Marcel Cerdan

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Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox boxer Marcellin "Marcel" Cerdan ({{#invoke:IPA|main}}; 22 July 1916 – 28 October 1949)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> was a French professional boxer and world middleweight champion who was considered by many boxing experts and fans to be France's greatest boxer, and beyond to be one of the best to have learned his craft in Africa. His life was marked by his sporting achievements, social lifestyle and, ultimately, tragedy, being killed in an airplane crash.

Early lifeEdit

Marcellin Cerdan was born at 9:00pm on 22 July 1916 in the "Little Paris" neighbourhood of Sidi Bel Abbès in Algeria. He was the fourth son of Antonio Cerdán, a day labourer, and Asunción Cascales, pied-noirs of Spanish origin.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Boxing careerEdit

File:Marcel Cerdan 1969 Ajman stamp.jpg
Marcel Cerdan on a 1969 Ajman stamp

Cerdan began boxing professionally on 4 November 1934 in Meknes, Morocco, beating Marcel Bucchianeri by a decision in six rounds. He then ran a streak of 47 wins in a row between that first bout and 4 January 1939, when he lost for the first time, to Harry Craster by a disqualification in five rounds in London. Cerdan campaigned heavily in the French territories of Algeria and Morocco during that part of his career, as well as in metropolitan France. In 1938, he beat Omar Kouidri in a 12-round decision at Casablanca to claim the French welterweight title.

File:Cerdan Turiello juin 1939.jpg
Marcel Cerdan (right) in front of Saverio Turiello (left)

After his first loss, Cerdan recorded five consecutive wins, which led him to challenge Saviello Turiello for Europe's welterweight title in Milan, Italy. He won the European title by a decision in 15 rounds to continue his ascent towards the championship (back then, it was considered essential to own at least a Continental title belt to earn a world title shot; nowadays, it is not considered as important).

Cerdan's winning streak eventually reached 23 bouts before he suffered a defeat to Victor Buttin by disqualification for a second time, in eight rounds in Algiers in 1942. They would later re-match in 1945, and Cerdan would avenge the defeat by knocking Buttin out in the third round.

For his next bout after the first fight with Buttin though, Cerdan put his title on the line against José Ferrer (namesake of the Hollywood star). He knocked out Ferrer in one round,<ref>Template:YouTube</ref> and won four more bouts in a row before facing another boxer with a namesake: James Toney, who shared that name with another James Toney who would become world Middleweight champion five decades later. Cerdan knocked out Toney in two rounds to keep this new winning streak alive. The new streak would reach 37 wins. In between, he joined the American allies in World War II during 1944, and he won the Inter-Allied Championship.

He also went up in weight to the Middleweight division, and won the French title by beating Assane Douf by a knockout in three rounds. He later claimed the vacant European title by beating Léon Foquet by a knockout in one round. He retained that title a couple of times before losing it to rugged Belgian Cyrille Delannoit by a decision in 15 at Brussels, Belgium. Soon, he went back to Belgium and re-took the title by beating Delannoit, also by decision.

Finally, after the rematch with Delannoit, Cerdan was given a world title opportunity and he travelled to the United States, where he beat World Middleweight champion Tony Zale.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Cerdan became a world champion by knocking Zale out in the 12th round in Roosevelt Stadium, Jersey City, New Jersey on 21 September 1948.

Later yearsEdit

During his short period as a world champion, Cerdan became a popular figure of the Paris scene. Although married with three children, he had an affair with the famous singer Édith Piaf. The affair lasted from summer 1948 until his death in autumn 1949. They were very devoted to each other and Piaf dedicated one of her most famous songs, Hymne à l'amour, to Cerdan.

For his first defense Cerdan returned to the United States, where he fought Jake LaMotta in Detroit. Cerdan was knocked down in round one, his shoulder was dislocated, and he had to give up after the tenth round.<ref>Template:YouTube</ref> It would be the last fight of Cerdan's life. A contract was signed for a rematch and Cerdan went to training camp for it, but before camp began, he boarded a flight from Paris to New York to visit Piaf, who was performing there.

