Paul Sampson-Korner

Paul Sampson fought Hall of Famers Harry Greb, Jack Johnson,Gene Tunney and Tommy Gibbons early in his career. Paul was also a sparring partner with such great champions as Jack Dempsey, George Carpentier and Benny Leonard. Later in his career he boxed in Europe and became the Germany Heavyweight Champion.

One of the most interesting personalities of German boxing, Paul Samson-Korner, died on August 25, 1942. He was suffering from heavy injuries in a Berlin hospital from a traffic accident that occured a few days before. Paul Samson-Korner was the 1920's arch rival of German boxing champion Hans Breitenstrater. Their third battle in September 1925 was an absolute "classic". German experts regard their fights unequaled with regard to hard drama and these fights still hold this degree of interest even today.

Up to then Paul Samson-Korner already had a wild life. Which was made during his youth and even more so in America. During interviews with the press he told of unique and exciting experiences about his personal life. If everything he said didn't correspond EXACTLY too the truth, then it was intentionally created by him. Paul Samson Korner understood alot about publicity and of showbusiness and thereby was far ahead of his time.

Paul Korner was born on November 13, 1887 in Zwickau, Saxonia. He eventually made it to Germany. After elementary school he studied to become an Electrician. But after a few months he ran away from home and left school. He eventually spent some years as a sailor on English and American ships. He then lived in America while traveling accross the country working at different jobs for a few dollars. Some of the odd jobs he did were a dock labourer, plate washer and boiler room worker. During 1908 he came to New York and found work on a construction team. Besides working he began to be active in sports. More and more of his time turned to boxing. His boxing knowledge and his street smart trick boxing he owed to the tough teachings of the New York gyms. He tried to earn some money as a sparring partner in these gyms from time to time.

He didn't stay put in New York for too long. In 1912 he spent some time in Mexico ,Panama and again in New York. Between 1915 to 1916 he lived in Chile, Peru and again in Panama. Again he accepted any kind of work offered to him, but nevertheless spent alot of time boxing. Now he started calling himself Paul Samson to better advertise himself. 1917 started out to be a good year for Paul Samson-Korner. He was on his way up, but the political devlopment changed. Americans didn't agree with Imperial Germany now, and on April 2, 1917 the USA took sides with the allies in World War One. Paul Samson-Korner was recognized as German sometimes and was taken to detention once in awhile. During 1918 he tried to keep himself unrecognized until the end of the war by refering to himself as Swiss, Skandinavian or Mormone while he spent his time in Beaver, Utah. So during this time he has no boxing record.

Afterwards he tried to safely reconstruct his career development. From 1919 to 1922 he boxed many of the greats in the Top Ten Ranks. During this time he boxed Harry Greb, The Pittsburgh Windmill, (on Jan 23, 1919 in Pittsburgh, a 10 round no decision). He also fought ex-world champion heavyweight Jack Johnson, (on July 4,1919 in Mexico City, a loss by KO in the 6th round). He fought Gene Tunney on October 25, 1920 in Paterson, New Jersey (10 round no decision fight). Paul also fought Tommy Gibbons on March 22,1921 in New York (paul lost by 2nd round TKO). This was the age of "no decision" fights in America. In many states it was not permitted to have an official judgement. So the fights had No Decision ratings. From the 30 recorded fights in which Paul Samson-Korner did in America, around half were no decision fights. Besides his regular matches he hired himself out as a sparring partner with such champions as Jack Dempsey, George Carpentier and Benny Leonard.

...pages 115-117 to be translated later.

On August 22, 1942, one saturday afternoon, Paul was on his way home when he was hit on the roadway by a bus. It was never determined if it was the bus driver's fault or not. Paul was brought immediately to the nearby Elizabeth Hospital in Lutzowstrabe, but it was all in vain. Three days later on August 25th 1942, he died of heavy injuries.

-Top photo was supplied by Paul's great nephew Jürgen Körner

-Biography, bottom photo and fight record was supplied by Olaf Schroder and Harald Bennert from Germany (translation into English by Bill Paxton)

-All written info, and bottom photo, was taken from the German 2002 Yearbook, written by and sent by Olaf Schroder and Harald Bennert .

