Snapshot of Ezzard Charles MW & LtHeavy Era: "You won’t find as much as a cursory nod to the greatest years Charles ever had as an exceptional middleweight who blossomed into one of the greatest light heavyweights ever seen. For the real Ezzard Charles was the biggest nugget in a goldmine of outstanding talent in the early to late ‘40s. Tremendous Let us take a little time to ponder the tremendous depth in quality of the light heavyweight and middleweight divisions when Ezzard was at his best. Swimming in the same dangerous ocean were the likes of Charley Burley, Lloyd Marshall, Joey Maxim, Elmer “Violent” Ray, Holman Williams, Leonard Morrow, Nate Bolden, Oakland Billy Smith and Curtis “Hatchet Man” Sheppard. It seems almost trite to talk about the sometimes thin divisions of class between such craftsmen of the highest level. Each was a master of his trade because he had to be. This was the era of eight official weight divisions, the era in which the now devalued title of “world champion” was accorded to one man only. 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. Charley Burley, for example, clashed seven times with Holman Williams, fought a trilogy with the bruising Fritzie Zivic and also crossed swords with Jimmy Bivins, Lloyd Marshall and Bert Lytell. 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. Sprinkled on his long record are the names of Jake LaMotta, Marcel Cerdan, Archie Moore, Bob Satterfield and Jack Chase. Perennial contenders like Williams scrapped and scrambled for years in their attempts to climb to the top of the pile. For those who made it, there was still no guarantee of ultimate glory, especially for black fighters. Williams never got a title shot. Nor did Lloyd Marshall or Elmer Ray. Charley Burley retired without ever getting the chance to prove himself on the biggest stage. Even the great Sugar Ray Robinson apparently considered Burley to be too risky a proposition. Archie Moore finally bagged a world title, but only after piling up more than 160 fights and getting messed around for years by the powers that be. As a middleweight, Ezzard Charles couldn’t get a shot at champion Tony Zale, and was similarly frozen out by Gus Lesnevich in the light heavyweight class. Consider what the Cincinnati Cobra achieved in the minefield of talent that we have examined. He scored three victories apiece over Archie Moore, Lloyd Marshall and Jimmy Bivins. He twice whipped the great and mystic Charley Burley in successive fights and also did the double over Joey Maxim and Oakland Billy Smith. To those names, you can add the stellar trio of Teddy Yarosz, Anton Christoforidis and the erratic but hugely dangerous Elmer “Violent” Ray. This is not to decry the achievements of Ezzard Charles in the dreadnought division. He was actually a very good heavyweight and an underrated champion. But even as he was gaining universal recognition as the king of the hill by beating Louis, the Cobra had lost much of the speed, venom and killer instinct of his peak years."
As a pre-war middleweight Charles was a high school kid. After showing early talent He burnt out by the age of 21 years old losing to Marshall and Bivins just before entering the war. If Charles never fought again nobody would remember him as much of anything more than a kid who looked decent who packed up after two hard defeats after just three years in the game. Whilst you are correct in saying Charles career really got going in 1946 I think 1946 is far too early for his prime.. Crucially When he came out of the army Ezzard was 173 pound by then and within three months he fought heavyweight Charles peaks. So Charles was by no means an exclusive lightheavyweight even then. In fact Bivins was a heavyweight that whole time. Maxim often was too. Moore was beating heavyweights as well. These guys were small heavyweights who sometimes fought at lightheavyweight. You are correct Charles prime was during the 44-1 post war record he built up but as little as 12 of those 45 fights were strictly lightheavyweight fights with both Charles and his opponent weighing within that limit. What’s that? One third of his prime? Charles had a splendid resume but I believe he really became a great fighter after 1947. His first fight with Fritzie Fitzpatrick was rather controversial. Charles was claimed to have benefited from a very slow count when he was knocked down and Fritzie complained He was the victim of a hometown fast count later in the fight. He was up and fighting back when the ref decided he had been counted out! This content is protected 1947-07-14 : Ezzard Charles 174 lbs beat Fitzie Fitzpatrick 182½ lbs by KO at 2:43 in round 5 of 10 Location: Crosley Field, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA Referee: Joe Camille Charles opened a cut over Fitzpatrick's right eye in the 1st round, and the cut bled throughout the bout. Charles was knocked down in the 2nd round for a seven-count with a right to the head. Charles appeared to be hurt from the blow, and was sent off balance with a left before the round ended. Charles came back to put Fitzpatrick down in the 3rd round for a nine-count, with a left. Charles hurt Fitzpatrick again with a left in the 4th round, as Fitzpatrick's cut began to flow on both the referee and Charles. During the 4th and 5th round, Fitzpatrick tried to turn the tide of the fight by tying up Charles, and pummeling his body. In the 5th round, Charles caught Fitzpatrick with a left and right to the head, that sent him to the canvas. Fizpatrick took the ten count, and then rose and tried to resume fighting with Charles. After the two exchanged several blows, the referee stepped in and stopped the bout. Fitzpatrick's corner protested the stoppage, claiming their fighter rose at the count of nine.
