Having spent my 1st nine years of life during the entire professional career of the only heavyweight boxing champion in history to ever go undefeated throughout his boxing career…..while amassing a record of 49 – ) with 43 of them being knockouts…..and albeit his career ended 68 years ago….he is still considered the “Last Great White Hope” to hold the unified heavyweight world boxing crown…..as there have been a bunch of pretenders to win one of the titles (WBC, WBA, IBF, WHO, etc) since then…..like Ingemar Johansson, Gerrie Coetzee, Francisco Damiani, Tommy Morrison, Herbie Hide et al…..but none of them really “fit the bill” as a great white hope…..cuz none of these champs could have gone 12 to 15 rounds with the one and only Rocky Marciano…..who in our opinion here at ImaSportsPhile…..was a true American hero….and the perfect image of the opportunity that America has always afforded her people….for Marciano was the successful bi-product of 1st generation Americans…..who came to the land of opportunity…..and when it came to 1st generation Americans, Rocky Marciano, was the perfect example. Here was an “uncut diamond” that stood 5’9″ tall and weighed 185 pounds…..which is hardly anything that today’s heavyweight champions weigh…..while having a 64″ reach (as compared to Sonny Liston’s 81″ reach, who went on to an undefeated career…..and would be considered in the top 5 of all time heavyweight champions…..cuz somewhere in this man’s amazing story, lies a valid answer to every making every dream come true. We hope you enjoy this tribute to Rocky Marciano, “The Rock” / “The Brockton Blockbuster”…..for re-assuring all fans, that you can go undefeated in sports.
Boxing – Mini Documentary – 2022 – A Rainy Day Boxing Production Special – “Rocky Marciano: Real Life Italian Stallion”
Rocco Francis Marchegiano (September 1, 1923 – August 31, 1969) better known as Rocky Marciano was an American professional boxer who competed from 1947 to 1955…..while holding the world heavyweight title from 1952 to 1956…..who is currently the only heavyweight champion to finish his career undefeated. His six title defenses were against Jersey Joe Walcott (from whom he had taken the title), Roland La Starza, Ezzard Charles (twice), Don Cockell and Archie Moore…..which to us here at ImaSportsPhile is a bit under-whelming when considering the 26 title defenses by The Brown Bomber Joe Louis…..19 title defenses by The Easton Assassin Larry Holmes…..18 title defenses by Wladimir Klitscho…..and 10 title defenses by Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay), who missed the three best years of his career after having his titles stripped…… which provides significant evidence that Rocky fought his career at a time when there just weren’t a bunch of great heavyweight boxers around…..as compared to the time when Ali fought…..which included such great heavyweights such as Sonny Liston, Smokin’ Joe Frazier, Larry Holmes, Ken Norton, George Foreman, Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, Earnie Shavers, Jimmy Ellis, Mike Weaver, Michael Dokes, Tim Witherspoon, Pinklon Thomas, Floyd Patterson, Ernie Terrell, Francisco Damiani, Gerry Coetzee, James Bonecrusher Smith, James Buster Douglas, Tony Tucker, Reddick Bowe, Trevor Berbick, Michael Spinks, Tony Tubbs et al…..all of which would have given both Archie Moore and Ezzard Charles a seriously difficult time…..simply because they were both natural light heavyweights, as was Rocky…..which made The Rock very special in his own right.
Boxing – A Bored Film Documentary – 2021 – A Joseph Vincent Production Special – “Rocky Marciano: 49-0 – Hardest Hitter In Boxing History (A Knockout Documentary)”
Known for his relentless fighting style…..as well as his formidable punching power…..plus his incredible stamina…..along with an exceptionally durable chin…..is why Marciano is considered one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time…..as he remains the only fighter to have stopped every opponent he ever faced for the world heavyweight title…..and shares, with Joe Louis, the highest knockout-to-win percentage in world heavyweight title fights at 85.71%. His career knockout-to-win percentage of 87.8% remains one of the highest in heavyweight boxing history. Marciano is ranked #14 in The Ring magazine’s list of the 100 greatest punchers of all time.
Boxing & Movie – Entire Film – A TheGrapevineTV Documentary Production Special – 2004 – “Rocky Marciano: A Life Story”
Born Rocco Francis Marchegiano, he was raised on the south side of Brockton, Massachusetts, to Pierino Marchegiano and Pasqualina Picciuto. Both of his parents were immigrants from Italy…..with his father was from Ripa Teatina, Abruzzo…..while his mother was from San Bartolomeo in Galdo, Campania…..while he had two brothers, Louis (aka Sonny) and Peter…..and three sisters, Alice, Concetta and Elizabeth.
Boxing & Interview – HBO Boxing Special – 1983 – An “HBO Sports” Production Special – “Barry Tompkins Interviews Rocky Marciano’s Mother Pasqualina Marchegiano”
In his youth, he worked out on homemade weightlifting equipment (later in his life, Marciano was also a client of Charles Atlas)…..while using a stuffed mailbag that hung from a tree in his back yard as a heavy bag. He attended Brockton High School, where he played both baseball and football…..albeit, he was cut from the school baseball team because he had joined a church league…..which violated a school rule forbidding players from joining other teams. He dropped out of school after finishing 10th grade.
Boxing – Biography – 2023 – A Legends of Boxing Production Special – “Rocky Marciano: The Untold Early Years From Baseball to Boxing”
Marciano then worked as a chute man on delivery trucks for the Brockton Ice and Coal Company…..while he also worked as a ditchdigger, railroad layer and shoemaker. He was a resident of Hanson, Massachusetts…..where the house he lived in still stands on Main Street.
