page_title: Maurice Holtzer
section_title: Boxing in America
hierarchical_section_title: Maurice Holtzer / Early life and career / Boxing in America
caption_attribution_description: English: "Full-length portrait of pugilist Sammy Kaplan standing in a boxing stance in front of a light-colored backdrop in a gymnasium in Chicago, Illinois." NOTE: Subject mistakenly labeled as "Sammy" instead of Louis Kaplan
context_page_description: Maurice Holtzer, was a French boxer, who in the 1930s won the French, European, and International Boxing Union World featherweight championships. Holtzer clearly defeated the reigning NBA World featherweight champion, American Freddie Miller, on a points decision in 1935, but the bout was not for the title.
context_section_description: In his early boxing career, Holtzer fought in America from 1928 through 1931, facing some of America's best.  These included boxers who would hold world championship titles, among them  Louis "Kid" Kaplan, Frankie Klick, Bud Taylor, and Tommy Paul as well as British and Canadian champion Al Foreman  and accomplished Americans Eddie Mack and Harry Forbes.  Holtzer was managed, at least for a portion of his career, by American Lew Burston whose clients included the champion Pete Sanstol.  In America, he was managed for a time by Eddie Walker.
  In one of his early bouts in America, Holtzer drew with Lew Massey on 12 August 1929, at the Arena in Philadelphia in a ten round points decision.  Massey would face top talent during his career including Henry Armstrong, Tippy Larkin, and Sammy Angott.   
  On 3 January 1930, Holtzer defeated future junior lightweight world champion American Frankie Klick at Hollywood's Legion Stadium in a ten-round points decision.  Klick had the fighting his own way in the first half of the match, but as he began to tire in the fifth, Holtzer took the lead in scoring with a fast series of telling body punches.
  Fighting the skilled American world lightweight contender, Eddie Mack, on 25 February 1930, at Los Angeles's Olympic Stadium, Holtzer lost in a close ten round points decision.  Fighting with his rushing style, crouching defense and carefully placed deceptive blows, Holtzer retained more energy in the closing rounds where he nearly overtook his opponent's lead, and the decision for Mack was booed at the end by the crowd.  At 5' 9" (175cm), Mack's significant height and reach advantage may have aided him in his victory. 
  In an impressive win, Holtzer defeated former World bantamweight champion Bud Taylor in a ten round bout that was the main event on 10 November 1930 in Los Angeles.  The Los Angeles Times wrote that Holtzer landed twelve blows to each of Taylor's and that Taylor, being soundly trounced, had difficulty punching back. 
  In an early career loss on 30 June 1930, Holtzer fell to former World featherweight champion Louis "Kid" Kaplan in a ten-round points decision at West Springfield, Massachusetts.  Though enjoying a height advantage of several inches, Holtzer was outweighed by his accomplished opponent who was five pounds heavier and fought as a junior lightweight.  The Montreal Gazette felt the fight may have been close at times, as it oddly considered the outcome a draw.
  As a 127 featherweight, nearing the modern junior lightweight range, on 30 July 1930, Holtzer met Montreal native Al Foreman in Montreal in a non-title bout, losing in a ten-round points decision. Foreman would take both the British and Canadian lightweight championships during his career. In a difficult and painful match, Holtzer struck Foreman low as many as seven times, and was repeatedly warned for the infraction by the referee.  Holtzer fared best in the ninth and tenth as Foreman tired, but in much of the bout, his opponent forced the fighting, and chased an elusive Holtzer whose best defence was his frequent crouch or a block with his gloves.
  Winning in a ten round points decision at Olympic Stadium in Los Angeles on 14 October 1930, Holtzer defeated Goldie Hess, a boxer who would face some of the greatest lightweights of his era including Tony Canzoneri, Jack "Kid" Berg, and Barney Ross.  Holtzer had a slight advantage throughout the bout, which was fought furiously, but Hess was expected to win by the fans.  The closing round had the audience on their feet.  Holtzer won six rounds with a strong attack to the body, with Hess taking two, and two even.
  On 23 March 1931, Holtzer lost to Italian American Tommy Paul, a future World featherweight champion, in a tenth round unanimous decision at the Arena in Philadelphia.  Paul was said to have outboxed Holtzer and to have easily carried the decision.  Holtzer's eyes were damaged by the constant pounding he took in the early rounds, but the pace slowed by the ninth and tenth.
  Returning to Great Britain, Holtzer lost to Jimmy Walsh on 5 September 1934 in a sixth ro
caption: "Kid" Kaplan
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