Ezzard Charles, The Cincinnati Cobra, The Baddest LHW of All Time... Educate Yourselves

IntentionalButt · Dec 3, 2019

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Yikes.

CST80 · Dec 3, 2019

@George Crowcroft

George Crowcroft · Dec 3, 2019

CST80 said: ↑

@George Crowcroft
Click to expand...

Cheers man

The Morlocks · Dec 3, 2019

George Crowcroft said: ↑

Study up, Mutha****a!

The Cincinnati Cobra was born in... Lawrenceville?
Yup. He was from Lawrenceville, Georgia and then moved to Cincinnati as a young kid. He was a respected pupil at Woodward High School and was a fighter by the time of graduation. He was a classy educated man, with a love Jazz music he would follow up with in later life with once he had the platform. His parents are pretty much unknown, but he grew up living with his Gran and had no siblings.
By 1942 he would've graduated from school and had started his amateur career almost years beforehand, and would actually have been fighting professionally for 2 years. He started off weighing similar to a featherweight and would start winning awards at 15 as a welterweight.
He would be fighting competitively against other top Ohio WWs in 1937, and would win the diamond belt 3 times in 37,38&39. He would also win the Golden Gloves at MW in 1939.

So by 1940, he had a reported Amateur Record of 42-0, had won 3 AAU Championships, 3 Diamond Belts and won the Chicago Golden Gloves award before turning professional, at 18.

He kicked off his career as a MW in 1940, with a KO4 over Melody Johnson. He'd go on a 17-0 win streak before losing at the hands of veteran, unheralded middleweight Ken Overlin, who also fought Ezz to a draw (which should be noted that it was in Ohio, so Ken probably deserved the nod). Two fights later he'd take on old ATG Teddy Yarosz, winning via schooling at the age of 20. In a few months, he'd find himself opponent for Charlie Burley, who was a later replacement for a rubber match against Overlin, who pulled out, I imagine we've all heard of the alleged duck by Robinson of Burley, but that's another story. Ezzard would fight Burley to a clear decision, which he would win. He'd take him on in a rematch 5 weeks later... Which Ezz would win even easier. This was in 1942, and was a test of the top 2 MW contenders, which, whilst the titles were froze, meant absolutely nothing as neither were getting a title shot for at least 3 years. Ezzard Charles would also take on underrated LHW champion at 160, Joey Maxim twice.

So Ezz moved on, a trip up to light heavyweight was the path he'd choose. He'd campaign at LHW, taking on back to back ATGs in Marshall and Bivins, losing both. His devastating loss to Marshall (an 8th round TKO, after going down 8 times) is bad. Bad for confidence, but Ezzard had a hip injury and still got up from a big puncher's shots 8 times. Bivins seemed to catch him at the right time. Ezz didn't take these losses particularly well, and took over a year out. He'd have 2 gimme fights in December 44, in fact there were only 3 days between the bouts.

In 1945, Ezzard was drafted to the military. He'd spend 1945 out of the ring as a consequence.
In 1946, Ezzard became a Killer. He'd start off with a few gimmes, but would step up to take on Archie Moore (who's a certified top 20 pfp fighter and top 3 LHW), school him and then move on to avenge his loss to Marshall, with a KO6. He'd take on an underrated fighter, who has a claim to be an ATG, Oakland Billy Smith, who he'd beat easily on points then he'd finish the year off with a Clean UD over Bivins, which took his 1946 record to 10(6)-0 with wins over 4 Hall of Famers...
1947 started off just as devastating, taking on Moore, Marshall, Smith, Bivins and Ray. Beating 4 of them, 3 by KO, but the loss to Ray and the win over Moore both being considered controversial (moreso his loss against Elmer Ray).

In 1948, he would cold KO Moore in a trilogy fight, Ezzard beat a promising up and comer named Sam Baroudi. Sam would die in hospital due to the injuries sustained from his bout with Ezzard. Ezz would take a few months away from the sport and questioned himself. He subsequently came back, with his killer instinct still intact as he KO Elmer Ray in a rematch. Ezz would also beat Maxim and Bivins again before his move up in weights again.

