Marcel Cerdan Jnr, the oldest of three sons born to the great former middleweight champion of the world Marcel Cerdan Snr, has died of pneumonia in Issy-les Moulineaux, France, at the age of 81, reports L’Equipe. He was also suffering from Alzheimer’s disease

Cerdan Snr, killed in a plane crash in 1949, wanted none of his sons to take up boxing but Marcel Jnr was determined to and therefore left his home in Casablanca, Morocco to move to Paris in 1959, where he was looked after by Edit Piaf, the famed singer and Marcel Snr’s mistress.

Marcel Jnr was a good fighter and turned professional in 1964. He was a big figure but he was also carefully matched while recording a lengthy succession of wins. 

His first loss came against Donato Paduano in Madison Square Garden, New York in 1970. He later drew with Italy’s Sandro Lopopolo, and lost to Robert Gallois in a fight for the French welterweight title. Cerdan retired in 1975 with a record of 56-4-3.

In retirement he made little secret of his belief that he was living in the shadow of his more famous father and even played Marcel Cerdan Snr in the 1983  movie Edith et Marcel. He also worked hard to keep the Cerdan name alive via a brand of clothing named, Marcel Cerdan Heritage. 

Cerdan Jnr also published a biography in 2000 called Piaf et moi.