Yep. I remember reading some rumors that he flattened billy conn in an exhibition when they were both in the army. Dunno about the validity of that rumor but i wouldnt doubt it, i bet ezz at lhw was a machine.
Initially ezzard boxed for only three years then took two years out in the war. Whilst he was clearly talented from the beginning, Charles's last two fights before this break were bad performances. In back to back fights young ezzard took bad beatings from bivins and marshall. At 28-3-1 it appeared the over activity was already burning ezzard out. Had he carried on at this point it is evident Charles could have reached his level then faded. The break from boxing actually gave his body a rest and time to mature physically. Since he was out for almost as long as he’d been active when charles returned it was basically a new career. In this new four year career against albeit excellent opposition Charles notched up a new 40-2 record by which time he had lost the title to Walcott a guy he’d previously beat twice, the other loss was also avenged. It is my belief this comeback was actually ezzard Charles’s peak.
...i asked ezzard about the billy conn story and he said it wasn't true. the replies to this thread are excellent.
...most of my conversations with ezzard were on my radio show sometime around the early 1960s. i lived down the street from the gartrell family when he was engaged to his future wife gladys. her brother joe was my age and we went to school together so i saw him a lot when i was at his house...mostly on the front steps or porch..when ezzard came over. he always said hello and i responded with something tongue tied because he was becoming my favorite fighter. i later got to know the elkus family; who owned his contract...and some of the other members of his camp. again, around the late 50s or early 60s i became friend swith richard christmas who was practically his alter ego. i have a very good friend who knew ezzard well right up until the time of his death. i have a lot of ezzard stories...and i'm going to contact the fellow who wrote here about writing his bio as soon as i can find some of the others who have good first hand stories. he was a wonderful man....he managed to smile even after his als took his speech away. he was treated abominably by the press when he was heavyweight champion..mostly by the provincial new york writers who wouldn't recognize the names of charley burley or lloyd marshall or jimmy bivins, just for examples. he was clearly one of the greatest boxers of all time.
i don't think there is anything about mr charles that i don't like. in a fairer world he'd have won the middleweight title before winning the light-heavy and finally the big one.
His '46 - '51 run was great. During this stretch he faced among others- Archie Moore W10, W10, KO8 Lloyd Marshall KO6, KO2 Jimmy Bivins W10, KO4, W10 Elmer Ray LSD10, KO9 Joey Maxim W15, W15 Jersey Joe Walcott W15, W15 Gus Lesnevich KO7 Joe Louis W15 ...then he lost to Jersey Joe Walcott in his 9th HW World Title Defense.
the elmer ray pts loss was close. walcott was the only guy to decisivly beat charles during that spell but with their final fight being so close again charles makes even the KO loss to walcott look like a blip. after 1951 Ezz was in great form recording superb KO wins over layne and satterfeild. charles was a truly great heavyweight.
