He rose from nothing as a dirt-poor kid from Algeria who went on to win K.O.’s in over 60 fights before facing off with La Motta in … French boxer Marcel Cerdan with his wife Marinette Lopez and their sons Marcel Junior and Rene around 1947-1949 in New York, United States. Help support the DJs, journalists, and staff of the station you love. Abandoned by her parents and left to earn a precarious living singing on the streets of the Pigalle neighborhood, she was raised by her grandmother who owned a brothel. In addition to his many uncontested victories, Cerdan had also won the heart of the country’s most beloved Piaf’s early years had also been marked by struggle. Their love became an overnight tabloid sensation in France—a celebrity romance that captivated both The next month, Piaf was in New York City for a performance, eagerly awaiting Cerdan’s arrival before his return match with LaMotta, when the Air France Lockheed Constellation he was on crashed into a mountain on approach to the Azores to refuel, leaving no survivors. He later claimed the vacant European title by beating Léon Foquet by a Finally, after the rematch with Delannoit, Cerdan was given a world title opportunity and he travelled to the During his short period as a world champion, Cerdan became a popular figure of the For his first defense Cerdan returned to the United States, where he fought Cerdan's record was 113 wins and 4 losses, with 66 wins by knockout.He is a member, along with LaMotta and Zale, of the In 1983, Cerdan and Piaf had their lives turned into a big screen biography by Marcel Cerdan, French-Algerian professional boxer and world middleweight champion. Marcel Cerdan was born on July 22, 1916 in Sidi-bel-Abbès, Oran, France. Piaf’s lucky break came in 1935 when an agent heard her and booked her a gig at a far-ritzier club on the Champs-Elysées, where she was heard by the French actor and singer, Piaf met Marcel Cerdan in 1947. Marcellin Cerdan was born at 9:00pm on 22 July 1916 in the "Little Paris" neighbourhood of He began boxing professionally on 4 November 1934 in Meknes, After his first loss, Cerdan recorded five consecutive wins, which led him to challenge Saviello Turiello for Europe's welterweight title in Cerdan's winning streak eventually reached 23 bouts before he suffered a defeat to Victor Buttin by disqualification for a second time, in eight rounds in For his next bout after the first fight with Buttin though, Cerdan put his title on the line against José Ferrer (namesake of the He also went up in weight to the Middleweight division, and won the French title by beating Assane Douf by a knockout in three rounds. His life was marked by his sporting achievements, social lifestyle and ultimately, tragedy, being killed in an airplane crash.