Ezzard Charles in Summary

[IamInuit]

Yeah its hard to say. Maybe its accumulative? Its surprising that a real long term study has never been done. They could start say at the beginning of the 20th century closely look at the cause of death of boxers and their symptoms prior to death. One would think that if is cause was associated with head trauma their would be evidence all over the place from the last 100 years. Evidence being the symptoms since ALS would not have been a diagnosis for a great portion of that century.

Apparently one thing that got the research headed in a different direction is the discovery that Lou Gehrig himself had a history of repeated head trauma. But you make a good point. One thing I found shocking was that most ALS patients don't have autopsies done. I'd have thought a disease we didn't udnerstand would have had MORE reason to take victims to autopsy as a learning tool. But I guess that's not how the law works.

Indeed. I watched a doc some time ago on brain injury in wrestlers, and foot ball players and why many chose suicide. They actually examined the brains and the results were astonishing. Both had the same damage to the same area of the brain.

[marbleheadmaui]

Yeah its hard to say. Maybe its accumulative? Its surprising that a real long term study has never been done. They could start say at the beginning of the 20th century closely look at the cause of death of boxers and their symptoms prior to death. One would think that if is cause was associated with head trauma their would be evidence all over the place from the last 100 years. Evidence being the symptoms since ALS would not have been a diagnosis for a great portion of that century.

Apparently one thing that got the research headed in a different direction is the discovery that Lou Gehrig himself had a history of repeated head trauma. But you make a good point. One thing I found shocking was that most ALS patients don't have autopsies done. I'd have thought a disease we didn't udnerstand would have had MORE reason to take victims to autopsy as a learning tool. But I guess that's not how the law works.

Indeed. I watched a doc some time ago on brain injury in wrestlers, and foot ball players and why many chose suicide. They actually examined the brains and the results were astonishing. Both had the same damage to the same area of the brain.

Yup. A group of doctors at Boston University are the guys pushing this research and are the guys who examined the brains of guys like Mike Webster and Dave Duerson and Chris Beoit etc.

As a guy who had, and played through, several concussions in HS and college? A bit scary.

[Master]

I consider Ezzard Charles the greatest light heavy, he beat Archie Moore, also I believe he killed someone in the ring and that affected his finishing off opponents subsequently. He beat Joe Louis and Walcott, but then walked into the most beautifully timed punch of all time by Walcott. He gave Rocky his hardest fights, all this at not his best fighting weight. No bad, just imagine if he was around when there was a cruiserweight division and if he fought now.

[Mr140]

Ezzard was a beast only lhw i can see beating him if i were to bet on it is Jones or Spinks.

[marbleheadmaui]

Ezzard was a beast only lhw i can see beating him if i were to bet on it is Jones or Spinks.

And yet here is how great that era of light heavies was. Lloyd Marshall and Jimmy Bivins both knocked him out at 175.

[marbleheadmaui]

I consider Ezzard Charles the greatest light heavy, he beat Archie Moore, also I believe he killed someone in the ring and that affected his finishing off opponents subsequently. He beat Joe Louis and Walcott, but then walked into the most beautifully timed punch of all time by Walcott. He gave Rocky his hardest fights, all this at not his best fighting weight. No bad, just imagine if he was around when there was a cruiserweight division and if he fought now.

The thing about the Walcott hook wasn't just the timing. Go watch that whole fight sometime. Fors six rounds every time he is going to throw that hook he feints first. Then in the seventh after the ref breaks up a clinch? Walcott throws the hook without the feint. Addition by subtraction and craft at its highest level.

[IamInuit]

I consider Ezzard Charles the greatest light heavy, he beat Archie Moore, also I believe he killed someone in the ring and that affected his finishing off opponents subsequently. He beat Joe Louis and Walcott, but then walked into the most beautifully timed punch of all time by Walcott. He gave Rocky his hardest fights, all this at not his best fighting weight. No bad, just imagine if he was around when there was a cruiserweight division and if he fought now.

Correct. Sam Baroudi and Charles would never again fight a LH because of it.

[WayneFlint]

Great thread, Ezzard is my all time favourite fighter, a lot of people nowadays could learn a lesson in humanity from this man, ive never read that piece about Ez before, i know his story but have never heared it in such detail, thanks for that fella, reps.

[Master]

Ezzard Charles always reminds me of Sugar Ray Robinson and I imagine that is how he would have fought at heavyweight.

[Master]

Great picture of the great fighter