By 1949, it was clear that Gus Lesnevich wasn't planning on giving anybody decent a title shot, so instead of engaging in endless series with the same fighters he was better than, he tested the waters at HW. Taking on, number 1 contender, Jersey Joe Walcott in his first fight at HW for the vacant NBA title. From here he'd be a very dominant HW Champion, racking up 8 title defences and beating HOFers, Joe Louis, Gus Lesnevich, Jersey Joe Walcott and Joey Maxim. His fight with Joe Louis is my favourite of his career, it's a high action technical brawl that doesn't get the recognition it deserves imo.

He'd lose the title in what I regard as the most devastating fashion ever seen in the ring. Career rival Jersey Joe Walcott dipped to the side whilst casually walking and landed a HUGE left hookercut which KOed Charles. It was painful.
He'd then beat contender Rex Layne a couple of times, as well as another fight with Joey Maxim, and controversially lose a 4th fight with Jersey Joe Walcott. This is where he should've retired imo, he didn't do much after this point.

Anyways, after JJW4 he would go onto fight HW Nino Valdez, and lose in a close fight. In his very next fight he would lose again, controversially to ATG LHW Harold Johnson. He'd go onto score a beautiful HL reel KO over THE Glassy Gunslinger, Bob Satterfield. This would get him his fight with Marciano, which he would do very well in and even have certain ringside writers claiming the decision was wrong, and Ezzard should've won. I wouldn't put to much stock in that without the full footage. He was granted an immediate rematch, which he would split Marciano's nose in and be on the verge of victory, before the rock came back with force and stopped Charles.

After his final two meaningful fights with Marciano he would end up having 23 fights, going 10-13. He would retire in 1959 with a record of 95(52)-25(7)-1.

He'd try and make the best of his life though, playing Jazz music with respected practitioners and being known as someone who could hold his own with the best on the bass. In 1968, he was being diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease and it would progress quickly, paralysing him from the waste down, crippling him for his final few years. He
would be in immense pain before he passed, and there's a heartbreaking commercial from 1973 that shows Charles in a wheelchair, almost a different human from the fighting machine of the late 40s. He'd die from his condition in 1975.

Ezzard Charles was not a very popular champion. Max Baer was once quoted saying "we've got a middleweight champ who'd lick the best heavyweight in the world... Sugar Ray Robinson". Ezzard Charles suffered from the first Larry Holmes syndrome, the guy after Joe Louis and the guy before Rocky Marciano, but in his passing he was very respected, Marciano called him the "bravest man he'd ever fought".
In 1976, Cincinnati dedicated the street lived in whilst fighting to Ezz by changing the name of Lincoln Park Drive to Ezzard Charles Drive. He's listed as the best LHW of all time by Boxing magazine and is frequently listed in top 15 pfp lists.
It's a shame the hand he he was dealt, in the end it didn't get better. He lost his money from boxing and worked normally, whilst battling his condition. Once his legs stopped working and his speech was impaired, he couldn't afford treatment, so the boxing community came together and 3 former champs came and paid for the legend's treatment.
Archie Moore, Rocky Marciano and Muhammad Ali.

He's somewhat forgotten today, but know. That he is the greatest Light Heavyweight to ever lace them up, belt or not. And a great man, who didn't get the credit he deserved.
Click to expand...

His friends called him SNOOKS

roughdiamond · Dec 3, 2019

Ah, it's here. Real great thread George. I do not favour anyone over prime Ezzard at 175, though there are those who give him trouble stylistically.

He was an enigmatic man. The Jazz / Nightclub story is an example. Ezzard was relaxed and enjoying himself, I think after winning the title, and soon was spotted and recognized by patrons and players. When this happened, he quietly fled the scene to another jazz club in an odd manner. Man seemed to value his privacy.

And that muscular dystrophy commercial upsets me every time.

George Crowcroft · Dec 3, 2019

Flo_Raiden said: ↑

I'm curious to know who you would compare Ezzard Charles' style to, if there's any other fighters that fought similar to Charles
Click to expand...

