Ezzard
Mack Charles (July 7, 1921 - May 28, 1975) was an American professional
boxer and former World Heavyweight Champion.
Charles defeated
numerous Hall of Fame fighters in three different weight classes.
He retired with a record of 93 wins, 25 losses and 1 draw.
Career
He
was born in Lawrenceville, Georgia, but is commonly thought of as
a Cincinnatian. Charles graduated from Woodward High School in Cincinnati
where he was already becoming a well known fighter. Known as "The
Cincinnati Cobra", Charles fought many notable opponents in both the
light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions, eventually winning the
World Championship in the latter. Although he never won the Light
Heavyweight title, The Ring has rated him as the greatest light heavyweight
of all time.
Career beginnings and military service
Charles started
his career as a featherweight in the amateurs, where he had a record
of 42-0. In 1938 he won the Diamond Belt Middleweight Championship.
He followed this up in 1939 by winning the Chicago Golden Gloves tournament
of champions. He won the national AAU Middleweight Championship in
1939. He turned pro in 1940, knocking out Melody Johnson in the 4th
round. Charles won all of his first 15 fights before being defeated
by veteran Ken Overlin. Victories over future Hall of Famers Teddy
Yarosz and the much avoided Charley Burley had started to solidify
Charles as a top contender in the middleweight division. However,
he served in the U.S. military during World War II and was unable
to fight professionally in 1945.
World heavyweight champion
He
returned to boxing after the war as a light heavyweight, picking up
many notable wins over leading light heavyweights, as well as heavyweight
contenders Archie Moore, Jimmy Bivins, Lloyd Marshall and Elmer Ray.
Shortly after his knock out of Moore in their third and final meeting,
tragedy struck. Charles fought a young contender named Sam Barouki,
knocking him out in round 10. Barouki died of the injuries he
sustained in this bout. Charles was so devastated he almost gave up
fighting. Charles was unable to secure a title shot at light heavyweight
and moved up to heavyweight. After knocking out Joe Baksi and Johnny
Haynes, Charles won the vacant National Boxing Association World Heavyweight
title when he outpointed Jersey Joe Walcott over 15 rounds on June
22, 1949. The following year, he outpointed his idol and former
World Heavyweight Champion Joe Louis to become the recognized Lineal
Champion. Successful defenses against Walcott, Lee Oma and Joey Maxim
would follow.
Charles vs Marciano
In 1951, Charles fought
Walcott a third time and lost the title by knockout in the seventh
round. Charles lost a controversial decision in their fourth and final
bout. If Charles had won this fight, he would have become the first
man in history to regain the heavyweight championship. Remaining a
top contender with wins over Rex Layne, Tommy Harrison and Coley Wallace,
Charles knocked out Bob Satterfield in an eliminator bout for the
right to challenge Heavyweight Champion Rocky Marciano. His two stirring
battles with Marciano are regarded as ring classics. In the first
bout, held in June 1954, he valiantly took Rocky the distance, going
down on points in a vintage heavyweight bout . Charles is the only
man ever to last the full 15 round distance against Marciano. A number
of fans and boxing writers felt that Charles deserved the decision.
In their September rematch, Charles landed a severe blow that literally
split Marciano's nose in half. Marciano's cornerman were unable to
stop the bleeding and the referee almost halted the contest until
Marciano rallied with an 8th round knockout.
Later career
Financial
problems forced Charles to continue fighting, losing 13 of his final
23 fights (He held a record of 83 wins, 12 losses and 1 draw before
financial problems became a factor in his career). He retired with
a record of 93-25-1 (52 KOs).
