Can Marcel Cerdan be considered great?

[dpw417]

The record is very limited...but he does look great on film (Zale)...
What is the opinion of the board?

[brownpimp88]

top 20, not top 10. He wasnt proven enough to be a top 10 of all times.

[McGrain]

I agree that he is not proven enough for a top 10, or at the very least, you got to do some work if you have him that high...

He's a tough subject. Top 20 isn't offencive though, but I prefer to see him in the lower reaches, personally.

[JohnThomas1]

I agree that he is not proven enough for a top 10, or at the very least, you got to do some work if you have him that high...

He's a tough subject. Top 20 isn't offencive though, but I prefer to see him in the lower reaches, personally.

Got a bit of a soft spot for him myself. He's like Holmes, he can be debated quite well from both sides and is hard to totally pin down.

[dpw417]

Got a bit of a soft spot for him myself. He's like Holmes, he can be debated quite well from both sides and is hard to totally pin down.
I feel the same way...He looks like an absolute terror against Zale...He certainly looks the part of a great performer to me...Zale was past it...I know...but you can't say he looked bad at all against Graziano, in the fight just before he fought Cerdan...I've mention before that an old trainer by teh name of Larry Kent (who trained SRR for a time) stated that Cerdan resembled Greb in his style.

[JohnThomas1]

I feel the same way...He looks like an absolute terror against Zale...He certainly looks the part of a great performer to me...Zale was past it...I know...but you can't say he looked bad at all against Graziano, in the fight just before he fought Cerdan...I've mention before that an old trainer by teh name of Larry Kent (who trained SRR for a time) stated that Cerdan resembled Greb in his style.

Little doubt he was some fighter, i only wish we got a half decent chance to fully some him up. I mean how many potential sensational matches went begging with this guy, both before and after his untimely death.

[dpw417]

Little doubt he was some fighter, i only wish we got a half decent chance to fully some him up. I mean how many potential sensational matches went begging with this guy, both before and after his untimely death.
A fight with Robinson would have been unbelievable...But I am a Robinson apologist...So Robinson W15:yep

[JohnThomas1]

A fight with Robinson would have been unbelievable...But I am a Robinson apologist...So Robinson W15:yep

I'm a huge Robinson fan, no need to tread lightly around me regarding him

:D

[dpw417]

I'm a huge Robinson fan, no need to tread lightly around me regarding him

:D
Good deal JT1!...:yep

[mcvey]

The record is very limited...but he does look great on film (Zale)...
What is the opinion of the board?
I think Cerdan was probably slightly on the down slide by the time he got his shot against Zale ,but Zale was definitely on the way out.

[dpw417]

I think Cerdan was probably slightly on the down slide by the time he got his shot against Zale ,but Zale was definitely on the way out.
I know certainly that Zale was problably not nearly what he was during the early '40's...But would you consider that Cerdan might have 'had his number' regardless... or not ?

[mcvey]

I know certainly that Zale was problably not nearly what he was during the early '40's...But would you consider that Cerdan might have 'had his number' regardless... or not ?
I think thats very possible,Jack Sharkey called Cerdan "the best European fighter he ever saw"

[dpw417]

I think Herb Goldman ranks him at #2 behind Greb...Do you fellows think he might be top five in a 'head to head' sense? i remember in an old KO magazine article re fantasy fights, that William Detloff discounted Cerdan's chances against Thomas Hearns....Stating Hearns would KO him in four...Very diversified opinions on Cerdan(?)

[Dempsey1238]

Cerdan is hard to rate, for reasons already said. But he is STILL a great. The fact we still talking about Cerdan nearly 50 or so years after his plane crash should tell us that.

[dmt]

I think Herb Goldman ranks him at #2 behind Greb...Do you fellows think he might be top five in a 'head to head' sense? i remember in an old KO magazine article re fantasy fights, that William Detloff discounted Cerdan's chances against Thomas Hearns....Stating Hearns would KO him in four...Very diversified opinions on Cerdan(?)I'd put him top 5 had to head. From the ones i have seen i'd say Hagler, Monzon, SRR, Cerdan and Hopkins.

[Keihule]

If you read Jake LaMotta's Biography, he says Cerdan was a true warrior and if he wouldnt have retired in the 10th round of their championship bout due to his left shoulder their bout would have been alot more intense. I have heard Michael Cerdan was a huge champion in france, one of the most popular heros in the country at the time, his death was truly a tragedy.

I am a huge LaMotta fan but as for the legacy of cerdan goes, Im not sure of how many title defenses he had, but The Bronx Bull only gave props to a few people in his career, one of them was the greatest p4p fighter to ever get in the ring SRR, and the other was michael cerdan.