Nice Mike Casey article on Ezzard Charles

Thanks for a fine read ... now beware ... the article clearly states Charles not only was past his best against Marciano but not even great as a heavyweight ... can predict how that wil play out in Marcianoville ...

 

Hegrant is such a clown, the article never says "Charles was not a great Heavyweight. "

And in fact lists HWs Bivins, Maxim, and Ray among his best scalps. Maxim had over 20 lbs on Charles in their first encounters.

Solid article but not the best and most detailed I've read on Charles. Thanks for the find though, any serious writings on the man is a blessing.

 

wow thx

 

I probably undersold the Burley wins in the other thread. I'll give you that.

Though Charles looks like a fine technical heavyweight on film, from everything I read bout his pre-filmed days he almost comes across like a completely different animal, a very aggressive two fisted puncher.

And interesting he or at least his management appeared to be chasing Louis as far back as 47. Just a year back from the war!



Ezzard Charles, Cincinnati, knocked out Lloyd Marshall of Sacramento and Cleveland, in the 2nd round of a scheduled 10 rounder tonight at Crosley Field. The aggressor all the way, Charles, 173, floored Marshall, 168, three times in the 2nd heat, the end coming at 2:25. The Cincinnati Negro puncher opened up with a two-fisted attack at the outset and hurt his opponent with lefts and rights to the head in the first two minutes. A left hook to the head floored Marshall for the nine count as the 2nd round got under way, and he went down again, for the same count, almost immediately when Charles connected with a left hook to the stomach. A left to the jaw put out the lights for the California battler." -Associated Press




Post fight comment

• "This makes our boy the logical contender for the heavyweight crown. Give us Joe Louis." -Jake Mintz, Charles' manager

 

This is true. One of the earliest matches he seems to have adapted a more cautious style is the first Elmer Ray meeting who was a much larger pressure fighter. Interesting that Charles also seemed to lose the decision by not being his aggressive self though by many accounts outboxed Ray.

 

:dealThat's so right...so good to watch!!:good

 

nothing earth shattering because a lot of it goes along the lines of established (but IMO flawed) opinion that charles was avoided by Tony Zale. Zale's title was frozen and ezzard was also inactive during the war! Charles had some excelent wins against all time greats whilst he was still growing. Ezzard was still at high school for most of that time and still a kid of 21-22 when his first career as 169 pounder was ended by Marshal.

ezzard featured in the middleweight ring ratings for one year only in 1941 when zale was champion. By the next year two wins over joey maxim put him in the light heavyweight rankings even though he was only 168lb.

But Charles had a disastrous year in 1943 and was knocked down 16 times in the only 2 fights he had, he was then absent from the LH ratings until 1946 and was always rated behind Billy fox that year who got a shot ahead of him.

1947 was the only year Charles was number one contender to lesnevich- he could have got a shot there but the champion selected his number 4 challenger instead. Of the 12 times he fought in 1947 only 4 of the opponents Ezzard faced scaled within the light heavyweight limit when he fought them - the rest all being heavyweights. I don’t think it scandalous that a part time light heavy didn’t face the champion the one year he was #1 contender.

 

-Confidential-

Dear McGrain:

Please inform as to your compensation for promoting other boxing writers who have written on Ezzard Charles (ahem.). I will try to do my utmost to match or raise it.


Sincerely yours in Conn,

Stonehands

 

Does anyone else cringe when they read choklab's posts?

46-49 there was no better lhw on the planet.

 

Thanks for the read I love Charles.


"The fighters of Ezzard Charles’ time learned their business thoroughly because they had to fight often against consistently tough opposition, often engaging in series of fights against each other."

"Holman Williams was a story all by himself, notching 147 wins in 189 fights against the cream of the crop. Clever, cunning and skilful, Holman was one of those forever kinds of fighters who probably looked like a grizzled old veteran when he came out of the womb."

Love these quotes and TBH back then the best money usually if not always came from fighting the best unlike now where guys pad their records way more. They were tougher then no doubt and I also wish I could see at least 3 of Holman's fights along with some Moore-Ezzard and any Burley but mainly at his best. Lack of footage truly helps you appreciate what is known to exist and I wish more comes out.