I see similarities to Gavalin and Robinson.
The combos like that were very much a that era thing, which Ezzard got in on. He was less aggressive than Robinson and Gavalin, but better on defence than both.

He also took aspects of his defence from Moore imo.

The Morlocks · Dec 3, 2019

George Crowcroft said: ↑

Study up, Mutha****a!

The Cincinnati Cobra was born in... Lawrenceville?
Yup. He was from Lawrenceville, Georgia and then moved to Cincinnati as a young kid. He was a respected pupil at Woodward High School and was a fighter by the time of graduation. He was a classy educated man, with a love Jazz music he would follow up with in later life with once he had the platform. His parents are pretty much unknown, but he grew up living with his Gran and had no siblings.
By 1942 he would've graduated from school and had started his amateur career almost years beforehand, and would actually have been fighting professionally for 2 years. He started off weighing similar to a featherweight and would start winning awards at 15 as a welterweight.
He would be fighting competitively against other top Ohio WWs in 1937, and would win the diamond belt 3 times in 37,38&39. He would also win the Golden Gloves at MW in 1939.

So by 1940, he had a reported Amateur Record of 42-0, had won 3 AAU Championships, 3 Diamond Belts and won the Chicago Golden Gloves award before turning professional, at 18.

He kicked off his career as a MW in 1940, with a KO4 over Melody Johnson. He'd go on a 17-0 win streak before losing at the hands of veteran, unheralded middleweight Ken Overlin, who also fought Ezz to a draw (which should be noted that it was in Ohio, so Ken probably deserved the nod). Two fights later he'd take on old ATG Teddy Yarosz, winning via schooling at the age of 20. In a few months, he'd find himself opponent for Charlie Burley, who was a later replacement for a rubber match against Overlin, who pulled out, I imagine we've all heard of the alleged duck by Robinson of Burley, but that's another story. Ezzard would fight Burley to a clear decision, which he would win. He'd take him on in a rematch 5 weeks later... Which Ezz would win even easier. This was in 1942, and was a test of the top 2 MW contenders, which, whilst the titles were froze, meant absolutely nothing as neither were getting a title shot for at least 3 years. Ezzard Charles would also take on underrated LHW champion at 160, Joey Maxim twice.

So Ezz moved on, a trip up to light heavyweight was the path he'd choose. He'd campaign at LHW, taking on back to back ATGs in Marshall and Bivins, losing both. His devastating loss to Marshall (an 8th round TKO, after going down 8 times) is bad. Bad for confidence, but Ezzard had a hip injury and still got up from a big puncher's shots 8 times. Bivins seemed to catch him at the right time. Ezz didn't take these losses particularly well, and took over a year out. He'd have 2 gimme fights in December 44, in fact there were only 3 days between the bouts.

In 1945, Ezzard was drafted to the military. He'd spend 1945 out of the ring as a consequence.
In 1946, Ezzard became a Killer. He'd start off with a few gimmes, but would step up to take on Archie Moore (who's a certified top 20 pfp fighter and top 3 LHW), school him and then move on to avenge his loss to Marshall, with a KO6. He'd take on an underrated fighter, who has a claim to be an ATG, Oakland Billy Smith, who he'd beat easily on points then he'd finish the year off with a Clean UD over Bivins, which took his 1946 record to 10(6)-0 with wins over 4 Hall of Famers...
1947 started off just as devastating, taking on Moore, Marshall, Smith, Bivins and Ray. Beating 4 of them, 3 by KO, but the loss to Ray and the win over Moore both being considered controversial (moreso his loss against Elmer Ray).

In 1948, he would cold KO Moore in a trilogy fight, Ezzard beat a promising up and comer named Sam Baroudi. Sam would die in hospital due to the injuries sustained from his bout with Ezzard. Ezz would take a few months away from the sport and questioned himself. He subsequently came back, with his killer instinct still intact as he KO Elmer Ray in a rematch. Ezz would also beat Maxim and Bivins again before his move up in weights again.

