Tony Zale vs Al Hostak III

On May 28, 1941, Tony Zale and Al Hostak met for the third time in a highly anticipated middleweight championship bout at the Chicago Stadium Outdoor Arena in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The fight was sanctioned by the National Boxing Association (NBA) for their World Middleweight Title.

Zale, weighing in at 158¾ lbs, and Hostak, at 158¼ lbs, had previously faced each other twice, with each fight ending in victory for Zale. Their third encounter drew a crowd of 15,000 spectators.

The fight began with Hostak knocking down Zale in the first round, but the referee, Johnny Behr, did not administer a count. However, Zale quickly turned the tables in the second round, showcasing a remarkable display of body punching that sent Hostak to the canvas a staggering eight times.

Unable to withstand Zale's relentless assault, Hostak was ultimately knocked out at 2:32 of the second round, cementing Zale's status as the NBA World Middleweight Champion.

Tony Zale's decisive victory in this third meeting with Al Hostak demonstrated his superior boxing skills and punching power, particularly to the body, which proved to be the difference-maker in this short but action-packed championship fight.