Tale Of The Tape Born: Nov 13, 1887 Place: Died: August 25,1942 Weight: heavyweight and light-heavy Height: Nationality: German

CONTESTS: 65 / WON: 39 / LOST: 9 / DRAW: 3 / NO DECISIONS: 13 / NO CONTESTS : 1 / KO: 33

complete record

1916
Apr 22	1916	Jack   Dowdy		Panama		KO 1

1917
Mar 17	1917	Dan   Miller		Philad.		ND 6  (W 6)
Mar 31	1917	Sonny McClure		Philad.		KO 1
May 26	1917	Harry  Krohn		Philad.		ND 6  (W 6)
unknown	1917	Jim    Smith		unknown		KO 4
unknown	1917	Jim   Savage		unknown		ND 10 (W 10)
Nov 3	1917	Jack Hubbard		Philad.		DQ 3

1919
Jan 1	1919	Jimmy McNabe		Philad.		ND 6 (L 6)
Jan 23	1919	Harry   Greb		Pitts.		ND 10 (L 10)
Jul 4	1919	Jack Johnson		Mexico		KO 6

1920
Jan 1	1920	Cleve Hawkins		Pough.		KO 7
Jan 21	1920	Harley Hutchinson	Philad.		TKO 2
Feb 2	1920	Dan   O'Dowd		Philad.		ND 6 (D 6)
Mar 4	1920	George Kid Ashe		Bingha.		ND 10  (W 10)
Mar 17	1920	Harry KO Samson		Philad.		ND 6  (W 6)
Apr 5	1920	Bob     Moha		Wisc.		ND 10  (L 10)
May 7	1920	Clay  Turner		Jo.Ci.		ND 10  (W 10)
May 15	1920	Larry Williams		Bridg.		W 10
Oct 25	1920	Gene  Tunney		Pater.		ND 10  (L 10)

1921
Jan 24	1921	Jack Clifford		Freep.		KO 3
Mar 22	1921	Tommy Gibbons		NewYork		TKO 2
Apr 19	1921	Clay   Turner		NewYork		KO 3
Jul 28	1921	Porky Dan Flynn		NewYork		ND 10  (W 10)
unknown	1921	Italian Jack Herman	unknown		ND 10  (W 10)
unknown	1921	Ray     Smith		unknown		KO 4
unknown	1921	Jack    Moore		unknown		KO 8
unknown	1921	Soldier  Thompson	unknown		KO 4
Oct 2	1921	Antolin  Fierro		Cuba		W 10

1922
Jan 23	1922	Bob     Roper		NewYork		15 rounds
Mar 2	1922	Framer  Lodge		NewYork		TKO 5
Aug 20	1922	Karl  Fitzner		Poland		KO 2
Sep 10	1922	Jimmy Lyggett		Hamburg		EXH 8
Oct 6	1922	Hugo  Podzuhn		Berlin		KO 2
Nov 3	1922	Tom  Jorgensen		Dresden		KO 2
Nov 7	1922	Hans Breitenstrater	Berlin		TKO 9
Dec 10	1922	Otto    Flint		Hamburg		KO 1

1923
Jan 28	1923	Kurt Prenzel		Hamburg		EXH 6
Feb 23	1923	Rudi Wagener		Hamburg		KO 3
Mar 23	1923	Hans   Jorgen		Berlin		KO 6
Sep 6	1923	Hugo  Podzuhn		Leipzig		TKO 5
Sep 21	1923	Guiseppe Spalla		Berlin		TKO 5
Oct 26	1923	Willy Schmidt		Berlin		KO 1
Oct 29	1923	Werner Romberg		Leipzig		KO 1
Nov 8	1923	Karl   Fitzner		Zwickau		TKO 2
Dec 12	1923	Harry   Reeve		Berlin		12 rounds

1924
Jan 20	1924	Daan Holtkamp		Hamburg		KO 1
Feb 1	1924	Karl   Fitzner		Potsdam		TKO 4
Feb 8	1924	Bela  Barothy		Berlin		KO 2
Feb 10	1924	Harry   Reeve		Koln		NC 10
Feb 29	1924	Hans Breitenstrater	Berlin		KO 3 (German Heavyweight Title Challenge)
April 4	1924	Frank  Goddard		Berlin		10 rounds
June 6	1924	Adolf  Seybold		Germany		KO 6  (German Lightheavyweight Title Challenge)
Aug 31	1924	Karl     Moll		Dresden		KO 3
Oct 11	1924	Paul  Journee		Poland		10 rounds
Nov 6	1924	George   Cook		Berlin		10 rounds

1925
Jan 18	1925	Paul  Journee		Hamburg		TKO 7
Feb 15	1925	Albert  Gilles		Germany		KO 2
Feb 27	1925	Phil    Scott		Berlin		12 rounds
May 23	1925	Louis  Clement		Leipzig		10 rounds
Sep 11	1925	Hans Breitenstrater	Berlin		15 rounds  (German Heavyweight Title Defense)
Oct 31	1925	Frank    Rosse		Germany		KO 2

1926
Apr 23	1926	Henri  Frohner		Germany		KO 3
Apr 30	1926	Ludwig Haymann		Berlin		10 rounds
Jun 18	1926	Franz   Diener		Berlin		15 rounds  (Vacant German Heavyweight Title)
Sep 19	1926	Gypsy  Daniels		Berlin		TKO 6

1927
Jan 23	1927	Rudi  Wagener		Germany		10 rounds





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