RIP, Chuck Bodak, Ace Cutman
By Uncategorized February 7th, 2009Hall of Famer Chuck Bodak has died. The cutman, who lived in California, was 92.
He’d worked with Rocky Marciano, Muhammad Ali, and Oscar De La Hoya, and was known to many fight fans for his practice of affixing pictures to his head during fights.
TSS will run a more in-depth assessment of Chuck soon.
February 8th, 2009 at 2:00 am
Chuck Bodak was a cut above most people. He probably stop the bleeding of more boxers’ cut than any other cut man in the history of the hurt business. Literally, on thousands of us boxers, he laid his hands. We all considered Chuck family, and we’ll miss him so much. Deepest condolences to his biological family members we might not know. Holla!
February 18th, 2009 at 9:11 pm
I KNEW CHUCK IN HIS LATER LIFE, HE WAS A WWII HERO AND AND VERY GENEROUS MAN TO PEOPLE AROUND SUNKIST AND UNDERHILL AVE IN ANAHEIM CALIFORNIA. GOD BLESS CHUCK BODAK.
February 20th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
Sorry for his passing. He played a memorable part of my amateur career in Chi where he trained boxers in the CYO gym on Jackson and Racine. I actually trained with the other coach at the gym, hall of famer Tony Zale, but was around Chuck and his positive banter every week. He worked my corner in my only trip to the national GG tourney in ‘72.
Soon after he said he was heading to California. I moved to Honduras and lost track of him until one time in the 90’s down here in Honduras watching a cable TV fight featuring De la Hoya and I see this guy with the white pony tail and stickers on his head and I said, ‘can’t be!!”, but saw his name flash on the screen giving the corner man info. What a trip. As I got around computers later on I have looked him up repeatedly and learned of all the succeses he had out west and indeed remaining a leading guy at the top of the sport. I happened to google him today and learned of his passing. I feel blessed to have had known him and benefit from his positive influence on me in my youth. Robert Rieman
March 29th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Last Friday I stoped by the M.A.M. in Tustin and was saddened to learn of Chucks passing. Chuck was one of the influences my life to become an athletic trainer. I met Chuck in the early 80s while working at a health club in Anaheim. I had the good fortune of getting to now him and his friends. He would always take the time to share a story or two. The most memorible times were at the fight nights in OC. or LA. I would listen While Chuck would size up in detail the outcome of an event before the boxers steped into the ring. Chucks wisdom and experiance will be missed in the Art of Boxing, the Art of Decoupage and the Art of Life.
The world has lost a true Champian and the Heavens have gained one. Randall