Marcel Cerdan

Cerdan looks brilliant on film.
I really like his left hooks, doubling them up, body and head, and off the jab. Cerdan was so strong, a natural fighter.

Zale was coming off a very impressive showing in the Graziano rubber match. He absolutely destroyed Rocky, looked very fast and very sharp. I question how depleted Zale really was. Of course, at 35 and after a long career and layoffs I wouldn't argue that he was in his prime, but he was still excellent.

Cerdan wore him down, broke him down, and then knocked him out cold. The bell saved Zale and a minute's rest couldn't help him, he really have nothing left after Cerdan was through with him.

 

Cerdan was like a middleweight Duran.

I think he's underrated and a definite top 10 MW.

 

Cerdan looked fantastic vs Zale.

 

What a charismatic dynamo he was. Used to watch him spar with Italo Scortachini at a gym in the Bronx.

 

John that must be one amazing memory. having seen him in the flesh how would you rate him with the MWs of the day and the other greats?

 

He was a busy, quick beast, E, with a jackhammer left hook, upstairs and downstairs, and radar for defense. He'd be in the pocket -- shoulders hunched -- avoiding nothing, but not getting hit -- the damdest thing.

He'd make it a sparring session unless some wise-ass tried to unload on him for the gym rats. Then Cerdan would clean his clock.

 

John, were you surprised by the defeat to la Motta and if you're a betting man who would you have puit your money on in the rematch?

 

Cerdan was a great fighter with a padded record, and limited resume. Very good skill wise and punching skills wise, but he did not totally prove himself against the better fighters of his era like lamotta did. Lamotta beat cerdan, and was better than marcel. I think jake wins the rematch. Cerdan would trouble many great middleweights stylistically

 

I was surprised, E, and attribute it to the shoulder he hurt early on. But,
it's the fortune's of war, and a loss is a loss.

Even up, I'd've favored Marcel in the return.

 

It's fair to think Jake would win the rematch but the padded record thing is not really relevant. Cerdan was not padding his record. He was fighting whoever he could. He went to the US, reportedly slightly past his prime, and would have continued to campaign there. He wasn't trying to get away with anything and his career cannot be compared to the guys of today who carefully select their fights.

Ezzard Charles thought Cerdan to be the best fighter in the world, which is pretty high praise.

 

Thanks, John, much appreciated. I think Cerdan was a big loss to boxing. A tragic story. It must have been really somethign to have rubbed shoulders with these guys. Cerdan is a real part of history what with the romance with Piaf who was cursed with bad luck herself.

 

One thing about Cerdan against Lamotta that doesn't often get mentioned is that Cerdan was very much an aggressive fighter, not a master-boxer.

He had no reverse gear like Ray Robinson and was all about blistering offense and staying at a correct distance,looking to move in and unload his combos.Back him up and he would not look nearly as good.

A great fighter, but as a natural Welter with a very offensive physical style he didn't match up well with the bullish stronger Lamotta.

a rematch woudl have been a tough fight for him once again, though i wouldn't count him out.

 

Some people just have that indefinable "something," like Steve McQueen. Marcel had it. Even here in the States, at an obscure gym in the Bronx, he was a magnet -- a bear of a guy, with a ready smile for everyone.

 

he was unlucky- he wanted to come to america before ww2 but ww2 stopped him- not his fault