BoxRec

June 1949 Ezzard Charles wins general recognition as world heavyweight champ by beating veteran Jersey Joe Walcott. He then defends it three times against a former light-heavyweight champion and two mediocre heavyweights before facing former world's champ and living legend Joe Louis, beating him pretty decisively over 15 rounds. Charles is a classy boxer but a one-dimensional personality that fails to click with the boxing public. Over the next few months he beats two more non-entities in light heavyweight Nick Barone and Lee Oma. March 1951 he fights Jersey Joe Walcott again and walks away the winner, having shown everyone he was Walcott's master. Two months later Charles outboxes light heavyweight Joey Maxim. [Both men are less than 10 pounds over the light heavyweight limit]. He has defended the world title 8 times since winning it against old Jersey Joe Walcott in 1949, less than 2 years! He's almost 30 years old.

Thanks to the machinations of Jim "The Octopus" Norris and the IBC, instead of defending against some new blood, Charles is signed to fight ancient Jersey Joe Walcott yet again! Imagine the uproar nowadays if the champ was signed to fight a guy he'd beaten twice before? Imagine the state of the division then with two 30-somethings going through the motions for a third time? Wasn't there anyone else around?

You're a promoter. Who do you offer to Charles as an opponent instead?

Hmm... would be interesting to see what the top ten rankings were at the time...

HomicideHenry wrote:Hmm... would be interesting to see what the top ten rankings were at the time...

Here's what I've got:

The Ring - May 1950
(as of ?)

Heavyweights:
Champion:
Vacant
1. Ezzard Charles
2. Jersey Joe Walcott
3. Lee Oma
4. Bruce Woodcock
5. Lee Savold
6. John Holman
7. Pat Valentino
8. Abel Cestac
9. Kid Riviera
10. Roland LaStarza

The Ring - July 1950
(as of May 15, 1950)

Heavyweights:
Champion:
Vacant
1. Ezzard Charles
2. Jersey Joe Walcott
3. Bruce Woodcock
4. Lee Savold
5. Joe Baksi
6. Bob Baker
7. Lee Oma
8. Rocky Marciano
9. Roland LaStarza
10. John Holman

The Ring - August, 1950
(as of June ?, 1950)
Got these off internet. Are they correct?
Heavyweights:
Champion:
Vacant
1. Ezzard Charles
1. Lee Savold (tie)
3. Jersey Joe Walcott
4. Joey Maxim
5. Bob Baker
6. Joe Baksi
7. Rex Layne
8. Lee Oma
9. Freddy Beshore
10. Bruce Woodcock

The Ring - September, 1950
(as of July 15, 1950)

Heavyweights:
Champion:
Vacant
1. Ezzard Charles
1. Lee Savold (tie)
3. Jersey Joe Walcott
4. Joey Maxim
5. Joe Baksi
6. Bob Baker
7. Rocky Marciano
8. Roland LaStarza
9. Bruce Woodcock
10. Clarence Henry

The Ring - February, 1951
(as of December ? 1950)

Heavyweights:
Champion:
Ezzard Charles
1. Joe Louis
2. Lee Savold
3. Joey Maxim
4. Lee Oma
5. Bob Baker
6. Clarence Henry
7. Rex Layne
8. Jersey Joe Walcott
9. Jack Gardner
10. Rocky Marciano

1951

The Ring - April 1951
(as of February ?, 1951)

Heavyweights:
Champion:
Ezzard Charles
1. Joe Louis
2. Lee Savold
3. Joey Maxim
4. Clarence Henry
5. Rex Layne
6. Jersey Joe Walcott
7. Bob Baker
8. Rocky Marciano
9. Jack Gardner
10. Roland LaStarza

The Ring - August 1951
(as of June ?, 1951)

Heavyweights:
Champion:
Jersey Joe Walcott
1. Ezzard Charles
2. Joe Louis
3. Rocky Marciano
4. Clarence Henry
5. Roland LaStarza
6. Bob Baker
7. Rex Layne
8. Cesar Brion
9. Lee Savold
10. Heinz Neuhaus

Though he wasnt a contender when Charles was champion... I was always fascinated with the career of Bruce Woodcock. I think that would of been an interesting contest.

Clarence Henry was probably the best of those who never got a title shot. Not sure how exciting a fight it would have been; it may have been competitive. Of course a promoter's main consideration is how well it will draw. Probably wouldn't have been a huge crowd, but you would think Henry could draw as much as Oma and Barone.

Actually, it's kind of surprising that Rex Layne didn't get a shot.

Baker and Henry were still prospects at that point.

The second Walcott-Charles bout was a crowd-pleaser and a competitive bout. Back in those days it was common for guys to fight each other 3-5 times if the previous bouts had been a financial success, regardless of the winner.

You don't think it had more to do with the fact that Charles and Walcott were both controlled by the IBC, James Norris and Al Weill? They dictated who got a title shot. I think nowadays you'd never see two heavyweights fight for the title 4 times.

It probably did have a lot to do with the IBC controlling things. Of course they did what would benefit them the most.
It would be interesting to know which fighters were controlled by (or at least willing to play ball with) the IBC.
It specifically would be interesting to know about Layne, Henry, and Baker.