Boxing – HBO Biography – 1974 – A HBO Boxing Production Special – “Boxing’s Best: Rocky Marciano” – Hosted by Barry Tompkins
In March 1943, Marciano was drafted into the United States Army for a term of two years…..when he was stationed in Swansea, Wales…..where he helped ferry supplies across the English Channel to Normandy. After the war ended, he completed his service in March 1946 at Fort Lewis, Washington.
Boxing – Interview – 1958 – A Legends of Boxing Production Special – “Rocky Marciano: On Coming Out of Retirement + Joe Louis + How He Would Do In Ring With Champs Smokin’ Joe Frazier & Jimmy Ellis”
Marciano’s amateur record was 8–4. While awaiting discharge, Marciano represented the Army and won the 1946 Amateur Armed Forces boxing tournament. His amateur career was briefly interrupted on March 17, 1947, when Marciano stepped into the ring as a professional competitor at the Valley Arena Gardens of Holyoke, Massachusetts…..while being billed as “Rocky Mackianno of Westover Field”. That night, he knocked out local fighter Lee Epperson in three rounds. In an unusual move, Marciano returned to the amateur ranks and fought in the Golden Gloves All-East Championship Tournament in March 1948…..where he was controversially beaten by Coley Wallace. He continued to fight as an amateur throughout the spring and competed in the AAU Olympic tryouts in the Boston Garden. There, he knocked out George McInnis, but hurt his hands during the bout and was forced to withdraw from the tournament. That was his last amateur bout.
Boxing – Interview – 1976 – An ABC Wide World of Sports Production Special – “Howard Cosell & Muhammad Ali Talk About Rocky Marciano”
Boxing – Radio Interview – 1969 – A FightFilmGuy Production Special – “Rocky Marciano – On Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali)”
In late March 1947, Marciano and several friends traveled to Fayetteville, North Carolina, to try out for the Fayetteville Cubs…..which was a farm team for the Chicago Cubs baseball team…..when Marciano lasted three weeks before being cut…..so, after failing to find a spot on another team, he returned to Brockton and began boxing training with longtime friend Allie Colombo…..when Al Weill and Chick Wergeles served as his managers…..and Charley Goldman as his trainer and teacher.
Boxing – Special – 2023 – A Saved For More Production Special – “Rocky Marciano: The Power In The Philosophy Of Handling Pain”
Although he had one professional fight (against Lee Epperson) on his record …..that’s when Marciano began fighting permanently as a professional boxer on July 12, 1948…..for on that night, he notched a win over Harry Bilazarian (3–6–0)…..when he won his 1st 16 bouts by knockout…..while all were before the 5th round…..with 9 before the 1st round was over. Don Mogard (17–9–1) became the 1st boxer to last the distance (full 10 rounds scheduled) with “The Rock”…..when Marciano won by unanimous decision.
Boxing – Style Analysis – 2023 – A Fran Sands Production Special – “Rocky Marciano: Simple, Brutal , Beautiful” – A Breakdown of The Rock’s Style of Boxing by Boxing Trainer Fran Sands
Early in his career, he changed the spelling of his last name, “Marchegiano”…. so the ring announcer in Providence, Rhode Island, could not pronounce it….. and that’s when Marciano’s handler, Al Weill, suggested they create a pseudonym. The 1st suggestion was Rocky Mack…..which Marciano rejected, deciding to go with the more Italian-sounding “Marciano”.
Boxing – Extended Highlights – 2021 – A V Top 10 Production Special – “Rocky Marciano: Top 10 Greatest Knockouts”
Marciano won three more fights by knockout…..then he met Ted Lowry (58–48–9)…..when Marciano kept his winning streak alive by beating Lowry by unanimous decision…..after which, 4 more wins by KO then followed…..which included a 5-rounder on December 19, 1949, with Phil Muscato (56–20–0)….. who was an experienced heavyweight from Buffalo, New York…..while being the 1st “name fighter” Marciano faced.
Boxing – PreFight Profiles & Extended Fight Highlights – July 28, 1952 – A FightFilmsGuy Production Special – 10 Rnd Heavyweight Bout – Harry Matthews Vs Rocky Marciano
Three weeks after the Phil Muscato fight, Marciano defeated Carmine Vingo (16–1–0) by a 6th-round knockout in New York…..as Carmine was a promising prospect who was 16–1…..with his loss being controversial….. while Marciano was 24–0 at the time of the fight. The winner would be declared the white hope in the division. Rocky Marciano dropped Vingo in the 1st and 2nd round…..but Vingo was gaining momentum by the 5th round…..when at 1:46 in the 6th round Marciano knocked out Vingo with a right uppercut. Vingo was unconscious and taken to the hospital on a stretcher…..as there were no ambulances available…..when Vingo was given 50/50 survival odds…..and a priest administered last rites…..however, Vingo pulled through and survived, befriending Marciano later on in life.
Boxing – Extended Highlights – 1949 – A Rich The Fight Historian Production Special – “10 Rnd Heavyweight Bout – Carmine Vingo Vs Rocky Marciano”
On March 24, 1950, Marciano fought Roland La Starza, winning by split decision. La Starza may have come closer than any other boxer to defeating Marciano as a professional. The scoring for the bout was 5–4, 4–5, and 5–5. Marciano won on a supplemental point system used by New York and Massachusetts at that time. The scoring system did not award an extra point for a knockdown and Marciano scored a knockdown in the fight. Referee Watson decided the bout, scoring it for Marciano. Both boxers were undefeated before the fight, with La Starza’s record at 37–0.