The aircraft crashed into a mountain on São Miguel Island in the Azores, while on approach to Santa Maria for a scheduled stopover, killing all 48 people on board, including Cerdan and French violinist Ginette Neveu.<ref>Lockheed L-749-79-46 Constellation F-BAZN's accident description and causes (Flight Safety Foundation). Aviation-safety.net (28 October 1949). Retrieved on 6 August 2014.</ref><ref>Marcel Cerdan's tragic disappearance (1949) Template:Webarchive – Marcel Cerdan Heritage</ref> The following day, LaMotta lauded Cerdan's sportsmanship, saying: "You had to fight him as I did to know what a fine sportsman he was."<ref>LaMotta lauds Cerdan for great sportsmanship. News.google.com (28 October 1949). Retrieved on 6 August 2014.</ref> Cerdan was interred in the Cimetière du Sud, Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales, France.

LegacyEdit

Cerdan's record was 110 wins and 4 losses, with 65 wins by knockout.<ref>Marcel Cerdan official website: Biography – scorecard (French: biographie – son palmarès) Template:Webarchive</ref>

He is a member, along with LaMotta and Zale, of the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

In 1983, Cerdan and Piaf had their lives turned into a big screen biography by Claude Lelouch. The film, Édith et Marcel, starred Marcel Cerdan Jr. in the role of his father and Évelyne Bouix as Piaf. He is portrayed by actor Jean-Pierre Martins in the 2007 Piaf biopic La Môme (entitled La Vie en Rose in English-speaking countries).

In 1991, a sports arena located in Levallois-Perret, the Palais des sports Marcel-Cerdan, was named in his honor.