I don't care what you say. Everyone who knows Ezzard Charles career knows that his prime was as a light heavyweight from 1946 up until he killed Sam Baroudi in 1948. I'm not going to fall into your trap, your agenda is clear. You want us to believe he was in his prime as a heavyweight and when he fought Marciano the first time. I got news for you, going into the first Marciano fight, Charles was already well past his prime. Charles peak ended after he killed Baroudi. Charles himself said he felt at his fastest and best weighing from 170-175lb. He said he felt his peak was 1946-1948 because he matured physically and mentally after the war. By the time he fought Joe Louis in 1950, charles was out of his best weight class and already in decline. Watch Charles vs Marshall 1946 on youtube, Charles looks much faster, sharper, better than in any of his 1950s fights
I don’t want you or anybody to think anything other than the actual facts within the record. If you don’t like it, Take it up with recorded history. Look at the record it’s all there. Boxing folklore has Ezzard as this ATG lightheavyweight but within months of being one he’s taking on heavyweights. In truth he was barely a LHW. No more so than Floyd Patterson was. For some reason established opinion decided on Charles being a LHW rather than Floyd. Both rated as LHWs before becoming heavyweight champion. But once a LHW is beating Heavyweights he’s a HW isn’t he? And this “over early prime” you talk of is another myth. It might have made it into established boxing legend but Look at the record it’s all there. Charles beating Baksi at heavyweight then Bivins, Ray, Moore, Maxim, Walcott, Louis Oma, Layne, Brion And Satterfeild is A higher echelon than gaining revenge over Lloyd Marshall in 1946.
The trouble is, everyone but you defines a light heavyweight as a fighter who weighs in within the light heavyweight limit. Fighting a heavier opponent doesn't make Charles a heavyweight any more than Elmer Ray became a light heavyweight by fighting the 175lb Charles. And the obvious difference between Charles and Patterson is that Patterson outgrew the light heavyweight division when he was just 20 - an age when Charles was still competing as a middleweight.
isn’t Tommy Burns and Bob Fitzsimmons regarded as heavyweight champions even though they were within the bounds of LH limits? Tunney, Schmeling, Walcott And Braddock all were LHWs initially too. Yet only Ezzard goes down as a light-heavyweight? Gene Tunney was not beating heavyweights before he challenged Dempsey either. Talking of Dempsey he was barely a heavyweight initially either. yes but Patterson was barely a heavyweight when he won the title. I think Archie Mcbride, Tommy Jackson were the only heavyweights he had fought by then. Floyd largely got a crack at a heavyweight eliminator out of being the outstanding contender at light heavyweight. When Charles beat Walcott he had been whupping heavyweights for ages.
All I know is..the best I've seen of him is Ezzard Charles was a smooth as butter..silky with it..and power to spare in that small frame..the one guy I think would have shut out Roy Jones..he had the style..the power and the movement to do it. His record speaks for itself..he may have lost to the big guys he faced..but as a fighter..and everybody he fought..I have no problem with anyone who think he's the GOAT.