Boxing – Extended Highlights – September 24, 1953 – Heavyweight Championship – Roland La Starza Vs Rocky Marciano – The Rock’s 45th Consecutive Victory Without a Loss
Marciano scored 3 more knockouts in a row before a rematch with Lowry (61–56–10)…..with Marciano again winning by unanimous decision. After that, he scored 4 more knockouts…..then, after a decision over Red Applegate (11–14–2) in late April 1951, he was showcased on national television for the 1st time…..while knocking out Rex Layne (34–1–2) in six rounds on July 12, 1951.
Boxing – ESPN Classics Extended Highlights – July 12, 1951 – 10 Rnd Heavyweight Bout – Rex Layne Vs Rocky Marciano
On October 27, 1951, the 28-year-old Marciano took on the 37-year-old Joe Louis…..when coming into the bout, Marciano was a 6½-to-5 underdog…..as The Rock upset Louis in the Brown Bomber’s last career bout.
Boxing – Extended Fight Highlights – October 26, 1951 – 10 Rnd Heavyweight Bout – Joe Louis Vs Rocky Marciano
After four more wins, including victories over 35-year-old Lee Savold (96–37–3) and Harry Matthews (81–3–5), Marciano received a shot at the world title.
Boxing – Extended Highlights – February 13, 1952 – 10 Rnd Heavyweight Fight – Lee Savold Vs Rock Marciano
Marciano, 29, faced the World Heavyweight Champion, 38-year-old Jersey Joe Walcott, in Philadelphia on September 23, 1952…..as Walcott dropped Marciano in the 1st round and steadily built a points lead…..then in the 13th, Walcott used his trademark feint to set up his right hand…..but Marciano’s “Suzie Q” landed 1st…..which was a powerful right hook causing Walcott to slump to his knees with his arm draped over the ropes…..when he laid motionless long after he had been counted out…..and Marciano became the new World Heavyweight Champion. At the time of the stoppage, Walcott was leading on all scorecards, 8–4, 7–5, and 7–4.
Boxing – Entire Fight Rnd by Rnd – September 23, 1952 – 15 Rnd World Heavyweight Title Fight # 1 – Rocky Marciano Vs Jersey Joe Walcott – The Rock Wins The Title
Boxing – Extended Fight Rnd by Rnd – September 23, 1952 – 15 Rnd World Heavyweight Title Fight #1 – Rocky Marciano Vs Jersey Joe Walcott – 11th Round To End of the Fight Highlights
Boxing – Rare Interview – 1961 – A Main Event Television Series Production Special – “Rocky Marciano Interviews Jersey Joe Walcott”
His 1st title defense came a year later in a rematch against Walcott…..who was 39 yrs. old…..when Rocky knocked Jersey Joe out in the 1st round….. which looked as if it didn’t matter if the count was fast or slow…..cuz it seemed as if Walcott wasn’t getting up even if the ref counted to a hundred, Walcott was dramatist after the first fight…..when his own handler stated a few years later saying “He grabbed his 250gs and split town, not a heroic thing to do but its healthier.”
Boxing – Entire Fight Rnd by Rnd – May 15, 1953 – 15 Rnd World Heavyweight Title Fight #2 – Rocky Marciano Vs Jersey Joe Walcott – Marciano Wins With 1st Rnd Knockout
Next, it was Roland La Starza’s turn to challenge Marciano…..when after building a small lead on the judges’ scorecards all the way through the middle rounds…..that’s when Marciano won the rematch by a technical knockout in the 11th round.
Boxing – Entire Fight Rnd by Rnd Highlights – September 24, 1953 – Live From the Polo Grounds in NYC – 15 Rnd Heavyweight Championship Title Fight – Roland LaStarza Vs Rocky Marciano – Fight #2
Then came two consecutive bouts against former World Heavyweight Champion and light heavyweight legend Ezzard Charles (33 yrs old)…..who became the only man to ever last 15 rounds against Marciano…..when The Rock won the 1st fight, held at Yankee Stadium on June 17, 1954, on points …..as referee Ruby Goldstein scored the bout 8–5–2 in rounds for the champion…..when Judge Artie Aidala scored it 9–5–1 for Marciano…..while judge Harold Barnes had it 8–6–1. Marciano won the return fight by an 8th-round knockout. Then, Marciano met British and European Champion Don Cockell…..and knocked him out in the 9th round.
Boxing – Entire Fight Rnd by Rnd – June 17, 1954 – A Legends of Boxing Production Special – Live at Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY – 15 Rnd Heavyweight Boxing Championship Title Fight – Ezzard Charles Vs Rocky Marciano – 1st Fight
Boxing – Entire Fight Rnd by Rnd – September 17, 1954 – A Legends of Boxing Production Special – Live at Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY – 15 Rnd Heavyweight Boxing Championship Title Fight – Ezzard Charles Vs Rocky Marciano – 2nd Fight
Boxing – Entire Fight Rnd by Rnd – May 16, 1955 – A Watch Films Unlimited Production Special – Live at Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY – 15 Rnd Heavyweight Boxing Championship Title Fight – Don Cockell Vs Rocky Marciano – Featuring Marciano’s Thoughts and Comments Throughout The Bout
Boxing – Entire Fight – May 16, 1955 – A rsmorodinov Production Special – Live at Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY – 15 Rnd Heavyweight Boxing Championship Title Fight – Don Cockell Vs Rocky Marciano
Marciano’s last title bout was against 38-year-old Archie Moore, on September 21, 1955…..as the bout was originally scheduled for September 20th…..but because of hurricane warnings, it had to be delayed a day. This title fight for the heavyweight crown, was one of the greatest fights of all time…..between two of the greatest fighters of all time…..The Mongoose (Moore) vs The Rock (Marciano)……when Marciano was knocked down for a 4-count in the 2nd round…..but recovered and retained his title with a knockout in the 9th round…..albeit in between the 2nd and the 9th rounds, a war took place at Yankee Stadium that night.
Boxing – Title Fights – September 21, 1955 – Heavyweight Championship Title Fight – Archie Moore Vs Rocky Marciano – The Rock Retires 49-0 With 43 KOs
Boxing – Title Fights – September 21, 1955 – Heavyweight Championship Title Fight – Archie Moore Vs Rocky Marciano – The Rock Retires 49-0 With 43 KOs – Full Fight Colorized
If you are a boxing fan, you will absolutely enjoy the following video…..as you will be awed by the number of punches thrown by The Mongoose & The Rock during this incredible 11 minutes of continuous punching gives an incite into the “power in the philosophy of handling pain”…..which is what made Rocky Marciano such an indominable force in the ring.
Boxing – Title Fights – September 21, 1955 – Heavyweight Championship Title Fight Highlights – Archie Moore Vs Rocky Marciano – The Rock Retires 49-0 With 43 KOs – Incredible Fight!
Marciano announced his retirement on April 27, 1956 at age 32…..when he finished his career at 49–0…..with 43 KO’s…..which is certainly impressive by any standards.
Boxing – Mini Documentary – 2022 – A Rhythm Boxing Production Special – “Rocky Marciano: The Art of Effort”
Marciano considered a comeback in 1959 when Ingemar Johansson won the Heavyweight Championship from Floyd Patterson on June 26, 1959…..but after only a month of training in nearly four years, Marciano decided against it and never seriously considered a comeback again.
Boxing & TV Shows – 1956 – An Ed Sullivan Show Production Special – Ed Sullivan Interviews Rocky Marciano About Coming Out Of Retirement”
After his retirement, Marciano entered the world of television…..while 1st hosting a weekly boxing show on TV in 1961…..and later appearing in the Combat! episode “Masquerade”. For a brief period, he worked as a troubleshooting referee in wrestling (Marciano was a good wrestler in high school)…..when he continued as a referee and boxing commentator in boxing matches for many years. He was also active in business as a partner and vice president of Papa Luigi Spaghetti Dens, a San Francisco-based franchise company formed by Joe Kearns and James Braly.
Boxing & Talk Shows – 1961 – A Legends of Boxing Production Special – “Rocky Marciano Interviews Jackie Gleason on His Main Event Television Series”
Boxing & Talk Shows – 1961 – A Majik Man Production Special – “Rocky Marciano Interviews Anthony Franciosa on His Main Event Television Series” – Analysis of The Rock’s Fights With Ezzard Charles
Boxing & Talk Shows – 1961 – A Majik Man Production Special – “Rocky Marciano Interviews (3) With Nat King Cole & John Daly & Joe Dimaggio On His Main Event Television Series”
Boxing & Talk Shows – 1961 – A The Rocky Marciano Archives Production Special – “Rocky Marciano: A Brief Retrospective Of His TV Series Main Event”
In late July 1969, shortly before his death, Marciano participated in the filming of The Superfight: Marciano vs. Ali……as the two boxing legends were filmed sparring…..then the film was edited to match a computer simulation of a hypothetical fight between them…..with each being in his prime…..which aired on January 20, 1970…..with one version having Marciano winning and the 2nd version having Ali winning.
Boxing – KO, Knockout Boxing Super Fight Highlights – 1968 – An ElTerribleProduction Special – 15 Rnd World Heavyweight Championship Computer Super Fight – Rocky Marciano Vs Muhammad Ali
Boxing – Special – 2021 – Behind The Scenes: A Discussion of the Origins of the Muhammad Ali vs Rocky Marciano Computer Super Fight Filmed in 1969
Boxing – KO, Knockout Boxing Entire Super Fight – 1968 – An ElTerribleProduction Special – 15 Rnd World Heavyweight Championship Computer Super Fight – Rocky Marciano Vs Muhammad Ali
Marciano was a devout Catholic and often attended Catholic mass during training and before a fight. He once stated “the biggest thrill I can think of would be an audience with the Pope”.
Boxing – Mini Documentary – 2021 – A Rich the Fight Historian Production Special – “Rocky Marciano: The Man, The Myth & The Mafia”
On August 31, 1969 (the day before his 46th birthday), Marciano was a passenger in a small private plane, a Cessna 172 heading to Des Moines, Iowa. It was night and bad weather had set in. The pilot, Glenn Belz, had only 231 total hours of flying time, 35 of them at night, and had no instrument rating…..when Belz tried to land the plane at a small airfield outside Newton, Iowa…..but the aircraft hit a tree two miles short of the runway. Flying with Marciano in the back seat was Frankie Farrell, 28, the oldest son of organized crime figure Lew Farrell. Marciano, Belz and Farrell were killed on impact. The National Transportation Safety Board report said, “The pilot attempted an operation exceeding his experience and ability level, continued visual flight rules under adverse weather conditions and experienced spatial disorientation in the last moments of the flight.” Marciano was on his way to give a speech to support his friend’s son…..when there was a surprise birthday celebration waiting for him…..as he had hoped to return in the early morning for his 46th birthday celebration with his wife. He was coming from a dinner in Chicago at STP CEO Andy Granatelli’s home.