Professional boxing recordEdit

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Template:Abbr Result Record Opponent Type Round Date Location Notes
114 Template:No2Loss 110–4 Jake LaMotta RTD 9 (15) 16 Jun 1949 Template:Small Template:Small
113 Template:Yes2Win 110–3 Lucien Krawczyk KO 4 (10) 8 May 1949 Template:Small
112 Template:Yes2Win 109–3 Dick Turpin KO 7 (10) 29 Mar 1949 Template:Small
111 Template:Yes2Win 108–3 Tony Zale RTD 11 (15) 21 Sep 1948 Template:Small Template:Small
110 Template:Yes2Win 107–3 Cyrille Delannoit PTS 15 10 Jul 1948 Template:Small Template:Small
109 Template:No2Loss 106–3 Cyrille Delannoit PTS 15 23 May 1948 Template:Small Template:Small
108 Template:Yes2Win 106–2 Lucien Krawczyk PTS 10 25 Mar 1948 Template:Small
107 Template:Yes2Win 105–2 Lavern Roach TKO 8 (10) 12 Mar 1948 Template:Small
106 Template:Yes2Win 104–2 Jean Walzack KO 4 (15) 9 Feb 1948 Template:Small Template:Small
105 Template:Yes2Win 103–2 Giovanni Manca KO 2 (15) 26 Jan 1948 Template:Small Template:Small
104 Template:Yes2Win 102–2 Anton Raadik UD 10 31 Oct 1947 Template:Small
103 Template:Yes2Win 101–2 Billy Walker TKO 1 (10) 7 Oct 1947 Template:Small
102 Template:Yes2Win 100–2 Harold Green TKO 2 (10) 28 Mar 1947 Template:Small
101 Template:Yes2Win 99–2 Bert Gilroy KO 4 (10) 11 Feb 1947 Template:Small
100 Template:Yes2Win 98–2 Leon Fouquet KO 1 (15) 2 Feb 1947 Template:Small Template:Small
99 Template:Yes2Win 97–2 Georgie Abrams UD 10 6 Dec 1946 Template:Small
98 Template:Yes2Win 96–2 Jean Pankowiak KO 5 (10) 20 Oct 1946 Template:Small
97 Template:Yes2Win 95–2 Holman Williams PTS 10 7 Jul 1946 Template:Small
96 Template:Yes2Win 94–2 Robert Charron PTS 12 25 May 1946 Template:Small
95 Template:Yes2Win 93–2 Joe Brun KO 2 (10) 14 Apr 1946 Template:Small
94 Template:Yes2Win 92–2 José Ferrer KO 4 (10) 24 Feb 1946 Template:Small
93 Template:Yes2Win 91–2 Edouard Tenet PTS 12 18 Jan 1946 Template:Small
92 Template:Yes2Win 90–2 Agostinho Guedes KO 1 (10) 12 Jan 1946 Template:Small
91 Template:Yes2Win 89–2 Victor Buttin KO 3 (10) 8 Dec 1945 Template:Small
90 Template:Yes2Win 88–2 Assane Diouf KO 3 (12) 30 Nov 1945 Template:Small
89 Template:Yes2Win 87–2 Tommy Davies KO 1 (10) 19 Oct 1945 Template:Small
88 Template:Yes2Win 86–2 Edouard Tenet PTS 10 23 Jun 1945 Template:Small
87 Template:Yes2Win 85–2 Oscar Menozzi KO 3 (10) 3 Jun 1945 Template:Small
86 Template:Yes2Win 84–2 Jean Despeaux KO 5 (10) 13 May 1945 Template:Small
85 Template:Yes2Win 83–2 Joe Brun TKO 7 (10) 9 Mar 1945 Template:Small
84 Template:Yes2Win 82–2 Ralph Burnley TKO 2 (3) 16 Dec 1944 Template:Small
83 Template:Yes2Win 81–2 Floyd Gibson PTS 3 14 Dec 1944 Template:Small
82 Template:Yes2Win 80–2 Clint Perry KO 1 (3) 12 Dec 1944 Template:Small
81 Template:Yes2Win 79–2 Bouaya KO 1 (10) 21 Oct 1944 Template:Small
80 Template:Yes2Win 78–2 Joe DiMartino TKO 1 (3) 19 Feb 1944 Template:Small
79 Template:Yes2Win 77–2 Sammy Adragna PTS 3 17 Feb 1944 Template:Small
78 Template:Yes2Win 76–2 Harold Drouhin KO 1 (3) 15 Feb 1944 Template:Small