By 1949, it was clear that Gus Lesnevich wasn't planning on giving anybody decent a title shot, so instead of engaging in endless series with the same fighters he was better than, he tested the waters at HW. Taking on, number 1 contender, Jersey Joe Walcott in his first fight at HW for the vacant NBA title. From here he'd be a very dominant HW Champion, racking up 8 title defences and beating HOFers, Joe Louis, Gus Lesnevich, Jersey Joe Walcott and Joey Maxim. His fight with Joe Louis is my favourite of his career, it's a high action technical brawl that doesn't get the recognition it deserves imo.

He'd lose the title in what I regard as the most devastating fashion ever seen in the ring. Career rival Jersey Joe Walcott dipped to the side whilst casually walking and landed a HUGE left hookercut which KOed Charles. It was painful.
He'd then beat contender Rex Layne a couple of times, as well as another fight with Joey Maxim, and controversially lose a 4th fight with Jersey Joe Walcott. This is where he should've retired imo, he didn't do much after this point.

Anyways, after JJW4 he would go onto fight HW Nino Valdez, and lose in a close fight. In his very next fight he would lose again, controversially to ATG LHW Harold Johnson. He'd go onto score a beautiful HL reel KO over THE Glassy Gunslinger, Bob Satterfield. This would get him his fight with Marciano, which he would do very well in and even have certain ringside writers claiming the decision was wrong, and Ezzard should've won. I wouldn't put to much stock in that without the full footage. He was granted an immediate rematch, which he would split Marciano's nose in and be on the verge of victory, before the rock came back with force and stopped Charles.

After his final two meaningful fights with Marciano he would end up having 23 fights, going 10-13. He would retire in 1959 with a record of 95(52)-25(7)-1.

He'd try and make the best of his life though, playing Jazz music with respected practitioners and being known as someone who could hold his own with the best on the bass. In 1968, he was being diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease and it would progress quickly, paralysing him from the waste down, crippling him for his final few years. He
would be in immense pain before he passed, and there's a heartbreaking commercial from 1973 that shows Charles in a wheelchair, almost a different human from the fighting machine of the late 40s. He'd die from his condition in 1975.

Ezzard Charles was not a very popular champion. Max Baer was once quoted saying "we've got a middleweight champ who'd lick the best heavyweight in the world... Sugar Ray Robinson". Ezzard Charles suffered from the first Larry Holmes syndrome, the guy after Joe Louis and the guy before Rocky Marciano, but in his passing he was very respected, Marciano called him the "bravest man he'd ever fought".
In 1976, Cincinnati dedicated the street lived in whilst fighting to Ezz by changing the name of Lincoln Park Drive to Ezzard Charles Drive. He's listed as the best LHW of all time by Boxing magazine and is frequently listed in top 15 pfp lists.
It's a shame the hand he he was dealt, in the end it didn't get better. He lost his money from boxing and worked normally, whilst battling his condition. Once his legs stopped working and his speech was impaired, he couldn't afford treatment, so the boxing community came together and 3 former champs came and paid for the legend's treatment.
Archie Moore, Rocky Marciano and Muhammad Ali.

He's somewhat forgotten today, but know. That he is the greatest Light Heavyweight to ever lace them up, belt or not. And a great man, who didn't get the credit he deserved.
Click to expand...

I have Ez #2 behind Tunney as the best ever.

George Crowcroft · Dec 3, 2019

The Morlocks said: ↑

I have Ez #2 behind Tunney as the best ever.
Click to expand...

Oh. Oh...

Oh my.

Why?

IntentionalButt · Dec 3, 2019

I rate the Joe Louis win pretty highly. Many other Brown Bomber fans prefer to dismiss it as though he suddenly became all-the-way shot in the couple of years between JJW II and 1950, in some misguided attempt to 'save face' on Joe's behalf, making excuses so that only the avenged Schmeling loss can be said to have occurred while he was still "himself" (let alone prime) - but you're right, it was a technical battle, very underrated fight, and showed that even with the added rings in his tree-trunk and the career-high poundage, he was still, while maybe a shade of his antebellum halcyon best, a mature, intelligent, and dangerous monster. Now, fast-forward another year, and take into account the rigors of having fought Ezzard and then another half a dozen younger men (Agramonte x2, Brion x2, Beshore, Walker, Savold, and Bivins) - with all due respect to Rocky, by then, he was ready to have a fork stuck in.

