustave Hummery of France. Mizler was down four times for a count of nine, and once for a count of eight when he was saved by the bell. Staying on his feet, when a left-right combination to Hummery's jaw put him down in the eighth, Hummery's handlers threw in the towel to end what would be remembered as a grueling bout for both combatants. Mizler first took the BBofC Southern Area lightweight title against Norman Snow in a fifteen-round points decision at Northampton on 2 December 1935. On 19 October 1936, Mizzler attempted to take the British lightweight championship for a second time against Jimmy Walsh, but lost in a fifteen-round decision in Kensington. It would be his last championship bout, but certainly not his last fight, as he would continue boxing til 1944. He lost a ten-round decision to NBA featherweight champion

Petey Sarron Petey Sarron (November 21, 1906 – July 3, 1994) was an American boxer who became a World Boxing Association, National Boxing Association (NBA) Featherweight Champion on May 11, 1936, defeating Freddie Miller at Griffith Stadium in Washington ...

on 15 April 1937, in Harrington, England. On 15 November 1937, Mizzler defeated American lightweight contender Al Roth in a ten-round points decision in Kensington. Roth broke two bones in his right hand and was told by the ringside physician to take a two-month break from competition. In a return bout with American featherweight champion Sarron five months later in Johannesburg, South Africa, Sarron was disqualified for a low blow in the first round. It was the first and only time, Mizler would fight outside the United Kingdom. The bout, however, was not for the title, as both boxers were over the 125 pound featherweight weight limit.

Life after boxing

In WWII, Mizler was called to serve in the British Royal Air Force in 1940 and served for the duration of the war. As physical training instructor, he devoted his abilities to teaching thousands of airmen the rudiments of boxing until he had to leave the Air Force due to stomach ailments. After the war he made a good living as an entrepreneur in the garment center. He died in Wandsworth, Greater London, England, in March 1990."Boxing", ''The Manchester Guardian'', London, England, pg. 20, 23 March 1990

Selected fights

, - , align="center" colspan=8, 6 Wins, 4 Losses , - , align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3", Result , align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3", Opponent(s) , 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", Duration , align="center" style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3", Notes , - , Win , Johnny Cuthbert , 18 Jan 1934 , Kensington, West End, London , 15 Rounds , Won BBoC Brit. Light title , - , Win , Billy Quinlan , 4 Aug 1934 , Swansea, Wales , 15 Rounds , Kept Brit. Light title , - , Loss ,

, 29 Oct 1934 , Kensington, London , 10th Round TKO , Lost Brit. Light title , - , Win , Gustave Hummery , 2 Oct 1935 , Kensington, London , 8th Round TKO , , - , Win , Norman Snow , 2 Dec 1935 , Northampton, Eng. , 15 Rounds , Won BBoC Southern Light title , - , Loss , Jimmy Walsh , 19 Oct 1936 , Kensington, London , 15 Rounds , For BBoC Brit. Light title , - , Win ,

, 15 Apr 1937 , Johannesberg, SA , 1st Round DQ
Low blow, Non-title , Sarron-World feather champ , - , Loss ,

, 19 Jun 1937 , Harringay, North London , 10 Rounds , Sarron-World feather champ , - , Win , Al Roth , 15 Nov 1937 , Kensington, London , 10 Rounds , Roth broke hand , - , Loss ,

, 27 Feb 1941 , Cambridge Theatre , 10 Rounds ,

References

External links

*
jewsinsports.org
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Mizler, Harry 1913 births 1990 deaths Boxers from Greater London English male boxers English Jews Jewish boxers Bantamweight boxers Featherweight boxers Lightweight boxers Olympic boxers of Great Britain Boxers at the 1932 Summer Olympics Boxers at the 1930 British Empire Games Commonwealth Games gold medallists for England Commonwealth Games medallists in boxing