Nick Lutze Defeats Boxer

On Wednesday, August 11, 1937, professional wrestler Nick Lutze took part in a mixed styles bout with professional boxer Pio Pico. Promoter Lou Daro booked Lutze and Pico for the undercard of Bronko Nagurski defending his newly won world title against Los Angeles’ biggest star Vincent Lopez. The card drew 20,000 fans to Los Angeles’ Wrigley Field, a sellout of the stadium.

Nick Lutze played college football and wrestled for Notre Dame University. After graduation, Lutze made his professional wrestling debut in 1923. During the Divided Championship Era, Lutze served as a frequent opponent of Joe Stecher. Lutze eventually served as the booking agent for the Los Angeles booking office.

Pio Pico, who was born Lupe LeMon, made his professional boxing debut as a heavyweight in March 1937. Over his career, Pico won 7 fights, lost 14 fights, and fought two draws. Pico only knocked out one opponent over his seven wins.

While Pico had only fought a couple of fights, Daro did not risk Lutze against one of the top heavyweights of the day, if he could have convinced one of them to fight Lutze.

The bout did not last long, which was the rule of the mixed styles bouts between wrestlers and boxers. In the first round, Lutze circled Pico, who jabbed at Lutze, but hesitated to commit on his punches. Lutze took Pico down twice but could not finish the match

In the second round, Lutze took one punch but took Pico down and kept him down. Lutze pinned Pico at two minutes, thirty-one seconds of the second round. Former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Max Baer refereed the bout.

You can watch a video of the match on YouTube. It covers all the significant action in the match.

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Sources: Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, CA) August 12, 1937, p. 15