Boxing – Special – August 31, 1969 – A ilia gvelesiani Production Special – “The Story of the Night That Rocky Marciano Died”
Boxing – Event & Accident Report – August 31, 1969 – An Infamous Accidents Production Special – “Rocky Marciano: The Plane Crash That Killed The Legendary Boxer”
Marciano is interred in a crypt at Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery in Fort Lauderdale, Florida…..and his wife Barbara Marciano died five years later at the age of 46 due to lung cancer…..and is entombed next to him.
Boxing – Special – 2009 – Dedication of the Rocky Marciano Post Office Building in Brockton, MA – With Rocky Marciano Jr. Being Interviewed
Marciano holds the record with heavyweight Brian Nielsen for the longest undefeated streak by a heavyweight…..plus, he is also the only world heavyweight champion to go undefeated throughout his professional career…..albeit heavyweight champion Gene Tunney never suffered a defeat at heavyweight and retired as champion, he lost one career fight at light heavyweight…..whose longest win streak was 32, with his overall record being 82-1-4(D)-1(NC). Marciano also has the highest knockout percentage of any heavyweight champion in history (over the period of a career) with 87.76%. In his professional career, he was only knocked down twice…..with the 1st occurring in his 1st title fight against Jersey Joe Walcott…..and the 2nd occurred against Archie Moore.
Boxing – Extended Highlights – 1947 To 1955 – A multick Production Special – “Rocky Marciano: Career Highlights Set To Music”
Despite his perfect record and retiring as champion, Marciano has sometimes been criticized for the allegedly low quality of opposition he faced during his career…..plus, when he did finally fight a truly quality opponent at the time of his 1st fight with Roland LaStarza…..when some experts believed it was La Starza and not Marciano who deserved the decision. However, we here at ImaSportsPhile are not of that opinion…..for not only was LaStarza an outstanding boxer…..while Jersey Joe Walcott was highly skilled and dangerous…..whereby, Ezzard Charles and Archie Moore were the two of the all time greatest light heavyweight champions in the history of boxing…..while every one of these opponents were as big as Marciano in size and reach. The simple truth is that there just weren’t as many great all time heavyweights during The Rock’s era as there were in The Golden Age of Boxing from 1964 to 1994.
Boxing – Special – 2023 – A Legends of Boxing Production Special – “Rocky Marciano: Undefeated and Underated” – With Highlights in Full Color
These criticisms notwithstanding, over the decades Marciano has been ranked highly in several all-time boxing lists. In December 1962, a The Ring poll of 40 boxing experts placed Marciano as the 7th-best heavyweight of all time. Boxing historian Charlie Rose rated Marciano as the 8th-best heavyweight of all time in 1968…..while John McCallum’s survey of boxing historians and writers listed him as the 9th-best all-timer in the division. In 1971, Nat Fleischer, a boxing historian and founder of The Ring, named Marciano as the 10th all-time greatest heavyweight champion.
Boxing – Extended Highlights – 2022 – A The Modern Martial Artist Production Special – “Rocky Marciano: Why He Never Lost A Fight”
In 1998, The Ring named Marciano as the 6th greatest heavyweight champion ever…..when in 2002, The Ring placed him at # 12 on the list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years…..which was followed in 2003, when The Ring rated Marciano # 14 on the list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. In 2005, he was named the 5th greatest heavyweight of all time by the International Boxing Research Organization. In 2007, on ESPN.com’s list of the 50 Greatest Boxers of All Time, Marciano was ranked # 14, and was the 5th highest ranked heavyweight, behind (in order) Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis, Jack Johnson, and Jack Dempsey.
Boxing & Interview – Live TV Interview – 1966 – A Mighty Roar Production Special – “Rocky Marciano: Interview With John Brown on Sports Star Australian TV”
Marciano’s punch was tested and it was featured in the December 1963 issue of Boxing Illustrated: “Marciano’s knockout blow packs more explosive energy than an armor-piercing bullet and represents as much energy as would be required to spot lift 1000 pounds one foot off the ground.” Can you imagine being hit by that much explosive energy…..and then multiply that by hundreds of times over 15 rounds of boxing…..while averaging between 75 and 80 punches per round from close range (inside a telephone booth…..and that is what made The Rock so great…..Oh, and by the way…..he threw 75 punches per rnd for 15 rounds…..which is a mere 1125 punches thrown in 45 minutes…..while getting pummeled during every assault….and Rocky Marciano’s trademark was that he was always on the assault.
Boxing – Punching Technique Analysis – 2016 – A The Modern Martial Artist Production Special – “Rocky Marciano: Gazelle Punch Explained – Technique Breakdown”
Marciano was named fighter of the year by The Ring three times…..and his three championship fights between 1952 and 1954 were named Fights of the Year by the magazine. Marciano won the BWAA Sugar Ray Robinson Award (then known as the Edward J. Neil Tropy) in 1952. In 2006, an ESPN poll voted Marciano’s 1952 championship bout against Walcott as the greatest knockout ever. Marciano also received the Hickok Belt for top professional athlete of the year in 1952. Murray Goodman later recalled that Ray Hickok, founder of the award, also presented Rocky with a hundred miniature boxing gloves, which Rocky was selling a week later for $1 a pair. In 1955, he was voted the 2nd most important American athlete of the year.
