I'm currently reading a book on Max Baer on my kindle. King or Kingfish Levinsky is mentioned quite a few times. He seemed like a fringe contender, had wins over Paulino Uzcuden, Tommy Loughran, and Jack Sharkey. He was managed by his sister Lena, who frequently used profanity and would scream and urge him on during his fights. Seemed like one of boxings colorful characters but doesn't seem to get mentioned much. Any other info on King Levinsky?
Hes a fighter who really suffers from the depth of that period at HW. He had 22 fights with fighters I have listed as HW title contenders and went 6-15-1. He started out 2-11 before going on a run in of 4 straight in 1933. At the end of 1933 he was ranked 3rd by the Ring who ranked him in their top 5 3 times. This was probably overrating him but he could compete at the top level he just couldn't win usually outside that 7 month peak. King Levinsky is 6-5 against LHW title contenders, mostly at HW. It seems he was fairly more effective against smaller opponents and would have done better at LHW. King also might have been mismanaged at least at the start. King had 13 fights against HW title contenders before his run in 1933 but he was only 23 years old. He beat Loughran and Uzcudchin at 21 then went Baer, Walker, Baer, Risko, win, Sekyra,Carnera, Loughran. He sort of got thrown to the wolves. While his SOS got way easier on the back 9 he was done by 28.
I don't really think much of Lena's managerial skills. Check this out. This is from Levinsky's first fight with Tuffy Griffiths: The financial arrangements on this bout was written where Levinsky would receive 60% of the net receipts, out of which he was to pay Griffiths $25,000. Unfortunately, the net gate came to only $46,000. And after Griffiths was paid his fee, Levinsky earned merely $2,600 (app.) for his troubles. This contract was a promoter's dream. There is no onus on the promoter at all to be out a dime with a contract such as this. Who would sign this? Well, maybe Lena.
Here's another good one about he and Lena. This is from the first fight with Art Lasky. This bout was originally scheduled on May 15th at the Olympic Auditorium, however, 3 days before the contest was to take place, Levinsky drove back to Chicago where he was checked in to a hospital claiming a nervous breakdown. His sister/manager Lena Levy denied he ran out on the fight over a dispute over training policies. The California State Athletic Commission suspended Levinsky for 'failure to honor a contract.' A suspension apparently lifted with the new date. After the bout federal agents attached Levinsky's purse to satisfy a $1,300 income tax lien against he and his sister/manager. Apparently trying to escape the payment, Lena Levy threatened to keep her brother from the ring unless they were paid an advance of $3,500. Matchmaker Tom Gallery rejected her demands and had his private detectives restrain them both from leaving the city and go through with the fight.
One more thing on the bizarre antics of King Levinsky. I recall reading the story where he went to England to fight Jack Doyle. I believe it was some pre-fight dinner the night before and the British patrons - as I'm sure was their custom to their monarch - all stood and raised their glasses and called out, "To the King!" Clearly ignorant of British customs and politics, Levinsky, still seated, replied, "Thank you."
