| Marcel Thil | |
| Realname: | Marcel Thil |
| Weight: | Middleweight |
| Nationality: | French |
| Birth Date: | 29 May 1904 |
| Birth Place: | Saint-Dizier, France |
| Style: | Orthodox |
| Total: | 136 |
| Wins: | 106 |
| Ko: | 49 |
| Losses: | 20 |
| Draws: | 10 |
| No Contests: | 0 |
Marcel Thil (29 May 1904 – 14 August 1968) was a French boxer and middleweight world champion. Statistical boxing website BoxRec rates Thil as the second-best European boxer ever across all weight divisions, after Joe Calzaghe.[1]
Thil was born in Saint-Dizier, a commune in the Haute-Marne department in north-eastern France. He started boxing at a very young age and turned professional at the age of 16. Thil was a journeyman boxer for a number of years but as he gained experience and matured to his optimal power, he developed strength in both hands and began to win regularly by knockout (KO).
Thil won the French middleweight boxing championship in 1928 and captured the Europe title the following year. After losing his European championship in 1930, Thil won his next 15 fights and then defeated Gorilla Jones by a controversial 11th-round disqualification to capture the National Boxing Association (NBA) world middleweight championship and the vacant International Boxing Union (IBU) world middleweight championship on June 11, 1932, in Paris, France. With his championship victory, Thil became the toast of Paris. He was a major celebrity and a good friend of the celebrated actor Jean Gabin.
Thil successfully defended the title on July 4, 1932, with a 15-round unanimous decision against Len Harvey, but then went more than a year without a title defense. Thil was stripped by the NBA for failing to make a title defense by August 15, 1933, but he remained the IBU champion.[2]
On May 22, 1933, Thil won against German Jewish refugee Eric Seelig, former holder of the German middleweight and light heavyweight championships, at the Palais de Sports in Paris, in a twelve-round points decision. By a few accounts, the bout was for the world title, but the boxers were overweight according to Le Petit Parisien. On January 29, 1934, Seelig fought Marcel Thil again in Paris, losing in a twelve-round points decision.[3] [4]
In addition to defending the IBU middleweight championship, Thil moved up a weight class to win the European light-heavyweight title in 1934. He would successfully defend the title once.
After successfully defending the IBU and Ring Magazine middleweight titles 11 times, Thil fought Fred Apostoli in a non-title bout on September 23, 1937, in New York City. It was a non-title affair because the New York State Athletic Commission, which recognized Freddie Steele as the world middleweight champion, said they would sanction the fight only if Thil agreed not to put his championship on the line. Apostoli won by a 10th-round technical knockout (TKO). The fight was stopped due to a severe cut over the right eye of Thil, who was ahead on points at the time of the stoppage. Shortly after the loss, the 33-year-old Thil retired from boxing vacating his titles.[5]
Thil remained active in the world of boxing as an adviser and cornerman and was named honorary president of the Dieppe Boxing Club. He made a living with a company in Reims until he retired to a home in Cannes on the French Riviera.
Thil died at his home in Cannes on August 14, 1968, at the age of 64. Over the last couple years of his life, he was involved in two car accidents, from which he never fully recovered. Thil is buried in the Grand Jas Cemetery.[6]
Marcel Thil was posthumously inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame at Canastota, New York in 2005. In France, a street was named in his honor in his birthplace of Saint-Dizier, and both a street and a sports stadium carry his name in the city of Reims.
| Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round | Date | Location | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 136 | Loss | 106–20–10 | Fred Apostoli | TKO | 10 (15) | Sep 23, 1937 | ||
| 135 | Win | 106–19–10 | Lou Brouillard | DQ | 6 (15) | Feb 15, 1937 | ||
| 134 | Win | 105–19–10 | Lou Brouillard | DQ | 4 (15) | Jan 20, 1936 | ||
| 133 | Win | 104–19–10 | Lou Brouillard | UD | 12 | Nov 25, 1935 | ||
| 132 | Win | 103–19–10 | Al Diamond | PTS | 10 | Oct 28, 1935 | ||
| 131 | Win | 102–19–10 | Kid Tunero | UD | 15 | Jul 13, 1935 | ||
| 130 | Win | 101–19–10 | Carmelo Candel | UD | 15 | Jun 28, 1935 | ||
| 129 | Win | 100–19–10 | Ignacio Ara | UD | 15 | Jun 1, 1935 | ||
| 128 | Win | 99–19–10 | Vilda Jaks | TKO | 14 (15) | May 4, 1935 | ||
| 127 | Win | 98–19–10 | Jock McAvoy | UD | 15 | Jan 14, 1935 | ||
| 126 | Win | 97–19–10 | Tino Rolando | PTS | 10 | Nov 12, 1934 | ||
| 125 | Draw | 96–19–10 | Carmelo Candel | PTS | 15 | Oct 15, 1934 | ||
| 124 | Win | 96–19–9 | Clemente Meroni | PTS | 10 | Aug 5, 1934 | ||
| 123 | Win | 95–19–9 | Rene De Vos | PTS | 10 | Jul 15, 1934 | ||
| 122 | Win | 94–19–9 | Oddone Piazza | PTS | 10 | Jun 27, 1934 | ||
| 121 | Win | 93–19–9 | Adolf Witt | TKO | 8 (15) | Jun 11, 1934 | ||
| 120 | Win | 92–19–9 | Gustave Roth | MD | 15 | May 3, 1934 | ||
| 119 | Win | 91–19–9 | Jose Martinez de Alfara | DQ | 13 (15) | Mar 26, 1934 | ||
| 118 | Win | 90–19–9 | Ignacio Ara | UD | 15 | Feb 26, 1934 | ||
| 117 | Win | 89–19–9 | Eric Seelig | PTS | 12 | Jan 29, 1934 | ||
| 116 | Win | 88–19–9 | Kid Tunero | UD | 15 | Oct 2, 1933 | ||
| 115 | Win | 87–19–9 | Jack Etienne | PTS | 10 | Sep 15, 1933 | ||
| 114 | Win | 86–19–9 | Eric Seelig | PTS | 12 | May 22, 1933 | ||
| 113 | Win | 85–19–9 | Louis Vauclard | TKO | 6 (?) | Mar 8, 1933 | ||
| 112 | Win | 84–19–9 | Jack Etienne | PTS | 10 | Feb 25, 1933 | ||
| 111 | Loss | 83–19–9 | Kid Tunero | UD | 12 | Jan 16, 1933 | ||
| 110 | Win | 83–18–9 | Charles Van Haecke | KO | 2 (10) | Dec 25, 1932 | ||
| 109 | Win | 82–18–9 | Charles Van Haecke | TKO | 5 (?) | Dec 9, 1932 | ||
| 108 | Win | 81–18–9 | Ignacio Ara | PTS | 10 | Dec 5, 1932 | ||
| 107 | Win | 80–18–9 | Len Johnson | RTD | 8 (10) | Oct 31, 1932 | ||
| 106 | Win | 79–18–9 | Len Harvey | PTS | 15 | Jul 4, 1932 | ||
| 105 | Win | 78–18–9 | Gorilla Jones | DQ | 11 (15) | Jun 11, 1932 | ||
