Throw Back Friday Edition: Ezzard Charles.
I have Ezzard rated #5 all time on my p4p list. Here’s my take, then enjoy the clip below!
Ezzard Charles: 96 Wins/58 K.O.’s/1 Draw/25 Losses
Ezzard Charles could display the sweet science at it’s finest. He would feint, slip, roll, counter, and just do it all, to some he may have been dull, but those who understood boxing, see him as a true artist. Many believe Ezzard to be the best Light heavyweight ever although he never won a title there.
He fought 5 Light Heavyweight Champions beating 4. His earlier wins were against Middleweights and Light Heavyweights beating Charlie Burley twice and Joey Maxim, and Jimmy Bivins at Light Heavy Weight. Charles beat the great Archie Moore 3 times, knocking him out once. After knocking out Sam Baroudi, Baroudi died of the injury’s. Charles was distraught thinking of retirement. He would then adapt a more cautious style and lost the killer instinct to hurt his opponents.
Charles won the Heavyweight Title weighing less than 180lbs beating Jersey Joe Walcott. He beat a shell of himself Joe Louis, then he lost the title to Walcott. He fought for the Heavyweight title 3 more times losing again to Walcott and then Rocky Marciano twice. The first fight was very close decision won by Rocky. In the second bout Charles was within a few rounds of a technical knockout of Rocky after splitting his nose but Rocky would K.O. him in the 8th round. Ezzard came all the way up from middleweight and still brought that amazing skill with him to Heavyweight.
The death of Baroudi seemed to haunt him at Heavyweight as he didn’t display that killer instinct and aggressiveness. Still his career wins speak for themselves. Charles will always be remembered as one of the purest fighters and best technicians ever.
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