Tony Zale was the definitive 50s middleweight; a fearsome fighter-puncher with a body cast from steel, a family man and all-around nice guy. His 3 fights with Rocky Graziano (2 wins, 1 loss) have gone down in boxing folklore for their savage ferocity. Zale was twice crowned world champion, losing the title first to Graziano and finally to European champion and lover of Edith Piaf, Marcel Cerdan. By this time Zale was 35 and his long ring career seemed to have caught up with him. A modest man, Zale enrolled for the US army under his real name, Anton Zaleski, Occupation?, professional boxer."I'd hate to be in your shoes" said the enlistment officer," We've got Tony Zale coming in this week!" Zale's response was not recorded. Tony Zale was to be cast as himself in Graziano's biopic 'Somebody Up There Likes Me' but lost out on the role when in pre-filming sparring Paul Newman, light-headed with method madness, took it upon himself to cut up rough, Zale was having none of it and proceeded to knock out the Hollywood pretty-boy. Zale died at 83. Years after their epic fights, it is said, tough guy Graziano would wake up at night in a cold sweat panicking he was back in the ring with Zale, the real Man of Steel.
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