I know he is rated very highly at Light Heavy, but is he a bit underrated as a Heavyweight? How good was he at his best in the highest weight class?
****ing overrated like hell at hw, underrated? give me break... floyd patterson kills him, kills him!!!
Based on the fact that most historians still put Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano in the Top 10, I say that makes him pretty good as he took both those guys to the brink of destruction As far as his era goes, the 50s, it ranks up there well behind the 90s, 60s, 70s...but well above today's modern era, as well as the 20s and 30s
From 1944-1951 Ezzard Charles went 41-1. His only loss during this time was a robbery to Elmer Ray which he took care of in the rematch. He had wins over Joe Walcott, Joe Louis, Elmer Ray, jimmy bivins, Gus lesnevich, Archie Moore, Bob satterfield, Joey maxim, Rex Layne and a bunch others. He beat about 6-8 hall of fame inductees. His win list is insane.. He Ruled the heavyweight division for 3 years and continued to be a top 3 heavy for a few years after losing the title. He's not a solid lock for me but I can see an argument which might place him there.
It's weird, but there is barely a raised eyebrow at Marciano being rated in the top 5, yet Charles who gave him life and death, along with the record you mentioned meets with ridicule!
I'm one of the people who thinks he's underrated at heavyweight but that's me. I can see arguments for both putting him in the top 10 or just outside it. But anyone who says that he's not even top 20 had a strange view in my opinion.
I'd rate him higher at light heavyweight right next to Archie Moore, Spinks, and Foster. He beat Louis and gave Marciano a run for his money. Thing that brings him down is he didn't fight a whole lot at heavyweight and against that great of heavyweights.
He would be on the same plateau as Marciano and Walcott at his best for me. Charles gets unfairly discredited because he was on the scene too long...past his best. Ezzard Charles was truly one of the ATG's IMO. he fought at the highest level in every weight class he competed. From middle to heavy...
In his prime he was a light heavyweight from 1944-1951. He went up to the early 180's when he fought at heavyweight and he fought heavyweights who were great but he also fought some not so great which comes with the era when fighters are fighting every month. ATG regardless.
