Who would you favor in Cerdan Lamotta part 2?

Rubbish.

 

I just don't see Jake getting himself into good enough shape. He had to kill himslef to make weight at that time and I don't think he really had enough motivation anymore after winnning the title.

 

In all the footage of Cerdan he doesn't appear the boxer he is often painted out to be, more a strong and stocky smart aggressor.

Not indicative of his whole career in sure but if he fights as did against Zale then Lamotta would absorb his best and impose himself on Cerdan, who looked strong but was surely not as strong as Lamotta.

As I say, I'm not sold on Cerdan being all that swift or elusive and I don't think he'd win a straight up fight with Lamotta even fully fit. Didn't Cerdan only really step it host the end of his career anyway? And Holman Williams was right at the end of his gargantuan career when Cerdan beat him.

Someone better put the pieces together for me because I've never felt Cerdan lives up to the lofty ranking bestowed on him by many in boxing, not just in here.

 

There you have it, my brain isn't playing tricks on me.

Hardly Salvador Sanchez-esque stuff is it, even if he did have loads more fights...at European level.

 

Old Zale, Old Williams what about OLD Cerdan...

he started in 1934 was first spotted in 1938 by Nat Fleischer, WHO, Nat Fleischer, Old NAT had a pretty good idea about fighters.

Villimain & Dutheile (sp) were NOT Cerdan and to suggest that TOP fighters in other parts were'nt up to it is absolute "poppycock", yes the HW's wanted a bit but the lower divisions up to MW were excellent, these TOP men were fit for ANY of their peers on EVEN PLAYING FIELDS...

and on even terms Cerdan takes Jake with No More than he need for others!

 

This post has drifted into a prime for prime match up.
That would be a coin flip!

 

I've watched most of both fighters filmed bouts. In top shape I'm highly impresed with Lamotta. I honestly don't see anything special in Cerdan.

 

It's hard to say.
As has been mentioned, Cerdan was no spring chicken. Maybe he didn't have enough left to regain the title.
LaMotta was six years the younger man.

 

Great A your a fine poster but you've left out of Cerdans credentials one Georgie Freedom Abrams, a mighty fine scalp!
By all accounts the boys went at it like hellcats!

"Brilliantly Over Abrams"
Miami News - ‎Dec 7, 1946‎
Cerdan weighed 159 to Abrams' From start to finish, it was one of those pier six brawls in which both fighters at each other. The two judges called it even ...
http://news.google.com/news/story?g...s+cerdan&ncl=aNG7g4BAzXVCZ7M&cf=all&scoring=n

 

Lest we not forget Georgie Abrams as a "noteworthy ' opponent of Marcel Cerdan...I saw Cerdan in his first fight in America against Georgie Abrams
in 1946 MSG. Cerdan had to go all out to win a close decision against the truly underated Abrams, who amongst others beat Billy Soose, Cocoa Kid,
drew with the great Charley Burley, beat Teddy Yarosz, and gave hell to Ray Robinson, losing a disputed decision to a prime Robinson in 1947 in a bout just before Robinson kod Jimmy Doyle aho died after bthe bout...
So the fact that Marcel Cerdan decisioned Georgie Abrams is no mean feat...I would take a prime Abrams to decision Jake LaMotta at 160...Not that he was a greater P4P fighter, but because of styles...

 

I know Abrams well and deliberately left out his name, because he never regained his form after the war. He never won a fight convincingly and his best effort was a loss to the 12 lbs lighter Ray Robinson.

When you think about it, Cerdan's management picked his opponents extremely well. Zale, Williams and Abrams had all seen better days, while LaMotta too was thought to be past his best days as a contender, except he showed up in better form than was expected.

Here is one reporter's opinion:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...g=1433,5950636&dq=cerdan+lamotta+washed&hl=en

 

that is quite a vague and partisan report if I ever I read one...

remember too the USA were tops and they weren't ready nor happy to hand over titles, never mind reporters offering their not so impartial reports.

I must admit the UK was the worst for this, but to think that all things Red, White & Blue where Lily White, is totally ignorant.

the more "noted" US reporters couldn't say enough about Cerdan... he was much superior to Jake and a ligit greatest middleweight if ever there was one, don't be so patriotic, I am a Brit & live among it, its not a wholesome trait!

 

Actually the first usa look at Cerdan was vs Abrams and his reviews were mixed.
Dawson from the ny times gave him a rave calling him a "cyclonic tornado"
Jimmy Cannon called him a club fighter believe it or not.

 

here's one I've never seen before Cerdan & LaMotta proposed fight 1944, with Cerdan EXPECTED to win it!

http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...AAIBAJ&pg=5470,4704774&dq=marcel+cerdan&hl=en