| Tony Zale | |
 | |
| Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Real name | Anthony Zaleski |
| Nickname(s) | Man of Steel |
| Rated at | Middleweight |
| Nationality |  American |
| Birth date | May 29, 1913 |
| Birth place | Gary, Indiana |
| Death date | March 20, 1997 (aged 83) |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 87 |
| Wins | 67 |
| Wins by KO | 45 |
| Losses | 18 |
| Draws | 2 |
| No contests | 0 |
Tony Zale (May 29, 1913 - March 20, 1997) was an American boxer. Middleweight is a division or weight class, in Boxing. Early boxing history is less than exact but the middleweight designation seems to have begun in the 1840s The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Year 1913 ( MCMXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The State of Indiana ( was the 19th US state admitted into the union Events 1600 - The Linköping Bloodbath takes place on Maundy Thursday in Linköping, Sweden. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Year 1913 ( MCMXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 1600 - The Linköping Bloodbath takes place on Maundy Thursday in Linköping, Sweden. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Boxing (sometimes also known as English boxing or pugilism) is a Combat sport in which two participants generally of similar weight, Zale was born and raised in Gary, Indiana, a steel town, which gave him his nickname. Steel is an Alloy consisting mostly of Iron, with a Carbon content between 0 In addition, he had the reputation of being able to take fearsome punishment and still rally to win, reinforcing that nickname. Zale was known as a strong body puncher, who punished his opponents and steadily wore them down before knocking them out.
Bouts against Rocky Graziano
He was a 2-time world middleweight champion and made the Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. Middleweight is a division or weight class, in Boxing. Early boxing history is less than exact but the middleweight designation seems to have begun in the 1840s The Ring (often called Ring Magazine) is an American Boxing Magazine that was first published in 1922 as a boxing Zale is best remembered for his three bouts over a 21 month period with Rocky Graziano for the middleweight crown. Rocky Graziano, born Thomas Rocco Barbella in New York City ( 1 January, 1919 – May 22, 1990) was an American These three bouts were among the most brutal and exciting middleweight championship matches of all time. The first match took place in Yankee Stadium, New York. The original Yankee Stadium is a Stadium located in The Bronx in New York City. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Zale had served in World War II, was thirty-three years old, and had been inactive for about four years. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Graziano was on a winning knockout streak and seemed to be in his prime. In their first match (September 27, 1946), after flooring Graziano in the first round, Zale took a savage beating from Graziano, and was on the verge of losing the fight by TKO. Events 489 - Odoacer attacks Theodoric at the Battle of Verona and is defeated again Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. However, he rallied and knocked out Graziano in the sixth round to retain his title. The rematch, a year later in Chicago (16 July 1947), was a mirror image of their first fight. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. Events 622 - The beginning of the Islamic calendar. 1054 - Three Roman legates fractured relations between the Western and Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Graziano, was battered around the ring, suffered a closed eye and appeared ready to lose by a knockout, when he rallied and knocked Zale out in the sixth round, thereby becoming middleweight champion of the world.
Their last fight was held in New Jersey the following year (10 June, (1948). New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. Events 1190 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowns in the Sally River while leading an army to Jerusalem Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Zale regained his crown and won the match by a knockout in the third round. The knockout combination consisted of a picture perfect combination of a right to Grazianos's body, then a left hook to Graziano's jaw. Graziano was knocked out cold. This fight was Zale's last hurrah. His age and the many ring wars he fought seemed to catch up with him in his next fight against European Champion Marcel Cerdan later that year, who stopped him in the eleventh round to win the middleweight championship of the world (21 September 1948). Marcellin "Marcel" Cerdan ( July 22, 1916 &ndash October 27, 1949) was a French Pied noir world Events 1217 - The Estonian tribal leader Lembitu of Lehola was killed in a battle against Teutonic Knights. Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Graziano commented that years later he would wake up in a cold sweat having had the reoccurring nightmare of being back in the ring with Zale, who he said really was a man of steel.
The French singer Edith Piaf, who at the time was having a passionate affair with Cerdan, was present in the audience, wildly cheering her lover and praying to Saint Therese for his victory. Édith Piaf (December 19 1915&mdashOctober 10 1963 was a French singer and cultural icon who "is almost universally regarded as France's greatest popular singer The fight is depicted in a scene of the 2007 film La Môme (a/k/a La Vie En Rose) on Piaf's life.
Two of the three Graziano fights and the Cerdan fight were awarded Ring Magazine fights of the year. Every year since 1945 The Ring magazine has named a fight as fight of the year, based on the magazine's writers' criteria
Zale was originally cast to play himself in the movie Somebody Up There Likes Me When actor Paul Newman(cast to play Rocky Graziano) and he were sparring prior to filming, Newman got rough with Tony and Tony knocked him out. This article is about a movie There is also a song called " Somebody Up There Likes Me " He was then replaced in the film by Courtland Shepard for the final fight scene.
| Preceded by Al Hostak | NBA Middleweight Champion July 19, 1940 – July 16, 1947 | Succeeded by Rocky Graziano |
| Preceded by Billy Soose Retired | NYSAC World Middleweight Champion November 28, 1941 – July 16, 1947 | Succeeded by Rocky Graziano |
| Preceded by Rocky Graziano | World Middleweight Champion June 10, 1948 – September 21, 1948 | Succeeded by Marcel Cerdan |
External links
Albert (Al Paul Hostak ( January 7 1916 – August 13 2006) nicknamed "the Savage Slav" was an American -born Middleweight This is a chronological List of World Middleweight Boxing Champions, as recognized by four of the better-known sanctioning organizations The World Boxing Association Events 711 - Muslim forces under Tariq ibn Ziyad defeat the Visigoths led by their king Roderic. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 622 - The beginning of the Islamic calendar. 1054 - Three Roman legates fractured relations between the Western and Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Rocky Graziano, born Thomas Rocco Barbella in New York City ( 1 January, 1919 – May 22, 1990) was an American This is a chronological List of World Middleweight Boxing Champions, as recognized by four of the better-known sanctioning organizations The World Boxing Association For the town in Argentina, see 28 de Noviembre. Events Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 622 - The beginning of the Islamic calendar. 1054 - Three Roman legates fractured relations between the Western and Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Rocky Graziano, born Thomas Rocco Barbella in New York City ( 1 January, 1919 – May 22, 1990) was an American Rocky Graziano, born Thomas Rocco Barbella in New York City ( 1 January, 1919 – May 22, 1990) was an American This is a chronological List of World Middleweight Boxing Champions, as recognized by four of the better-known sanctioning organizations The World Boxing Association Events 1190 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowns in the Sally River while leading an army to Jerusalem Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1217 - The Estonian tribal leader Lembitu of Lehola was killed in a battle against Teutonic Knights. Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Marcellin "Marcel" Cerdan ( July 22, 1916 &ndash October 27, 1949) was a French Pied noir world BoxReccom is a website dedicated to keep updated records of professional boxers, both male and female.Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic