Inducted on October 30, 1977
Paul “Cortlyn” Mihalick was born on May 24, 1915 in Taylor, Pa., one of eleven children. Growing up in Pennsylvania, he chose boxing as his favorite sport and Welterweight Champ, Pete Latzo, was his “idol.” He moved to the Ironbound section of Newark, New Jersey in 1928 and began his boxing career in 1929. Because he was underage, he used his brother’s birth certificate and adopted the name “Paul Carlo.” He changed it later to “Cortney”, then”Cortland” and finally settled on “Paul Cortlyn.” His K.O. record made him a favorite with the boxing crowd.
To improve his ability and strength, he joined the CC and succeeded in making his K.O. punch a work of art.
On October 11, 1936, he married a young Newark, New Jersey girl, Helen Sadownik, and they now have two sons, Robert and Douglas, and are the proud grandparents of a granddaughter, Laura.
His boxing career from 1929 through 1944 was spectacular. It included 300 bouts, some of which netted him 5 Cuban titles in New York and Havana, all by K.O.’s. He decked Poland’s welterweight champ, Eddie Ran, in 1 minute and three seconds. Two Mexican champs, Julio Izquird and Sebastian Gonzales, and two Italian champs, Francesco Montanari and Escole Buratti went down under this knockout punch. He set a record of 56 straight wins of which 36 were by K.O. ‘So He put Jimmy Fletcher of Lawton, Ohio, out with a 35 second K.O., setting another record.
In 1939, he went to Houston, Texas where he established knockout records and the Sport Writers began nicknaming him “K.O. Paul”, “Dynamite Paul”, “Bad News Paul”, “Paralyzing Paul”, and “Punchin’ Paul”. He lived up to these monickers by outstanding fights with Kenny LaSalle, Hippo Hipps, Al Bernard, Sweeney Byer, Gabriel Roche, Ben Brown, Tony Bruno, Irish Eddie McGeaver, Bill McDowell, Billy Pryor, Hooky Jackson, Reno Fernandez, Earl Cox, Billy Deeg and many others.
When he returned eleven months later he continued fighting the leading contenders, names like William Henry Cheatiern, Benny Levine, Fritzie Zivic, John Henry Johnson, Dave Chacon, Benny Lope Berman, Eddie Durino, Joey Ryan, Bobby Jones, Roosevelt Rowe, Vinnie Vine, Jimmy Murphy, Baby Face Fisher, Butch Lynch, Charley Gordon, Pete Susky, Tiger Reed, Bobby Pacho, Kid Johnson, Reno Fernandez, Gene Buffalo, Eddie Guerra and Mike Piskin.
During World War II he served in the Pacific with the U. S. Navy.
After the war, he resumed his boxing career and continued to make K. O. history until he broke his hand in a fight with Piskin. He ended his fighting career after that fight, much to the disappointment of his managers, Jimmy Marsilli and Sam Rose.
In 1948 he moved to Irvington, New Jersey and gave his same dedication to being an Ironworker, a member of Bethlehem, Pa. Local 36 working out of Local 11 in Newark, New Jersey. In 1972 he was forced to retire on disability because of ill health.
Now on October 30, 1977, • ‘Paul Cortlyn Mihalick” will be inducted into the BOXING HALL OF FAME culminating a memorable boxing career. He gave the sport he loved all of his devotion, skill and ability, and his name on the HALL OF FAME ROSTER is a fitting and deserved tribute.
Boxing Record – Paul Cortlyn