On this day in history, Pete Rademacher became the first heavyweight boxer on contesting for the world belt in his pro debut.

August 21, 1957

Uniquely, American Pete Rademacher won the Olympic gold medal in Australia at the 1956 Olympics and had the tenacious audacity to fight heavyweight Champion Floyd Patterson in his very first professional bout! Pete decked Floyd in the second. But Floyd got up and KO’d Pete in the 6th; The Referee of the fight was the former light heavyweight Champion Tommy Loughran. The event took place at the Sicks Stadium of Seattle, Washington.