Ezzard Charles

Ezzard Charles was a legendary boxer who dominated the ring for over two decades. With a total of 121 fights in his career, he won 95 of them, lost 25 and drew once, leaving behind a legacy that will always be remembered in the history of boxing. In this article, we will take a closer look at the life of Ezzard Charles, from his first fight to his last, highlighting some of his most memorable moments and achievements throughout his illustrious career.

Charles was born on July 7th, 1921, in Lawrenceville, Georgia, and began his professional boxing career at the age of 18 on March 12, 1940, against Melody Johnson, whom he defeated via a 4th round knockout. He won 16 consecutive fights after his debut fight and continued to rise through the professional ranks, winning seven of his fights via stoppage.

Charles had his first world title fight against Jersey Joe Walcott for the heavyweight NBA title at the age of 27 on June 22, 1949, after 68 professional fights. He defeated Walcott via a 15 round unanimous decision to become the heavyweight champion of the world.

One of the most remarkable aspects of Charles' career was his ability to win fights against the best fighters of his time. He defeated eight Hall-of-Famers during his career, including Joe Louis, Archie Moore, and Jersey Joe Walcott, to name a few.

However, like all great fighters, Charles suffered some memorable defeats during his career. His first loss came on June 9, 1941, against Ken Overlin via a 10 round unanimous decision, ending his 17-fight win streak. He lost a total of 25 fights in his career, with four of those losses coming in title fights and 21 coming in non-title bouts. He was stopped seven times and lost 18 times via decision. One of the more memorable losses came against Rocky Marciano on June 17, 1954, via a 15 round unanimous decision in a fight for the NBA, NYSAC, and The Ring heavyweight titles.

Charles' career highlights are vast, and he put on many great fights during his nearly two-decade-long career. Some of the most notable fights came against Charley Burley, Joey Maxim, and Archie Moore, whom he defeated in three different fights. Charles won a total of three world titles with eight title defenses, including five title-fight KO wins.

Perhaps one of Charles' most significant achievements came on September 27, 1950, when he became a unified heavyweight world champion by defeating Joe Louis via a 15 round unanimous decision. He held the NBA, NYSAC, and The Ring heavyweight world-champion belts. Charles successfully defended his heavyweight titles in two consecutive fights against Jersey Joe Walcott and Joey Maxim, winning both fights via a 15 round unanimous decision. However, his reign as a unified heavyweight world champion came to an end on June 17, 1954, when he lost to Rocky Marciano via a 15 round unanimous decision.

Throughout his career, Charles showed incredible skills and endurance in the ring. He won a total of 52 fights via knockout, showing he had power as well as the ability to box. Charles' style was unique for his time, as he was a heavyweight who could move and punch with the accuracy and speed of a middleweight.

Charles was known for his remarkable performances in the ring, and his victories against some of the best fighters of his time solidified his place in boxing history. His achievements did not go unnoticed, as he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) in 1990.

In conclusion, Ezzard Charles was one of the greatest boxers of his time, and his career highlights prove his worth. He was a three-time world champion with eight title defenses, and he defeated some of the greatest boxers of his era. While Charles' career had its share of losses, his numerous victories and remarkable performances in the ring showed why he was one of the best boxers ever.

Ezzard Charles Fight Record