Marcel Cerdan
| Marcel Cerdan | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Statistics | |
| Real name | Marcellin Cerdan |
| Nickname(s) |
Le Bombardier Marocain (The Moroccan Bomber) Casablanca Clouter |
| Rated at | Middleweight |
| Nationality |
 French
|
| Born | 22 July 1916 Sidi Bel Abbès, French Algeria (now Algeria) |
| Died | October 28, 1949 (aged 33) São Miguel Island, Azores, Portugal |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 117 |
| Wins | 113 |
| Wins by KO | 66 |
| Losses | 4 |
| Draws | 0 |
| No contests | 0 |
Marcellin "Marcel" Cerdan (French pronunciation: [maʁsɛl sɛʁdɑ̃]; 22 July 1916 – 28 October 1949) was a French pied noir world boxing 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
Marcel Cerdan was born on 22 July 1916 in Sidi Bel Abbès in what was then French Algeria.
He began boxing professionally on 4 November 1934 in Meknes, Morocco, beating Marcel Bucchianeri by a decision in six rounds. Cerdan 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, his parents' place of birth. In 1938, he beat Omar Kouidri in a 12-round decision at Casablanca to claim the French welterweight title.
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, and won four more bouts in a row before facing another boxer with a namesake: James Toney, who shared that name with another boxer 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.
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