His legendary status begins at 21 (1916-1937)

Marcel Cerdan is born July 22, 1916, in Sidi bel Abbes in Algeria. His father came from France (Roussillon) and his mother is of spanish origin, he is the second child of five children born into a poor family (Armand, Antoine, Vincent and the younger sister Clothilde).

In 1922, the Cerdan family moves to Casablanca, wishing to find a better future. Vincent, the oldest child (10 years older than Marcel) practices boxing, Antoine and Armand aspire to be boxers as well.

In 1924, pushed by his father, Marcel gets in the ring for the first time at the age of 8, during an evening where Vincent was scheduled to box. The little Marcel, victorious wins, to his great despair, a pair of tennis shoes, instead of what he really wanted, a chocolate bar that the loser was given.

About 1932, Cerdan (the father) befriends Lucien Roupp, a Parisian who knew all about boxing, and who had built a gym on the second floor of his garage. Constantly pushed by his father who would like to make him into a champion, Marcel, whose passion for Soccer was a source of permanent conflict with his father, would oblige and go train at Roupp's gym.

In fact, since 1933, Marcel's father ceases to be his manager and leaves him in the care of Lucien Roupp. At 17, Marcel begins his first profesionalfights as a "fly" (lightweight), being matched from the get go with opponents that were clearly heavier. He will go on to win over some of Roupp's finest young promises, one after the other beat the dust, most of the boxers were from North Africa.

In 1935, at the age of 19, Cerdain is the winner against Max Privat, a boxer who had made a name for himself. Marcel goes on to fight Mak Perez, Maurice Serfaty and Mestre, then in 1936 Antoine Adad (who had fought and lost against Spoldi, Champion of the world) and Ifergane. In Oran (Algeria), Marcel Knocks out the famous Martinez (nicknamed K.O. Martinez) in the second round. Marcel goes on rapidly to defeat one after the other Ricardo, Kid Abadie, Castillanos, Fausto, then the metropolitan Jean Debeaumont in Casablanca.

It is in March 2, 1937, after his victory against Attaf, then Naudin, that Marcel faces Omar Kouidry in Rabat (Morocco). Marcel wins but his right hand.. Always fragile in all fighters, is fractured. Healing from it, he beats another time Kouidry and Ali Omar in Algiers). He then faces In Oran (Algeria) a great champion, Kid Marcel, and Marcel Cerdan goes on to win the match.

At the demand of the organizer of the Parisian boxing matches, Jeff Dickson, who wishes to bring young Marcel in the limelight slowly before bringing him to Paris, Marcel Cerdan faces Edy Rabak, the rude "Tcheck carpenter" as he was nicknamed, September 13, 1937, in Casablanca. At the 7th round, Marcel knocks him out. It's the door wide open at an international career... He is barely 21.