Stefan Redl Passes at age 84
Former 1950s-1960s welterweight Stefan Redl died on February 4, 2018 at the age of 84. Stefan was born in Heregsalva, Hungary on March 5, 1933. He was the only boy in a family of three. His father Frank and mother Katherine were of German descent. His father served in the Hungarian Army during World War II and in 1942 was reported missing in action. Sadly, Stefan’s father never did return from the war. Shortly after the end of the war, the Hungarian Communist Party started deporting all citizens of German heritage. In early 1946, 12-year-old Stefan, his mother and two sisters, Katherine and Elizabeth, were deported to Germany and settled in Heidenheim, near Stuttgart, Germany where his mother had relatives. Stefan‘s introduction to Heidenheim started off rocky because some of the local neighborhood kids started to pick fights with him because they considered him an outsider. Stefan held his ground and gave as good as he got. One of the youngsters was an aspiring amateur boxer and quickly took a liking to him and encouraged him to join his gym and give amateur boxing a try. By the time Stefan finished high school he was on his way of becoming one of Germany’s top amateur fighters with numerous national titles. In 1952 he was defeated on a split decision in the finals of the Olympic Trials. He competed all over Europe compiling an excellent record of 138-3. Outside of boxing, Stefan learned to be a tool and die maker. In early 1956 Stefan received an invitation from his uncle who lived in Passaic, NJ to visit the United States. One day, while he was sightseeing in Paterson, NJ, he was directed to the Garden Gym run by Carl Duva. All he planned to do was work out. Carl Duva saw how well he was hitting the speed bag and heavy bag and came over and asked him if he had ever done any boxing. Stefan told him that he was an amateur boxer in Germany and just came in to work out. Carl convinced Stefan to spar with one of the pros working out at the gym and was so impressed he convinced him to give professional boxing a try. Under Carl Duva’s guidance Stefan turned pro on April 20, 1956 in Patterson, NJ and carved out an excellent career for himself which ended on October 4, 1963 in Copenhagen, Denmark. He finished with a career record of 36-16-4 (KO 17/KO by 5). During his career he defeated such fighters as Paddy DeMarco, Al Milone, Frankie Ippolito, Johnny DiGilio, Charlie Cummings, Danny Russo, Roger Harvey, Eddie Lynch, Ronnie Cohen, Johnny Torres, Marcel Bizien and Johnny Gorman. He also fought such fighters as Curtis Cokes, Tony DeMarco, Virgil Akins, Vince Martinez, Gil Turner, Florentino Fernandez, Don Fullmer, Jorge Fernandez, Hector Constance, Gale Kerwin, Carl Hubbard, Bob Fosmire, Tony Fortunato, Chris Christensen, Eddie Jordan and Joe Salci. In 1964 Stefan started his own carpentry and construction business, which he later expanded into building custom homes. He also started investing in real estate in Vermont and Pennsylvania. He was inducted into The New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame in 1989. I had the personal pleasure of getting to know Stefan and found him to be one of the most accessible and humble ex-fighters I have ever met. It was great to see someone like Stefan who had to overcome a horrific early life finish on his feet a winner in life, as well as in the ring. May He Rest in Peace! Dan Cuoco, (IBRO)