Boxing – Documentary – 2013 – A surfi – biznes w zasięgu ręki Production Special – “Rocky Marciano Documentay” – Featuring The Top Boxing Pundits of Boxing Talking Marciano
Marciano is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.
Boxing – Mini Documentary – 2021 – An Unbeaten Combat Production Special – “Rocky Marciano: How To Train Like A Champion”
Marciano had two children…..with a daughter, Mary Anne (born 1952), who died on June 3, 2011, of complications from a respiratory illness…..and a son, Rocco Kevin (born 1968). Joey Marciano, a professional baseball player, is a cousin twice removed.
Boxing – Highlights – 1952 – 10 Rnd Heavyweight Bout – Harry “Kid” Matthews Vs Rocky Marciano – Live from Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
The video below, depicting the 13th round KO by Rocky Marciano Vs Jersey Joe Walcott (when Rocky won the heavyweight title) is one of the greatest punches ever thrown in the history of boxing…..while possibly being the greatest punch ever because it was a singular punch thrown in a brutal contest for the Heavyweight Championship of the World by the man who was losing on the cards. It doesn’t get any better than that folks…..especially considering the trick was pulled against one of the slickest fighters to ever lace them–Arnold Cream-a.k.a-Jersey Joe Walcott….for Jersey Joe was one of the hardest punchers that ever stepped in the ring. When he nailed Marciano with the same left hook that flattened Ezzard Charles, a bloody good fighter, he must have thought as Marciano got back to his feet “what the hell do I have to hit this wop with to stop him?”…..God bless them both as courageous fighters.
Boxing – Knockout Highlight – September 23, 1952 – World Heavyweight Championship Fight 13th Round Highlights – Rocky Marciano Vs Jersey Joe Walcott
A bronze statue of Marciano was planned for a 2009 completion date in his hometown of Brockton, Massachusetts…..as a gift to the city by the World Boxing Council…..when the artist, Mario Rendon, head of the Instituto Universitario de las Bellas Artes in Colima, Mexico, was selected to sculpt the statue. After years of delays in the planning stages, the groundbreaking for the statue was held on April 1, 2012, on the grounds of Brockton High School. The statue was officially unveiled on September 23, 2012…..which was the 60th anniversary of Marciano winning the world heavyweight title. A bronze statue of Marciano was also erected in Ripa Teatina, Italy, to celebrate the birthplace of Marciano’s father.
Boxing – Special – 2021 – A Rich the Fight Historian Production Special – “Rocky Marciano: 1st TV Appearance – A Look Back at the Night the Legend of Rocky Marciano Was Born”
Professional boxing record
49 fights |
49 wins |
0 losses |
|---|---|---|
By knockout |
43 |
0 |
By decision |
6 |
0 |
No. |
Result |
Record |
Opponent |
Type |
Round, time |
Date |
Location |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
49 |
Win |
49–0 |
Archie Moore |
KO |
9 (15), 1:19 |
Sep 21, 1955 |
Yankee Stadium, New York City, New York, U.S. |
Retained NYSAC, NBA, and The Ring heavyweight titles |
48 |
Win |
48–0 |
Don Cockell |
TKO |
9 (15), 0:54 |
May 16, 1955 |
Kezar Stadium, San Francisco, California, U.S. |
Retained NYSAC, NBA, and The Ring heavyweight titles |
47 |
Win |
47–0 |
Ezzard Charles |
KO |
8 (15), 2:36 |
Sep 17, 1954 |
Yankee Stadium, New York City, New York, U.S. |
Retained NYSAC, NBA, and The Ring heavyweight titles |
46 |
Win |
46–0 |
Ezzard Charles |
UD |
15 |
Jun 17, 1954 |
Yankee Stadium, New York City, New York, U.S. |
Retained NYSAC, NBA, and The Ring heavyweight titles |
45 |
Win |
45–0 |
Roland La Starza |
TKO |
11 (15) |
Sep 24, 1953 |
Polo Grounds, New York City, New York, U.S. |
Retained NYSAC, NBA, and The Ring heavyweight titles |
44 |
Win |
44–0 |
Jersey Joe Walcott |
KO |
1 (15), 2:25 |
May 15, 1953 |
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
Retained NYSAC, NBA, and The Ring heavyweight titles |
43 |
Win |
43–0 |
Jersey Joe Walcott |
KO |
13 (15), 0:43 |
Sep 23, 1952 |
Municipal Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
Won NYSAC, NBA, and The Ring heavyweight titles |
42 |
Win |
42–0 |
Harry Matthews |
KO |
2 (10), 2:04 |
Jul 28, 1952 |
Yankee Stadium, New York City, New York, U.S. |
|
41 |
Win |
41–0 |
Bernie Reynolds |
KO |
3 (10), 2:21 |
May 12, 1952 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
40 |
Win |
40–0 |
Gino Buonvino |
KO |
2 (10), 1:35 |
Apr 21, 1952 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
39 |
Win |
39–0 |
Lee Savold |
RTD |
6 (10), 3:00 |
Feb 13, 1952 |
Convention Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
|
38 |
Win |
38–0 |
Joe Louis |
TKO |
8 (10) |
Oct 26, 1951 |
Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. |
|
37 |
Win |
37–0 |
Freddie Beshore |
KO |
4 (10), 0:50 |
Aug 27, 1951 |
Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
|
36 |
Win |
36–0 |
Rex Layne |
KO |
6 (10), 0:35 |
Jul 12, 1951 |
Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. |
|
35 |
Win |
35–0 |
Willis Applegate |
UD |
10 |
Apr 30, 1951 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
34 |
Win |
34–0 |
Art Henri |
TKO |
9 (10), 2:51 |
Mar 26, 1951 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
33 |
Win |
33–0 |
Harold Mitchell |
TKO |
2 (10), 2:45 |
Mar 20, 1951 |
