Ezzard Charles

Ezzard Charles was a World Heavyweight Champion and American professional boxer. He is widely regarded as the greatest light heavyweight boxer of all time due to his smooth defense and precision. BoxRec ranks Charles as the second greatest boxer of all time, pound for pound, as of May 2021, trailing only Floyd Mayweather Jr. In three separate weight divisions, Charles defeated numerous Hall of Fame opponents. Charles finished his career with a record of 95 wins, 25 defeats, and 1 tie. In the inaugural class of 1990, he was elected into the International Boxing Hall of Fame posthumously.

Ezzard Charles began his career as a featherweight in the amateurs, where he achieved a 42–0 record. He won the Diamond Belt Middleweight Championship in 1938. He followed this up by winning the Chicago Golden Gloves champions competition in 1939. In 1939, he won the national AAU Middleweight Championship. In 1940, he made his professional debut, knocking out Melody Johnson in the fourth round.

After the war, he returned to boxing as a light heavyweight, scoring important victories over leading light heavyweights as well as heavyweight contenders Archie Moore, Jimmy Bivins, Lloyd Marshall, and Elmer Ray. After knocking out Joe Baksi and Johnny Haynes, Charles won the vacant National Boxing Association Heavyweight title on June 22, 1949, by outpointing Jersey Joe Walcott over 15 rounds. He defeated his idol, former World Heavyweight Champion Joe Louis, the next year to become the recognized Lineal Champion.

Ezzard Charles, nicknamed "The Cincinnati Cobra," faced numerous prominent opponents in both the light heavyweight and heavyweight classes, finally earning the World Championship in the latter. Despite the fact that he never won the Light Heavyweight title, The Ring named him the greatest light heavyweight of all time.

Born: July 7, 1921
Died: May 28, 1975

Nationality: American