This content is protected Great display of a Prime Ezzard Charles here. You can see the difference between this version and the 51-54 version. Charles was still a fantastic fighter in the early 50s no doubt, but I think you see the Roy Jones esq reflexes, natural ability here that made Charles so unique in the 1940s. watch 3:58-4:00. The double left hook combo then dances quickly out of range. That amazing sequence of footwork, leg speed, in & out range…he could no longer do that in the 50s. later watch 10:15-10:20. another surreal display of how fast and graceful he could move with his legs in his prime The final right hand knockout blow is as classy a one punch knockout you’ll ever see. Valentino went blind as a result of this beating.
There was a very funny anecdote in his biography where someone asked him after the fights how he survived Valentino's powerful body blows, and Charles, ever the humble but honest guy replied, "to tell the truth, I didn't feel them too much." Maybe a slight paraphrase.
He had it all, but was not regarded as a particularly must-see fighter in his day and I think the reasons are valid. He was willing to coast and sometimes lacked killer instinct — you can see several sequences in this film where he unloads, seems to have enough advantage to press and maybe even end it, but backs away. He also falls inside and lets time pass doing nothing — look for instance from around 8:30-9:30 … a whole minute where he’s either inside doing little or nothing, or the three times they’re separated and he has distance (and a distinct advantage if he chooses to stay there) he throws maybe one punch and then lowers his left shoulder and falls inside (not to do work, but to kind of slog away). Again, he had it all. None of what I mentioned detracts from his ability nor makes him easy to beat, as we know, but it also made him a tougher ticket to move at the box office and failed to make him the kind of attraction who could get a groundswell of support to get that light heavyweight title shot. He’s one of those guys who sometimes won ugly. He can be amazingly pleasing to the eye in sequences and then goes into hibernation.
Tremendous left hook at 10:50. Charles had to trade to land it but it was worth it. 12:48 What a tremendous right hand 17:41 Lead right hand right on target 19:21 Hard right and goodnight Great quality footage
Charles may not have been the most exciting fighter but neither was Charly Burley. But, in an era where you fought every week, you took less chances than you do when you fight every 3 or 4 months. And there are times when the guy in the ring sees things differently than the guy watching. Me, watching the fight on television or on video, may think that a guy is hurt and that it is time to finish him, but the guy in the ring is feeling his strength and will have a better understanding as to when a guy is ready to go. Charles took his time, he did his work and the one shot came. That is how a pro works. Watch how he manages Valentino inside. Early on he gives him the left shoulder and nothing else. After that, notice where Charles puts his head when he decides to get close. That position= where you put your head- controls what punches the other guy can land. When you push in with your head and keep your hips back, he cannot dig to your body. With Charles, after Sam Baroudi died, it seems pretty clear that he wasn't as aggressive a finisher as he was previously. He didn't look for knockouts, if they came they came. Really, that is how a pro should go about it. Do your work, be purposeful about what you do, but don't take risks trying to force something that isn't ready to happen.
I used to have hair like Valentino....was black, now white. Charles looked very good but Valentino had martial arts skills on a Patrick Swayze level.
Did Valentino go blind in both eyes or just one? The former would be a terrible fate; i hope for his sakes it was only one.
