Ezzard Charles facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ezzard Charles |
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Charles in his prime in 1950
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| Real name | Ezzard Mack Charles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Rated at |
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| Height | 6 ft 0 in | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reach | 73 in | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | July 7, 1921 Lawrenceville, Georgia, U.S. |
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| Died | May 28, 1975 (aged 53) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
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| Stance | Orthodox | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Boxing record | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total fights | 121 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wins | 95 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wins by KO | 52 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Losses | 25 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draws | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Ezzard Mack Charles (born July 7, 1921 – died May 28, 1975) was an American professional boxer. He was known as the Cincinnati Cobra. Ezzard Charles became a World Heavyweight Champion.
He was famous for his smart defense and accurate punches. Many people think he was the best light heavyweight boxer ever. Charles beat many famous fighters in three different weight classes. He finished his career with 95 wins, 25 losses, and 1 draw. In 1990, he was added to the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Contents
Ezzard Charles' Boxing Journey
Charles was born in Lawrenceville, Georgia. He grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. He went to Woodward High School where he was already a well-known fighter.
Early Career and Military Service
Charles started as an amateur boxer. He had an amazing record of 42 wins and no losses. In 1938, he won the Diamond Belt Middleweight Championship. The next year, he won the Chicago Golden Gloves tournament. He also won the national AAU Middleweight Championship in 1939.
He became a professional boxer in 1940. He won his first 17 fights in a row. Then, he lost to a fighter named Ken Overlin. Charles beat future Hall of Fame boxers like Teddy Yarosz and Charley Burley. These wins showed he was a top fighter. However, he served in the U.S. military during World War II. Because of this, he could not fight professionally in 1945.
Becoming World Heavyweight Champion
After the war, Charles returned to boxing. He fought as a light heavyweight. He won many important fights. He beat famous boxers like Archie Moore, Jimmy Bivins, Lloyd Marshall, and Elmer Ray.
After beating Archie Moore for the third time, something very sad happened. Charles fought a young boxer named Sam Baroudi. Charles knocked him out in the 10th round. Sadly, Baroudi died from his injuries. Charles was so upset that he almost stopped boxing forever.
Charles then moved up to the heavyweight division. He couldn't get a title shot at light heavyweight. After beating Joe Baksi and Johnny Haynes, Charles won the vacant National Boxing Association Heavyweight title. He beat Jersey Joe Walcott in a 15-round fight on June 22, 1949. The next year, he beat his hero, former World Heavyweight Champion Joe Louis. This made him the recognized World Champion. He successfully defended his title against Walcott, Lee Oma, and Joey Maxim.
Battles with Rocky Marciano
In 1951, Charles fought Walcott again for the third time. He lost his title by knockout in the seventh round. Charles then lost a close and debated decision in their fourth fight. If he had won, he would have been the first boxer to win back the heavyweight championship.
Charles remained a top fighter. He had wins over Rex Layne, Tommy Harrison, and Coley Wallace. He then knocked out Bob Satterfield. This win earned him the chance to challenge Heavyweight Champion Rocky Marciano. Their two fights are considered boxing classics.
In their first fight on June 17, 1954, Charles fought Marciano for all 15 rounds. He was the only boxer to ever last the full 15 rounds against Marciano. Marciano won the fight by decision. Many fans and writers felt Charles deserved to win. In their rematch in September, Charles hit Marciano so hard that it split Marciano's nose. The referee almost stopped the fight. But Marciano fought back and won with a knockout in the eighth round.
Later Years and Retirement
Like many boxers, Charles had money problems. This forced him to keep fighting. He lost 13 of his last 23 fights. He retired with a record of 93 wins, 25 losses, and 1 draw, with 52 knockouts.
Charles was good friends with Rocky Marciano. He was also a neighbor and friend of Muhammad Ali in Chicago.
Ezzard Charles' Final Years
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In 1968, Charles was diagnosed with ALS. This disease is also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. It affected Charles' legs and eventually made him unable to move. A fundraiser was held to help him. Many of his former opponents spoke on his behalf. Rocky Marciano said Charles was the bravest man he ever fought.
Ezzard Charles spent his last days in a nursing home. He passed away on May 28, 1975, in Chicago. He was buried at Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois.
Ezzard Charles' Lasting Impact
In 1976, Cincinnati honored Charles. They changed the name of Lincoln Park Drive to Ezzard Charles Drive. This was the street where he lived when he was a champion.
- In 2002, The Ring magazine ranked Charles as the 13th best fighter of the last 80 years.
- In 2006, the IBRO (International Boxing Research Organisation) named Ezzard Charles the 11th greatest fighter of all time.
- Muhammad Ali said that Ezzard Charles was a truly great fighter and champion. He believed Charles would have been a tough opponent for him.
- In 2007, ESPN online ranked Ezzard Charles as the 27th greatest boxer ever. He was ranked higher than famous fighters like Mike Tyson and Larry Holmes.
- In 2009, Boxing magazine said Ezzard Charles was the greatest Light Heavyweight fighter ever.
- In 2022, a statue honoring Ezzard Charles was put up in Laurel Park, Cincinnati, Ohio.
- Boxing historian Bert Sugar listed Charles as the seventh greatest Heavyweight of all time.
Images for kids
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Charles in his prime in 1950
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Charles' grave at Burr Oak Cemetery
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Commemorative stamp honoring Charles