IntentionalButt · Dec 3, 2019

One minor nitpick, @George Crowcroft - Gus Lesnevich was a damn warrior, and fought a tough schedule pretty much throughout his career, starting in 1934 and right up through '49. He may have swerved a few top contenders in the later days of his reign, but I wouldn't say Freddie Mills was just some bum, nor Billy Fox (even subtracting his best W on paper, as the Bull is known to have gone into the proverbial tank). He didn't give any title shots to anybody that wasn't decent, IMO - although to be sure there were probably worthier challengers passed over.

George Crowcroft · Dec 3, 2019

IntentionalButt said: ↑

One minor nitpick, @George Crowcroft - Gus Lesnevich was a damn warrior, and fought a tough schedule pretty much throughout his career, starting in 1934 and right up through '49. He may have swerved a few top contenders in the later days of his reign, but I wouldn't say Freddie Mills was just some bum, nor Billy Fox (even subtracting his best W on paper, as the Bull is known to have gone into the proverbial tank). He didn't give any title shots to anybody that wasn't decent, IMO - although to be sure there were probably worthier challengers passed over.
Click to expand...

Eh you pretty much covered what I meant.
Oh but I think Fox is more of an overrated contender imo, quite manufacturered.
I think the Mafia saw a chance for some cash, so had Fox go on a win streak and take out a known name, he hit hard enough to be a big name.
So tbh I reckon they were just trying to get a buck outta him.

IntentionalButt · Dec 3, 2019

George Crowcroft said: ↑

Eh you pretty much covered what I meant.
Oh but I think Fox is more of an overrated contender imo, quite manufacturered.
I think the Mafia saw a chance for some cash, so had Fox go on a win streak and take out a known name, he hit hard enough to be a big name.
So tbh I reckon they were just trying to get a buck outta him.
Click to expand...

Didn't he give Lesnevich some legitimate hassle, though? In the first defense, anyway. We don't have any video to guide us, but the AP write-up makes it sound like the champ was damn close to KTFO early before rebounding to stop Blackjack.

Anybody that can put the crowd @ MSG on their seat's edge thinking he's about to knock the Pride of Cliffside silly can't be that bad, surely?

IntentionalButt · Dec 3, 2019

George Crowcroft said: ↑

he couldn't afford treatment, so the boxing community came together and 3 former champs came and paid for the legend's treatment.
Archie Moore, Rocky Marciano and Muhammad Ali.

Click to expand...

I love when the fistic fraternity does the ring thing like this. A couple of ATG's who shared the ring with the Cobra (one he beat thrice, and the other beat him twice but got pushed to his limit) and then...

How do we think a time-machine Charles vs. Clay/Ali match-up goes? I've seen it discussed, albeit very infrequently compared to most other HW champ hypothetical showdowns, and IIRC opinions among knowledgeable fans & historians was fairly split down the middle..

George Crowcroft · Dec 3, 2019

IntentionalButt said: ↑

How do we think a time-machine Charles vs. Clay/Ali match-up goes?
Click to expand...

Ali wins. I have little doubt of that.
But it'd be competitive, with Ezz winning rounds. Ali wasn't perfect like his fans claim, he wasn't impossible to win rounds against, and Ezz would bring the best out of him. I think that Ezzard would land counters when Ali comes in, and flurry against Ali to the body inside. Ali's jab was fast, as was his right, but I can see Ezzard adjusting to it and landing counter left hooks and outworking Ali in certain rounds, but still losing based on size and speed.

Really, the winner is clear. We are matching the the greatest HW up with the Greatest LHW. Quite simple really, and I'm quite certain I'm the biggest Charles fan on the forum.

Ali UD15 (145-140)

SquaredCircle · Dec 3, 2019

Charles is a top five all-time great in my book, and I think you could argue he's even higher than fifth to be honest. His resume is insane, and he had the skills and ability to match the record on paper. One of my favorites.

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Ezzard Charles, The Cincinnati Cobra, The Baddest LHW of All Time... Educate Yourselves

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