77 Template:Yes2Win 75–2 Willie Sampson KO 2 (10) 30 Jan 1944 Template:Small
76 Template:Yes2Win 74–2 Larry Cisneros KO 2 (10) 29 Dec 1943 Template:Small
75 Template:Yes2Win 73–2 James Toney TKO 2 (?) 26 Dec 1943 Template:Small
74 Template:Yes2Win 72–2 Bulldog Milano KO 2 (10) 30 Oct 1943 Template:Small
73 Template:Yes2Win 71–2 Larry Cisneros KO 6 (10) 10 Oct 1943 Template:Small
72 Template:Yes2Win 70–2 Omar Kouidri PTS 10 12 Sep 1943 Template:Small
71 Template:Yes2Win 69–2 John McCoy KO 2 (10) 8 Aug 1943 Template:Small
70 Template:Yes2Win 68–2 José Ferrer TKO 1 (15) 30 Sep 1942 Template:Small Template:Small
69 Template:No2Loss 67–2 Victor Buttin DQ 8 (10) 15 Aug 1942 Template:Small Template:Small
68 Template:Yes2Win 67–1 Fernand Frely TKO 3 (10) 2 Aug 1942 Template:Small
67 Template:Yes2Win 66–1 Victor Jana TKO 2 (10) 25 Jul 1942 Template:Small
66 Template:Yes2Win 65–1 Gaspard Deridder KO 1 (10) 28 Jun 1942 Template:Small
65 Template:Yes2Win 64–1 Fernand Viez PTS 10 17 May 1942 Template:Small
64 Template:Yes2Win 63–1 Gustave Humery KO 1 (10) 26 Apr 1942 Template:Small
63 Template:Yes2Win 62–1 Fred Flury TKO 7 (10) 21 Feb 1942 Template:Small
62 Template:Yes2Win 61–1 Roby Seidel TKO 3 (10) 31 Dec 1941 Template:Small
61 Template:Yes2Win 60–1 Roland Coureau TKO 9 (10) 13 Sep 1941 Template:Small
60 Template:Yes2Win 59–1 Joe Brun TKO 2 (10) 20 Jul 1941 Template:Small
59 Template:Yes2Win 58–1 Francois Blanchard KO 6 (10) 22 Jun 1941 Template:Small
58 Template:Yes2Win 57–1 Omar Kouidri RTD 6 (15) 5 May 1941 Template:Small Template:Small
57 Template:Yes2Win 56–1 Victor Fortes RTD 2 (10) 13 Apr 1941 Template:Small
56 Template:Yes2Win 55–1 Victor Janas PTS 10 9 Mar 1941 Template:Small
55 Template:Yes2Win 54–1 Victor Fortes RTD 7 (10) 2 Feb 1941 Template:Small
54 Template:Yes2Win 53–1 Young Raymond RTD 6 (10) 26 Jan 1941 Template:Small
53 Template:Yes2Win 52–1 Young Raymond KO 1 (10) 19 Jan 1941 Template:Small
52 Template:Yes2Win 51–1 Cleto Locatelli PTS 10 16 Jun 1939 Template:Small
51 Template:Yes2Win 50–1 Saverio Turiello PTS 15 3 Jun 1939 Template:Small Template:Small
50 Template:Yes2Win 49–1 Roger Cadot TKO 6 (12) 21 May 1939 Template:Small
49 Template:Yes2Win 48–1 Felix Wouters PTS 12 22 Mar 1939 Template:Small
48 Template:Yes2Win 47–1 Saverio Turiello PTS 12 20 Feb 1939 Template:Small
47 Template:Yes2Win 46–1 Al Baker TKO 7 (10) 4 Feb 1939 Template:Small
46 Template:Yes2Win 45–1 Ercole Buratti PTS 10 21 Jan 1939 Template:Small
45 Template:No2Loss 44–1 Harry Craster DQ 5 (10) 9 Jan 1939 Template:Small Template:Small
44 Template:Yes2Win 44–0 Omar Kouidri PTS 12 24 Nov 1938 Template:Small
43 Template:Yes2Win 43–0 Alfred Katter KO 5 (10) 10 Nov 1938 Template:Small
42 Template:Yes2Win 42–0 Amedeo Deyana PTS 10 27 Oct 1938 Template:Small
41 Template:Yes2Win 41–0 Al Baker PTS 10 15 Sep 1938 Template:Small
40 Template:Yes2Win 40–0 Victor Deckmyn PTS 10 3 Jul 1938 Template:Small
39 Template:Yes2Win 39–0 Jean Morin PTS 10 4 Jun 1938 Template:Small
38 Template:Yes2Win 38–0 Gustave Humery KO 6 (12) 20 May 1938 Template:Small
