Ace Hudkins’ Ferocious Ring Wars: The Nebraska Wildcat
In Brooklyn in 1926, Ace Hudkins was a four-to-one underdog against the unbeaten Ruby Goldstein. Hudkins hit the canvas in the opening round, got back up, and stopped Goldstein in the fourth (IBRO retrospective). That jolting upset helped turn the Nebraska fighter into a name far beyond home.
The Nebraska Wildcat
Known as the “Nebraska Wildcat,” Hudkins built a reputation as an aggressive, durable fighter who kept coming forward. He competed across several divisions during the 1920s, and his rough-edged style made him a draw in Southern California as well as Nebraska. The Goldstein fight captured the drama of his career: a dangerous start, a refusal to fold, and a sudden finish.
Two shots at Mickey Walker
Hudkins’s most famous challenge came against Mickey Walker, the reigning world middleweight champion. Walker won their first meeting by decision in Chicago in 1928, but many spectators disputed the verdict. The label “uncrowned champion” followed Hudkins into their rematch the next year in Los Angeles. This time, Walker won clearly, ending Hudkins’s hopes of taking the title.
A contender remembered
Hudkins retired in 1932 after a decade in the ring. He never captured a world championship, but the Goldstein upset and the two Walker fights kept his name in boxing’s memory. In an era when fighters moved between weight classes and title opportunities were hard to secure, the Nebraska Wildcat became one of the sport’s most memorable contenders. His story belongs in the wider boxing archive.
Hudkins’ reputation rested on relentless pressure, a high work rate and a willingness to absorb punishment in order to keep attacking. The upset over Goldstein brought him national attention, while his fights with Mickey Walker placed him against one of the era’s leading champions. Hudkins challenged for major titles but was never a recognized world champion, an important distinction when describing his standing. His popularity in the 1920s came from an exciting, rough-edged style that made him a reliable attraction. The “Nebraska Wildcat” nickname captured the energy that followed him into the ring.
Sources: the International Boxing Research Organization’s account of Hudkins, Goldstein, and Walker; and BoxRec’s Ace Hudkins biography and record.
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Article Tags
Ace Hudkins, Boxing, Boxing History, Championship Boxing