Auditorium, Hartford, Connecticut, U.S. |
|
32 |
Win |
32–0 |
Keene Simmons |
TKO |
8 (10), 2:54 |
Jan 29, 1951 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
31 |
Win |
31–0 |
Bill Wilson |
TKO |
1 (10), 1:50 |
Dec 18, 1950 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
30 |
Win |
30–0 |
Ted Lowry |
UD |
10 |
Nov 13, 1950 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
29 |
Win |
29–0 |
Johnny Shkor |
TKO |
6 (10), 1:28 |
Sep 18, 1950 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
28 |
Win |
28–0 |
Gino Buonvino |
TKO |
10 (10), 0:25 |
Jul 10, 1950 |
Braves Field, Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
|
27 |
Win |
27–0 |
Eldridge Eatman |
TKO |
3 (10) |
Jun 5, 1950 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
26 |
Win |
26–0 |
Roland La Starza |
SD |
10 |
Mar 24, 1950 |
Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. |
|
25 |
Win |
25–0 |
Carmine Vingo |
KO |
6 (10), 1:46 |
Dec 30, 1949 |
Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. |
|
24 |
Win |
24–0 |
Phil Muscato |
TKO |
5 (10), 1:15 |
Dec 19, 1949 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
23 |
Win |
23–0 |
Pat Richards |
TKO |
2 (8), 0:39 |
Dec 2, 1949 |
Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S. |
|
22 |
Win |
22–0 |
Joe Dominic |
KO |
2 (10), 2:26 |
Nov 7, 1949 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
21 |
Win |
21–0 |
Ted Lowry |
UD |
10 |
Oct 10, 1949 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
20 |
Win |
20–0 |
Tommy DiGiorgio |
KO |
4 (10), 2:04 |
Sep 26, 1949 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
19 |
Win |
19–0 |
Pete Louthis |
KO |
3 (10) |
Aug 16, 1949 |
New Page Arena, New Bedford, Massachusetts, U.S. |
|
18 |
Win |
18–0 |
Harry Haft |
KO |
3 (10), 2:21 |
Jul 18, 1949 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
17 |
Win |
17–0 |
Don Mogard |
UD |
10 |
May 23, 1949 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
16 |
Win |
16–0 |
Jimmy Evans |
TKO |
3 (10) |
May 2, 1949 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
15 |
Win |
15–0 |
Jimmy Walls |
KO |
3 (10), 2:44 |
Apr 11, 1949 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
14 |
Win |
14–0 |
Artie Donato |
KO |
1 (10), 0:33 |
Mar 28, 1949 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
13 |
Win |
13–0 |
Johnny Pretzie |
TKO |
5 (10), 1:46 |
Mar 21, 1949 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
12 |
Win |
12–0 |
Gilley Ferron |
TKO |
2 (6), 2:21 |
Dec 14, 1948 |
Convention Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
|
11 |
Win |
11–0 |
James Patrick Connolly |
TKO |
1 (8), 1:57 |
Nov 29, 1948 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
10 |
Win |
10–0 |
Bob Jefferson |
TKO |
2 (6), 2:30 |
Oct 4, 1948 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
9 |
Win |
9–0 |
Gilbert Cardone |
KO |
1 (4), 0:36 |
Sep 30, 1948 |
Uline Arena, Washington, D.C., U.S. |
|
8 |
Win |
8–0 |
Bill Hardeman |
KO |
1 (6) |
Sep 20, 1948 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
7 |
Win |
7–0 |
Humphrey Jackson |
KO |
1 (6), 1:08 |
Sep 13, 1948 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
6 |
Win |
6–0 |
Jimmy Weeks |
TKO |
1 (6), 2:50 |
Aug 30, 1948 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
5 |
Win |
5–0 |
Eddie Ross |
KO |
1 (6), 1:03 |
Aug 23, 1948 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
4 |
Win |
4–0 |
Bobby Quinn |
KO |
3 (4), 0:22 |
Aug 9, 1948 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
3 |
Win |
3–0 |
John Edwards |
KO |
1 (4), 1:19 |
Jul 19, 1948 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
2 |
Win |
2–0 |
Harry Bilazarian |
TKO |
1 (4) |
Jul 12, 1948 |
Auditorium, Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
|
1 |
Win |
1–0 |
Lee Epperson |
KO |
3 (4), 0:42 |
Mar 17, 1947 |
Valley Arena Gardens, Holyoke, Massachusetts, U.S. |
Boxing – Extended Highlights – 1954 – World Heavyweight Championship Title Fight – Ezzard Charles Vs Rocky Marciano – Round 7 * Round 8 – With The Brockton Blockbuster Commenting on His Dangling Nose That Ezzard Charles Split In Half
When I first really started watching Marciano’s fights, I thought he was slow, crude, and over rated…..for if you judge him based on watching a few rounds of him fighting…..then that impression can be easily reached…..but just think about it, 15 rounds is a long time for a relentless, tireless, freakishly strong man who seems nearly impossible to hurt to stalk you. It wears on you mentally…..while physically, he was always the boxer in better shape when he stepped into the ring……whereas his 68″ reach would be too short to compete with other heavyweights…..plus he usually weighed 185-190 lbs in the same day weigh-in era…..which is essentially a day before weigh-in in light heavyweight rehydrating nowadays. If you were to have an all time sub 190 lb. tournament with 15 round fights, only Holyfield and perhaps Dempsey would be given a reasonable chance to win against Marciano…..as Marciano would be favored over Dempsey. He was a classy and articulate champion outside the ring….but he was a killer inside the squared circle….. with brute strength, freakish endurance and almost unmeasurable punching power and a granite chin…..while being a very smart fighter on top of all of that. His style was crafted by his great trainer Charlie