37 Template:Yes2Win 37–0 Cleto Locatelli PTS 12 5 May 1938 Template:Small
36 Template:Yes2Win 36–0 Eduard Hrabak PTS 10 13 Aug 1938 Template:Small
35 Template:Yes2Win 35–0 Charles Pernot PTS 10 4 Mar 1938 Template:Small
34 Template:Yes2Win 34–0 Omar Kouidri PTS 12 21 Feb 1938 Template:Small
33 Template:Yes2Win 33–0 Jean Zides TKO 9 (10) 20 Jan 1938 Template:Small
32 Template:Yes2Win 32–0 Eddie Ran KO 2 (10) 13 Jan 1938 Template:Small
31 Template:Yes2Win 31–0 Charles Fedorowich TKO 2 (10) 6 Jan 1938 Template:Small
30 Template:Yes2Win 30–0 Max Ifergane PTS 10 18 Dec 1937 Template:Small
29 Template:Yes2Win 29–0 Jean Morin PTS 10 21 Oct 1937 Template:Small
28 Template:Yes2Win 28–0 Louis Jampton PTS 10 7 Oct 1937 Template:Small
27 Template:Yes2Win 27–0 Eduard Hrabak KO 6 (10) 13 Sep 1937 Template:Small
26 Template:Yes2Win 26–0 Kid Marcel PTS 10 22 Aug 1937 Template:Small
25 Template:Yes2Win 25–0 Ali Omar TKO 5 (10) 3 Jul 1937 Template:Small
24 Template:Yes2Win 24–0 Omar Kouidri PTS 10 3 Apr 1937 Template:Small
23 Template:Yes2Win 23–0 Omar Kouidri PTS 10 2 Mar 1937 Template:Small
22 Template:Yes2Win 22–0 Maurice Naudin TKO 3 (10) 30 Jan 1937 Template:Small
21 Template:Yes2Win 21–0 Aissa Attaff RTD 8 (10) 16 Jan 1937 Template:Small
20 Template:Yes2Win 20–0 Jean Debeaumont PTS 10 21 Nov 1936 Template:Small
19 Template:Yes2Win 19–0 Aissa Attaf KO 1 (10) 8 Nov 1936 Template:Small
18 Template:Yes2Win 18–0 Primo Rubio PTS 10 17 Oct 1936 Template:Small
17 Template:Yes2Win 17–0 Al Francis KO 6 (10) 2 Aug 1936 Template:Small
16 Template:Yes2Win 16–0 Mariano Castillanos PTS 10 6 Jun 1936 Template:Small
15 Template:Yes2Win 15–0 Kid Abadie KO 3 (10) 27 May 1936 Template:Small
14 Template:Yes2Win 14–0 M Ricardo TKO 5 (10) 23 May 1936 Template:Small
13 Template:Yes2Win 13–0 Joseph Martinez TKO 9 (10) 11 Apr 1936 Template:Small
12 Template:Yes2Win 12–0 Max Ifergane PTS 10 7 Apr 1936 Template:Small
11 Template:Yes2Win 11–0 Antoine Abad PTS 10 4 Mar 1936 Template:Small
10 Template:Yes2Win 10–0 Mak Perez PTS 10 14 Dec 1935 Template:Small
9 Template:Yes2Win 9–0 Mak Perez PTS 10 23 Nov 1935 Template:Small
8 Template:Yes2Win 8–0 Francisco Mestres PTS 10 3 Aug 1935 Template:Small
7 Template:Yes2Win 7–0 Joseph Sarfati PTS 10 19 Jul 1935 Template:Small
6 Template:Yes2Win 6–0 Mak Perez RTD 2 (10) 5 Jul 1935 Template:Small
5 Template:Yes2Win 5–0 Max Privat RTD 5 (10) 13 Apr 1935 Template:Small
4 Template:Yes2Win 4–0 Leon Benazra PTS 10 13 Apr 1935 Template:Small
3 Template:Yes2Win 3–0 Perez III PTS 10 6 Feb 1935 Template:Small
2 Template:Yes2Win 2–0 Leon Benazra RTD 5 (6) 12 Nov 1934 Template:Small
1 Template:Yes2Win 1–0 Marcel Bucchianeri PTS 6 10 Nov 1934 Template:Small

Titles in boxingEdit

Major world titlesEdit

The Ring magazine titlesEdit

Regional/International titlesEdit

Undisputed titlesEdit

See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

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External linksEdit

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