Raft grew up on 41st Street and worked as an errand boy and a fishwrapper after school. His parents sent him to live at his grandparents' house on 164th Street. He left school at the age of 12, and left home aged 13. He worked as an apprentice electrician for a year, then boxed professionally for two years from age fifteen onwards. As "Dutch Rauft", he had 14 bouts: nine victories, three defeats and two draws. (Another account says he had 25 bouts and was knocked out seven times.)