Cerdan, Marcel

Cerdan, Marcel

▪ Algerian boxer
byname  the Casablanca Clouter 
born July 22, 1916, Sidi Bel Abbès, Algeria
died October 27, 1949, São Miguel Island, the Azores
 French-Algerian professional boxer and world middleweight champion.

      Cerdan began his professional career in 1934, all of his early bouts being fought in North Africa. He made his European debut in 1937 and won the French welterweight title in 1938 and the European welterweight championship in 1939. With the advent of World War II, Cerdan served in the French navy until France fell to the Germans; he returned to his career in 1941. In 1944 Cerdan competed in the Inter-Allied championship tournaments and won all of his matches, which gave him international stature. In 1945 he moved up to the middleweight division, where in that same year he became the French champion and in 1947 the European champion.

      After making appearances in the United States in 1946, 1947, and early 1948, he went to Jersey City, New Jersey, to fight Tony Zale (Zale, Tony) for the world middleweight title on September 21, 1948, and was the winner in a 12th-round knockout. Cerdan was unsuccessful when he made his first and only title defense against Jake La Motta (La Motta, Jake) on June 16, 1949, in Detroit. The fighters fell to the canvas during a first-round scuffle, and Cerdan's shoulder was injured. He was able only to fight one-handed until he retired to his corner after the 10th round, when La Motta was awarded the victory by technical knockout. En route to New York for a return bout with La Motta, Cerdan was killed in a plane crash in the Azores. Cerdan fought in 110 professional matches, recording 106 victories (64 by knockout).

      Cerdan's personal life was of as much interest as his career in the ring. He was a hero to the French, and his affair with the French singer Edith Piaf (Piaf, Edith) and his early death created a romantic aura that led to numerous books and films on his life. Cerdan was inducted into Ring magazine's Boxing Hall of Fame in 1962.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Cerdan, Marcel — (1916 1949)    sports figure, boxing champion    Born in Sidi Bel Abbès, Algeria, Marcel Cerdan won the French light middleweight championship boxing title in 1938 and the world middleweight championship title in 1948. A celebrated and… …   France. A reference guide from Renaissance to the Present

  • Marcel Cerdan — Statistics Real name Marcellin Cerdan Nickname(s) Le Bombardier Marocain (The Moroccan Bomber) Casablanca Clouter …   Wikipedia

  • Cerdan — Marcel Cerdan [[Datei:|200px]] Daten Geburtsname Marcel Cerdan Kampfname(n) {{{ringname}}} Gewichtsklasse Mittelgewicht …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • CERDAN (M.) — CERDAN MARCEL (1916 1949) Surnommé le «Bombardier marocain», bien qu’il soit né à Sidi Bel Abbes (Algérie), le boxeur Marcel Cerdan, en raison de son talent exceptionnel mais aussi de son destin tragique, demeure l’une des personnalités sportives …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • cerdan — (Marcel) (1916 1949) boxeur français; champion du monde des moyens en 1948. Mort dans un accident d avion. cerdan, ane [sɛʀdɑ̃, an] adj. et n. ÉTYM. Attesté XXe, du catalan; du lat. ceretanus. ❖ ♦ Rare. De la Cerdagne, région de Catalogne… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Marcel Cerdan — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Cerdan. Marcel Cerdan Fiche d’identité Nom complet Marcellin Cerdan Surnom …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Marcel Cerdan — Este artículo o sección necesita referencias que aparezcan en una publicación acreditada, como revistas especializadas, monografías, prensa diaria o páginas de Internet fidedignas. Puedes añadirlas así o avisar …   Wikipedia Español

  • Marcel Cerdan Jr — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Cerdan. Marcel Cerdan Jr Fiche d’identité Nom complet Marcel Cerdan Jr …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Marcel Cerdan — Daten Geburtsname …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Marcel Thil — Fiche d’identité Nom complet Marcel Thil Nationalité …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”