Ezzard Charles

Ezzard Mack Charles, nicknamed the Cincinnati Cobra, was an American professional boxer, born in Lawrenceville, Georgia on 7 July 1921 and died on 28 May 1975. He grew up in Cincinnati, won the national AAU middleweight title in 1939 and turned professional in 1940, fighting until 1959. Admired for slick defence and precision, he is often ranked the greatest light heavyweight of all time even though he never won that title. He was world heavyweight champion from 1949 to 1951 with eight successful defences, and he made three close but unsuccessful attempts to win the title back. He retired with 95 wins, 25 losses and 1 draw and was in the inaugural class of the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.