Name: Career Record: click Alias: Savage Slav Birth Name: Albert Paul Hostak Nationality: US American Birthplace: Minneapolis, MN, USA Hometown: (Georgetown), WA, USA Born: 1916-01-07 Died: 2006-08-13 Age at Death: 90 Stance: Orthodox Height: 6' 0 Division: Manager: Eddie Marino National Association Middleweight Champion 1938; 1939-40

(First boxer since to regain the World Middleweight Title; followed by .)

Hostak was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Czech immigrants, who would move to Seattle's Georgetown neighborhood in 1918. A stutterer in his youth, Hostak was drawn to boxing after finding out he had a knack for fighting his classmates who harassed him.

Hostak was regarded as a tremendous right- handed puncher, although he also had underrated power in his left . Hostak's most famous --which came July 26, 1938 against Northwest rival -- was started with the left hook. Hostak began Steele's demise by jabbing at Steele until Steele began to use his glove to parry Hostak's . Hostak then feinted with the jab, which got Steele to drop his right hand. Hostak then landed a left hook that dropped Steele for the first of four knockdowns. Steele's camp acknowledged after the fight that they were aware of the power in Al's left hook, since Hostak had started Allen Matthews and Babe Risko on their way to knockout defeats with the left hook.

Like many punchers, Hostak had bad hands that often broke during fights. In fact, his left hand later became arthritic. His hands were injured in the first two Tony Zale fights, as well as during his defeat against Solly Kreiger. A natural counterpuncher, who was not known for his boxing skills, Hostak had problems with boxers who used movement, like and the younger version of Harry (Kid) Matthews.

Hostak held jobs as a bartender, King County Jail Guard, and as a security guard at the Longacres Race Track after his boxing career. He even offered a class in 1949, shortly after his retirement, offering to teach school age kids how to defend themselves in fights. He was widowed in 1981, and lived south of Seattle in White Center, where he spent much of his time visiting local flea markets. Hostak would collect eight-track tapes of a wide variety of music, which he would then convert to cassette tape.

Al Hostak died on August 13, 2006 at the Evergreen Hospice in Kirkland, , from complications of a stroke he suffered on August 2nd. Hostak was survived by two sons and five grandchildren.

Miscellaneous Facts

 Member, Tacoma-Pierce County Sports Hall of Fame

External Links

 "Al Hostak, 1916-2006: Seattle fighter won middleweight title" , Seattle P-I [1] (Accessed August 14, 2006

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/othersports/281147_hostak14.html

Nevada State Journal

29 May 1941

Tony Zale Floors Hostak Nine Times for TKO In Second

Dropped In First Tony Switches to Hard body Attack

CHICAGO, May 28th – unleashing a terrific body attack, Champion Tony Zale, the man of steel from Gary, Ind, tonight floored Al Hosak of Seattle nine times in the second round of their scheduled 15 round bout for the National Boxing Associations middleweight championship in 2;32 of the second round.

Floored for a nine count in the first round as the former champion roared from his corner, Zale Cleared his head and fought cautiously throughout that round.

Punches Kidneys Suddenly, at the start of the second, Zale switched to the tactics with which he won the title . from Hostak last summer- a terrific round house right to Hostak’s kidneys. With the first of these blows the crowd of 15,087 sweltering in the Chicago stadium Could sense the change and soon Hostak wilted before their eyes, He groaned audibly as the first right sank home, then as the second sank into his ribs Hostak folded in pain and took a count of nine.

From that moment on Hostak was a beaten fighter. As quickly as he hauled himself to his feet Zale was after him like a cat, one hand only swinging its deadly tattoo- the right.-

Pounds to Ribs

He drove it hard to Hostak's ribs three times in succession without a return blow and Al slipped to the floor ,but struggled up with no count. Thereafter Zale floored him for a count of two, no count, then for a long count of eight all achieved with that devastating blow to the ribs. As he collapsed for the eight count, Hostak's face was twisted in agony but up he came and made his one grand bid to win the championship for the third time in his brief career.

He came up swinging both fists and blasted Zale across the ring with a terrific assault of lefts and rights to the head. Tony moved in close, tied up Hostak and the flurry ended when Zale stepped back without warning, then buried another, long right roundhouse into Hostak's ribs. Tony's glove bit into the flesh ,seemingly up to the cuff and down bounced Hostak for a no count.

Sprawls In Pain

Twice more Al came off the Floor with great effort. Then, after the ninth trip to the mat, he just couldn't, make it back to his feet. Holding his injured ribs, he sprawled there on the floor, made one effort to get up and just missed as the referee, Johnny Behr. reeled off the last of the 10-count.

It was Zale's second defense of the title he won a year ago by knocking out Hostak in the 13th round at Seattle. For the brutal punishment he meted out in tonight's "grudge" match he receives 35 per cent of a gross gate of $48.475. Hostak received 20 per cent. It also was their third meeting.Zale won the first meeting, 10-round decision in a non-title fight in the stadium ring 15 months ago.