| 104 | Win | 77–18–9 | Jack Hood | TKO | 7 (12) | Mar 21, 1932 | ||
| 103 | Win | 76–18–9 | Jimmy Tarante | UD | 10 | Feb 22, 1932 | ||
| 102 | Win | 75–18–9 | Franz Boja | KO | 1 (10) | Jan 20, 1932 | ||
| 101 | Win | 74–18–9 | Amedee Dubus | TKO | 4 (10) | Dec 12, 1931 | ||
| 100 | Win | 73–18–9 | Pietro Toscani | DQ | 3 (10) | Dec 1, 1931 | ||
| 99 | Win | 72–18–9 | Jack Kid Casey | PTS | 10 | Nov 9, 1931 | ||
| 98 | Win | 71–18–9 | Hermann Klintz | TKO | 4 (10) | Oct 26, 1931 | ||
| 97 | Win | 70–18–9 | Tom Benjamin | KO | 8 (10) | Sep 24, 1931 | ||
| 96 | Win | 69–18–9 | Gheorghe Axioti | PTS | 10 | Sep 5, 1931 | ||
| 95 | Win | 68–18–9 | Vince Dundee | UD | 12 | Jul 10, 1931 | ||
| 94 | Win | 67–18–9 | Felix Sportiello | TKO | 8 (10) | Jun 18, 1931 | ||
| 93 | Win | 66–18–9 | Emile Lebrize | TKO | 5 (12) | Apr 15, 1931 | ||
| 92 | Win | 65–18–9 | Alexis Marin | UD | 12 | Feb 14, 1931 | ||
| 91 | Win | 64–18–9 | Andre Dhainaut | KO | 9 (12) | Jan 11, 1931 | ||
| 90 | Win | 63–18–9 | Pierre Gandon | PTS | 12 | Dec 10, 1930 | ||
| 89 | Loss | 62–18–9 | Mario Bosisio | PTS | 15 | Nov 23, 1930 | ||
| 88 | Win | 62–17–9 | Motzi Spakow | KO | 7 (12) | Nov 1, 1930 | ||
| 87 | Win | 61–17–9 | Emile Romerio | PTS | 10 | Sep 6, 1930 | ||
| 86 | Win | 60–17–9 | Ali Sadek | TKO | 6 (?) | Jul 27, 1930 | ||
| 85 | Win | 59–17–9 | Alfred Pegazzano | PTS | 15 | Mar 12, 1930 | ||
| 84 | Win | 58–17–9 | Alexis Marin | PTS | 12 | Jan 29, 1930 | ||
| 83 | Win | 57–17–9 | Eugene Corsin | TKO | 4 (?) | Jan 18, 1930 | ||
| 82 | Win | 56–17–9 | Charles Krauchi | TKO | 6 (?) | Dec 27, 1929 | ||
| 81 | Loss | 55–17–9 | Fred Shaw | PTS | 15 | Nov 5, 1929 | ||
| 80 | Win | 55–16–9 | Alfred Pegazzano | PTS | 12 | Oct 16, 1929 | ||
| 79 | Win | 54–16–9 | Alexis Marin | TKO | 4 (10) | May 15, 1929 | ||
| 78 | Win | 53–16–9 | Leone Jacovacci | PTS | 15 | Mar 27, 1929 | ||
| 77 | Win | 52–16–9 | Yvan Laffineur | KO | 2 (12) | Mar 12, 1929 | ||
| 76 | Win | 51–16–9 | Yvan Laffineur | PTS | 12 | Jan 8, 1929 | ||
| 75 | Win | 50–16–9 | Billy Farmer | KO | 1 (10) | Dec 5, 1928 | ||
| 74 | Win | 49–16–9 | Orlando Leopardi | TKO | 3 (?) | Nov 17, 1928 | ||
| 73 | Win | 48–16–9 | Joe Bloomfield | KO | 2 (12) | Nov 2, 1928 | ||
| 72 | Win | 47–16–9 | Marcel Thuru | TKO | 1 (10) | Oct 12, 1928 | ||
| 71 | Win | 46–16–9 | Pierre Gandon | KO | 5 (10) | Sep 19, 1928 | ||
