Robert Villemain
Robertsville Main ( born January 10, 1924 in Paris, † September 4, 1984 in Montfermeil ) was a French boxer. He was European champion professional boxer in the welterweight division.
Career
Robertsville Main was after a short time amateur in 1944 a professional boxer. He completed his first combat on 28 December 1944 in Paris and won against Amer Jaafar by knockout in the second round. He then won 33 consecutive fights before he fought a draw against the British Mark Hart on May 31, 1948 in London. Before he won his first title, he defeated with the Belgians Felix Wouters ( February 20, 1946 in Paris) and Cyrille Delannoit ( April 11, 1946 in Antwerp), two European top boxer of rank. Robertsville Main, which was only 1.66 m tall and stout figure, was soon nicknamed "French Bulldog".
On October 14, 1946 French champion in the welterweight division by one point victory over twelve rounds on Omar Kouidri Robertsville Main in Paris. This title he defended on January 8, 1947 in Paris by a points victory over Jean Walzack. In his next fight he was then on February 1, 1947 in Paris European welterweight champion by technical knockout in the ninth round of the British Ernie Roderick. These titles defended Robertsville Main in 1947 a total of three times by beating his fellow countrymen Kid Marcel, Egisto Peyre and Omar Kouidri.
On October 27, 1947, on May 14, 1948 Robertsville Main celebrated in Paris each point victory over Laurent Dauthuille, who was considered a great French rising star in the middleweight division. In October 1948, Robertsville Main resigned both his title because he could not bring the welterweight limit. He went in January 1949 in the United States and made intensive efforts to get a fight for the world middleweight championship.
His debut in the United States, however, did not go according to plan. In his first fight in New York, he lost on January 7, 1949 against Steve Belloise, which did not count for the best in the world, on points. He then accepted on March 25, 1949, world number one Jake LaMotta as opponents. The fight against LaMotta at Madison Square Garden in New York was pretty balanced. Two judges gave the victory to LaMotta, one had counted for Ville Main. The audience did not agree with the verdict point winner Jake LaMotta and celebrated Robertsville Main as " moral " winner.
On December 9, 1949, therefore, took place in New York in the rematch Villemain against the reigning world champion at middleweight LaMotta, who had meanwhile won this title on June 16, 1949 by Marcel Cerdan, held and this time was Robert Ville Main unanimous winner on points. But since it was not about the world title in this fight, Jake LaMotta was world champion. After a victory over the native Cuban Kid Gavilan, a later welterweight champion, on March 20, 1950 in Montreal, Robertsville Main was granted, to determine the official challenger for world champion Jake LaMotta in two battles against the reigning welterweight champion Sugar Ray Robinson.
The first of these battles took place in Philadelphia on June 5, 1950. Here, the super technicians Robinson proved superior to the fighters Ville Main and won by unanimous decision. In the rematch on December 22, 1950 in Paris Robinson was stronger. In this fight, Robinson won even by TKO in the ninth round of the defense incompetent Ville Main. Challenger Jake LaMotta was therefore Sugar Ray Robinson.
After these battles Robertsville Main punched common in the United States because he was there because of its fighters heart in the audience very popular. He also won the most battles he fought denied or at least draw against good, but not necessarily so good opponents that could make him a world championship fight again interesting. On July 12, 1952, however, it offered once again a great opportunity. He boxed in San Francisco against the Hawaiians Swedish- Portuguese descent Carl Olsson, who was in the middleweight division as the coming man and later became World Champion. In this fight, which went over ten rounds, the judges were again divided in their evaluation. Two Olsson gave the victory, one opted for Robertsville Main.
Since Robertsville Main thereafter saw no chance would eventually become world champion at middleweight, he finished his boxer 's career. To him, it was after Marcel Cerdan succeeded as the second French middleweight after the Second World War, in the United States to gain respect and recognition, even if it's not managed to become world champion.
Swell
- Trade journal Box Sports
- Website www.boxrec.com