Vasil "Chuck" Bodak (June 3, 1916 - February 6, 2009) was an American boxing cutman who worked with over 50 world champions including Muhammad Ali, Rocky Marciano, Tommy Hearns, Julio Cesar Chavez, Evander Holyfield and Oscar De La Hoya.[1]
Bodak trained Muhammad Ali, then named Cassius Clay, for the last four years of Clay's amateur career that culminated with the winning of a Gold Medal for the light-heavyweight competition at the 1960 Summer Olympic Games held in Rome, Italy.[2]
One of the unique traits Bodak adopted was the placing of photos of his fighters on his forehead before fights.[3]
Even though advancing in age, Bodak continued to work in the ring and was active in the boxing community until he suffered a stroke in 2007 at the age of 90.[4]
Bodak was born June 3, 1916 in Gary, Indiana and died on February 6, 2009 in Orange County, California at the age of 92.
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Bodak was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame, "Expanded Category" (Managers & Trainers).[5]
In 1993, he was honored by the Cauliflower Alley Club.
Bodak played the role of Cesar's cutman in the 1999 film Play It to the Bone and portrayed himself in two documentaries, More Than Famous in 2003 and The Distance in 2006.[6]
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