Just realized that two of the four above featured Middleweights would tragically lose their lives in less than six months after the above Police Gazette publication. Cerdan died in a plane crash on October 27, 1949 at 33 years old. Roach received his final ten count on February 23, 1950 at the age of 25.
No sport can compare the personal tragedies of boxing. An oustanding book that addresses these tragedies and scandals is Nigel Collins' book, Boxing Babylon. There are so many examples that Lavern Roach is never mentioned.
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