| 70 | Win | 45–16–9 | Ted Moore | TKO | 7 (?) | Sep 3, 1928 | ||
| 69 | Win | 44–16–9 | Guardsman George West | KO | 5 (15) | Jul 23, 1928 | ||
| 68 | Win | 43–16–9 | Orlando Leopardi | PTS | 12 | Jul 9, 1928 | ||
| 67 | Win | 42–16–9 | Laurie Raiteri | TKO | 8 (?) | Jun 10, 1928 | ||
| 66 | Win | 41–16–9 | Andy Newton | TKO | 10 (20) | May 21, 1928 | ||
| 65 | Win | 40–16–9 | Daniel Arnaud | KO | 2 (?) | Apr 21, 1928 | ||
| 64 | Loss | 39–16–9 | Len Harvey | PTS | 15 | Dec 12, 1927 | ||
| 63 | Loss | 39–15–9 | Jack Hood | PTS | 15 | Nov 28, 1927 | ||
| 62 | Draw | 39–14–9 | Guardsman George West | PTS | 15 | Nov 2, 1927 | ||
| 61 | Loss | 39–14–8 | Leone Jacovacci | KO | 10 (?) | Oct 28, 1927 | ||
| 60 | Loss | 39–13–8 | Joe Bloomfield | PTS | 12 | Oct 3, 1927 | ||
| 59 | Win | 39–12–8 | Bob Youssef | PTS | 10 | Sep 19, 1927 | ||
| 58 | Win | 38–12–8 | Joe Bloomfield | PTS | 15 | Aug 29, 1927 | ||
| 57 | Win | 37–12–8 | Marcel Forgeon | KO | 7 (10) | Jul 28, 1927 | ||
| 56 | Loss | 36–12–8 | Billy Farmer | PTS | 15 | Jun 13, 1927 | ||
| 55 | Win | 36–11–8 | Andy Newton | RTD | 9 (?) | May 3, 1927 | ||
| 54 | Draw | 35–11–8 | Maurice Forgeon | PTS | 10 | Feb 13, 1927 | ||
| 53 | Win | 35–11–7 | Battling Mathar | PTS | 10 | Feb 5, 1927 | ||
| 52 | Win | 34–11–7 | Emile Christy | PTS | 10 | Jan 25, 1927 | ||
| 51 | Win | 33–11–7 | Antonio Gabiola | TKO | 9 (10) | Dec 21, 1926 | ||
| 50 | Draw | 32–11–7 | Guillermo Arnau | PTS | 10 | Nov 23, 1926 | ||
| 49 | Loss | 32–11–6 | Leone Jacovacci | PTS | 10 | Nov 18, 1926 | ||
| 48 | Loss | 32–10–6 | Raoul Dumondin | PTS | 10 | Nov 6, 1926 | ||
| 47 | Draw | 32–9–6 | Jean Forr | PTS | 10 | Oct 23, 1926 | ||
| 46 | Win | 32–9–5 | Kid Nomo | PTS | 10 | Oct 17, 1926 | ||
| 45 | Win | 31–9–5 | Young Travet | KO | 6 (?) | Aug 22, 1926 | ||
| 44 | Loss | 30–9–5 | Kid Nitram | PTS | 10 | Aug 8, 1926 | ||
| 43 | Loss | 30–8–5 | Tomas Thomas | PTS | 10 | Jul 15, 1926 | ||
| 42 | Win | 30–7–5 | Young Travet | TKO | 1 (10) | Jun 6, 1926 | ||
| 41 | Win | 29–7–5 | Louis Citony | PTS | 8 | Apr 12, 1926 | ||
| 40 | Loss | 28–7–5 | Gaston Lafont | PTS | 10 | Apr 8, 1926 | ||
| 39 | Win | 28–6–5 | Eugene Fleurit | PTS | 8 | Mar 1, 1926 | ||
| 38 | Draw | 27–6–5 | Maurice Forgeon | PTS | 8 | Feb 14, 1926 | ||
| 37 | Loss | 27–6–4 | Gaston Lafont | PTS | 10 | Feb 12, 1926 | ||
| 36 | Win | 27–5–4 | Maurice Forgeon | PTS | 10 | Feb 9, 1926 | ||
