Nat Bor, the Bulging Boxer of New Bedford

This rather bulgeworthy boxer is Nat Bor (1913-1972), born in Fall River, Massachusetts, d, where Lizzie Borden's father and stepmother were murdered in 1892.  He was a short, slim boy, Jewish in an era where there were few Jewish boxers.  But when his friends talked him into participating in an amateur boxing tournament, he surprised everyone with three wins, including two knockouts

His parents weren't happy wit his career choice, but his older brother Eddie agreed to manage his career.

He won the Massachusetts State Lightweight Championship in 1930, and moved on to state, regional, and national titles.  In 1932, he beat Jimmy McCarron at Madison Square Garden in New York, winning the National Amateur Lightweight Boxing Championship.

In August 1932, he won a bronze medal in the Summer Olympics.  He was only 19 years old.  By the way, Thure Alqvist (Sweden) won the silver, and Lawrence Stevens (South Africa) won the gold.

Here are some of the other 1932 boxing champs.








Nat's amateur career lasted through the 1930s.  After serving in World War II, he moved to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he opened a dry-cleaning business, Olympic Cleaning.  He became a community leader and local legend.

When he died on June 13, 1972, he had a wife, two daughters, and two grandsons, Benjamin and  Steven Topor.

There's a Ben Topor on Facebook.  He lives in Israel.

That's all I know about Nat Bor.  I can't find a whole lot of gay connection.

But isn't that physique and that bulge enough?