SEATTLE -- Al Hostak, who won the m...

SEATTLE -- Al Hostak, who won the middleweight title in 1938 in a conflict refereed by Jack Dempsey, died of complications from a hit He was 90.

Mr Hostak died Sunday at Evergreen Hospice in Kirkland, son Phil Hostak said.

onward July 28, 1938, Mr. Hostak knocked not at home Freddie Steele in 1 minute, 43 inferiors He sent Steele to the canvas four times in the first rotund before his opponent was numbered out by Dempsey, the former heavyweight great.

Mr Hostak had a record of 63 wins (42 knockouts), nine losse and 12 draws. He was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1997

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Mr Hostak was born in Minneapolis to Czech immigrants, who mov to Seattle in 1918 He evolveed a talent for fighting when classmates teased him about his stuttering.

"He hindrance his fists do the talking," his son said.

In 1932 Mr Hostak had his first official fight at age 16 He thrown away the 1938 title to Solly Krieger that November in a twist in which he broke his hands. After winning back the sovereignty from Krieger in 1939, he missing it to Tony Zale in 1940

In 1942 Mr Hostak joined the Army. He was trained as a paratrooper and serv in the 101st Airborne. He chested after the war until 1949 retiring upon his 33rd birthday with a ninth-round TKO through the whole extent of Jack Snapp.

Mr Hostak is survived by the agency of another son, Terry, and five grandchildren. Mr Hostak's wife, Rose Francis, whom he married in 1948 died in 1981

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