Goldman to make his lack of reach and height an actual benefit…..and for any way you cut the pie, The Rock was a bad bad dude inside the ring…..while being the most conditioned fighter of all time…..as well as being the hardest man to ever set foot in the ring. A sportswriter once asked one of Marciano’s sparring partners what it’s like to be hit by Rocky…..when he replied “It’s like someone is hitting you with a sack of oranges”. So many of Marciano’s opponents seemed technically superior to him on paper…..but he beat them all…..while having the guts of a lion…..fists of steel…..and incredible conditioning….plus, he was very much underrated for his defense. Truthfully, I loved his double left hook…..his constant feints with his movement that desensitized his opponents defense over time…..and the massive leverage he was able to get into his punches from telephone booth range…..plus his attacks were efficient and straightforward….while being a non-stop punching machine….. which allowed him to make up for his lack of pure speed…..so, by the time he let’s off 10 haymakers, his opponent would usually be throwing 5 or less punches with less effectiveness. His conditioning was top tier physically and mentally. Rocky Marciano was a true body snatcher that even narrated “Go to the body you’re losing your head” over his fight with Ezzard Charles….. whom he eventually knocked out by missing the left hook…..but being pendulum like used that momentum to crank a devastating right hand over the top almost like a pitcher in baseball…..and his uppercuts often sent opponents clean through the ropes, just look at the Joe Louis fight and his fight with LaStarza. Heck, Rocky Marciano was sheering people’s teeth clean off their gums with over hand rights…..while bursting blood vessels in their arms by the end of the fight…..when he showed nice rolling techniques (particularly later in his career) that generated immediately into hooks rocking his opponents and leaving them off-leveraged like in the Don Cockell title fight. He had that subtle awkward angle that he would induce on his opponents…..and even shows some back stepping into an attack….as seen when you watch the first Walcott fight…..with nothing too flashy just pure heart, determination and power. In truth, I don’t think most boxing fans have understood Marciano. His style was odd but it was created for him…..for he was not without skill…..and his conditioning was the greatest…..which is one reason he was so light for a heavyweight…..while he weaponized pace…..and his power was just off the charts…..with punches that were fluid, hard and bone crushing. I can’t believe how many body shots Walcott took from that right hand…..cuz he was a great fighter too…..as he was Marciano’s equal in just about every area except when it came to toughness…..as The Rock was like some doomsday opponent that absorbed whatever was thrown at him and still continued to stalk…..as an adversary from hell that Marciano was. What people don’t understand is his opponents couldn’t just attack Marciano because he was too dangerous, so Marciano dictated the pace of the fight. His endurance and stamina was an intimidating weapon because he was still throwing crisp powerful punches in the later rounds. Marciano’s main strength was his strong will and desire to win at all costs…..for you just couldn’t discourage him despite him getting cut often and being out-boxed…..but because he was relentless and so durable…..while always moving forward, he outlasted and outfought his opponents, wearing them down…..as he continued throwing punches with bludgeoning power and aggression…..while being a tough fighter with a massive heart. People say he’s overrated, even though his opponents on average were 3 inches taller, 5-10 lbs. heavier, with 5-10 inches of reach advantage…..and yet this man didn’t turn pro until he was 25 years old. I truly feel if he were alive today, and in his prime, he’d clean out the heavyweight division…..cuz men were tougher back in that era…..which is why it’s been dubbed the “Greatest Generation”…..as the men of this generation were toughened by tough times and a Great Depression….. who were hardened by the challenges of World War II. Rocky Marciano’s legacy is not just that he was undefeated…..but also how he was undefeated…..when he overcame cuts, knockdowns, trailing late in fights and more…..which proves that his will was unquestioned. When you look at the greatest heavyweights to ever reign over the most prestigious title in all of sports, the greats are near-mythical figures that would give everything to win…..as men that had an indomitable spirit to go along with skill. When you think of guys like that, you think of Ali, Frazier, Holmes, Foreman, Holyfield, Tyson et al and yes, Rocky Marciano…..who undoubtedly etched his name among the greatest heavyweight of all-time. So let the revisionist of today run their mouths about how he was too short…..how he was just a brawler…..how his competition was weak etc…..cuz in the end, no other heavyweight champion has ever retired undefeated…..and I doubt anyone else ever will…..while the one-man that did it was always standing at the end of the fight as the winner…..and his name is Rocky Marciano!
Boxing – Tribute – 2017 – A Reznick Production Special – “Rocky Marciano Was A Savage”
