[1949] Article describing the top heavyweights of the day

Interesting writeup on the 1949 heavyweight scene. Article also discusses the other weight classes, and I might write those up later.

Jimmy Powers, "The Powerhouse," New York Daily News (Nov. 1, 1949)

This is how the fight picture looks at present:

HEAVYWEIGHTS: 1. Ezzard Charles. 2. Lee Savold. 3. Joe Walcott. 4. Joey Maxim. 5. Bruce Woodcock.

HONORABLE MENTION—Roland LaStarza, Cesar Brion, Bernie Reynolds, Rocky Marchiano [sic], Pat Valentino.

The heavyweights look sad. Charles, best of them all, is really a light-heavy. He is a good fighter, nothing else, and far surpasses Savold who hasn’t licked anyone recently but Buonvino, a second-rater.

Walcott has seen his best days, but must rate third best. Maxim is a fattened light-heavy who is a clever boxer but can’t hit. Woodcock is a tough battler with no class. LaStarza lacks experience, but may improve. He does everything well but seems mechanical. Brion needs polish but does hit hard. Reynolds is not bad but can’t take it too well. Marchiano [sic] is a terrific hitter, but needs plenty of experience and ring savvy. Valentino needs a haircut.

 

Yeah, I'm starting to get curious about exactly when, why, and how Charles' reputation improved so dramatically. Might try to look into that sometime.

 

The Ring had Savold a bit lower in its end-of-year rankings. Not sure why they had Lee Oma or (especially) Turkey Thompson so high though.

1. Ezzard Charles
2. Lee Oma
3. Turkey Thompson
4. Jersey Joe Walcott
5. Bruce Woodcock
6. Lee Savold
7. Jimmy Bivins
8. Pat Valentino
9. Omelio Agramonte
10. Roland LaStarza

 

Must have been after 1975:

https://www.boxingforum24.com/threa...ine-all-time-top-ten-in-each-division.597721/

Maybe his tragic health decline and early death in 1975 played a role in leading boxing people toward a more sympathetic reappraisal of his career accomplishments?

 

The thing is, it didn't become apparent "quickly." It apparently took quite some time after his career had ended.

 

A few relevant data points (I might add more later):

May 29, 1975 article: Chris Dundee quoted as describing Charles as "the greatest light heavyweight he ever saw."

February 9, 1981 article: Quotes a March 1981 Boxing Today article in which Bill Libby states that Charles "may have been the greatest light heavyweight ever."

September 18, 1985 article: Quotes Eddie Futch as saying "Ezzard Charles was a heavyweight champion, and he was a light heavyweight, I think the greatest of all time.'

January 27, 1993 article: Quotes Russell Pelz as saying that "Some people will tell you that Ezzard Charles is the greatest light-heavyweight ever, but the general consensus probably is that Archie was."

December 9, 1999 article: Poll of 5 "experts" assembled by AP ranked Charles as third greatest light-heavy of all time, behind Moore and Billy Conn (and above Roy Jones, Bivins, Foster, Harold Johnson, Philadelphia Jack O'Brien, Tiger Jack Fox, and Max Rosenbloom (in order)).

 

No, I don’t disagree with that.