| 35 | Draw | 26–5–4 | Enrico Vittorio | PTS | 10 | Jan 31, 1926 | ||
| 34 | Win | 26–5–3 | Theo Dussart | PTS | 10 | Jan 9, 1926 | ||
| 33 | Win | 25–5–3 | Raymond Klauss | TKO | 1 (10) | Nov 6, 1925 | ||
| 32 | Win | 24–5–3 | Pierre Lambinet | PTS | 10 | Oct 20, 1925 | ||
| 31 | Win | 23–5–3 | Jean Andre | TKO | 3 (?) | Oct 7, 1925 | ||
| 30 | Win | 22–5–3 | Jean Fillion | KO | 2 (?) | Aug 31, 1925 | ||
| 29 | Win | 21–5–3 | Georges Morgan | KO | 2 (?) | Aug 1, 1925 | ||
| 28 | Win | 20–5–3 | Enrico Vittorio | PTS | 10 | Jul 27, 1925 | ||
| 27 | Win | 19–5–3 | Daniel Daney | PTS | 8 | Jun 1, 1925 | ||
| 26 | Win | 18–5–3 | Max Plouvier | KO | 3 (?) | May 25, 1925 | ||
| 25 | Win | 17–5–3 | Paul Siterre | KO | 6 (10) | Apr 26, 1925 | ||
| 24 | Loss | 16–5–3 | Maurice Forgeon | TKO | 7 (?) | Apr 8, 1925 | ||
| 23 | Win | 16–4–3 | Eugene Fleurit | KO | 2 (?) | Feb 10, 1925 | ||
| 22 | Win | 15–4–3 | Albert Michaud | KO | 3 (?) | Nov 1, 1924 | ||
| 21 | Win | 14–4–3 | Henri Cre | KO | ? (?) | Sep 1, 1924 | ||
| 20 | Loss | 13–4–3 | Gaston Lafont | PTS | 10 | Jul 1, 1924 | ||
| 19 | Win | 13–3–3 | Saint Marcelli | KO | 4 (?) | Jun 1, 1924 | ||
| 18 | Win | 12–3–3 | Saint Marcelli | PTS | 6 | May 25, 1924 | ||
| 17 | Win | 11–3–3 | Henri Benoit | PTS | 6 | May 24, 1924 | ||
| 16 | Win | 10–3–3 | Tabart | PTS | 8 | Apr 27, 1924 | ||
| 15 | Win | 9–3–3 | Chambon | TKO | 7 (?) | Apr 1, 1924 | ||
| 14 | Win | 8–3–3 | Chambon | PTS | 8 | Mar 7, 1924 | ||
| 13 | Win | 7–3–3 | Feodor Nikolaeff | PTS | 8 | Feb 15, 1924 | ||
| 12 | Draw | 6–3–3 | Joe Batt | PTS | 8 | Feb 1, 1924 | ||
| 11 | Win | 6–3–2 | Edouard Mauconduit | PTS | 8 | Dec 24, 1923 | ||
| 10 | Loss | 5–3–2 | Eugene Alonzo | PTS | 8 | Nov 7, 1923 | ||
| 9 | Loss | 5–2–2 | Eugene Alonzo | PTS | 6 | Oct 7, 1923 | ||
| 8 | Win | 5–1–2 | Motsch | TKO | 3 (6) | Sep 16, 1923 | ||
| 7 | Win | 4–1–2 | Enrico Vittorio | PTS | 6 | Jul 15, 1923 | ||
| 6 | Win | 3–1–2 | Edouard Mauconduit | TKO | 4 (?) | May 1, 1923 | ||
| 5 | Win | 2–1–2 | Louis Le Bihan | PTS | 8 | Mar 1, 1923 | ||
| 4 | Loss | 1–1–2 | Pierre Milesic | PTS | 6 | Jan 1, 1923 | ||
| 3 | Draw | 1–0–2 | Pierson | PTS | 4 | Oct 7, 1922 | ||
| 2 | Win | 1–0–1 | Andre Franot | TKO | 2 (4) | May 25, 1922 | ||
| 1 | Draw | 0–0–1 | Pierson | PTS | 4 | May 7, 1922 | ||
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