14 Facts About Marcel Thil

Marcel Thil was a French boxer and middleweight world champion.

Marcel Thil was born in Saint-Dizier, a commune in the Haute-Marne department in north-eastern France.

Marcel Thil started boxing at a very young age and turned professional at the age of 16.

Marcel 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.

Marcel Thil won the French middleweight boxing championship in 1928 and captured the Europe title the following year.

Marcel Thil was a major celebrity and a good friend of the celebrated actor Jean Gabin.

Marcel 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.

Marcel Thil was stripped by the NBA for failing to make a title defense by August 15,1933, but he remained the IBU champion.

On May 22,1933, Marcel 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.

Shortly after the loss, the 33-year-old Marcel Thil retired from boxing vacating his titles.

Marcel Thil remained active in the world of boxing as an adviser and cornerman and was named honorary president of the Dieppe Boxing Club.

Marcel Thil made a living with a company in Reims until he retired to a home in Cannes on the French Riviera.

Marcel Thil died at his home in Cannes on August 14,1968, at the age of 64.

Marcel Thil was posthumously inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame at Canastota, New York in 2005.