Famous Boxers - The Greatest Boxers of All Time Famous Boxers Muhammad Ali (1942) Famous For: Being widely considered one of the greatest boxers of all time. The Greatest, “The People’s Champion,” these are nicknames given to one of the most famous athletes in the world, Muhammad Ali. He has born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. before he converted to Islam in 1964. Before turning professional, Ali won a gold medal at the Olympics in Rome in 1960 as a light heavyweight. As a professional heavyweight, we won fifty-six, 37 by knockout. Some of his fights have been given titles, most famous include, “Rumble in the Jungle,” in Kinshasa, Zaire against George Foreman and “The Thrilla in Manila,” in Manila, Philippines against Joe Frazier. Ali was a multiple heavyweight champion during his career as a boxer. Manny Pacquiao (1978) Famous For: World champion in eight weight divisions Eight division world champion, the first to ever accomplish the feat, Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao was named “Fighter of the Decade” in 2009.

A southpaw, Pacquiao’s record is an impressive 54-5 with 2 draws. This is one fighter who has received more than his share of nicknames that include: Pac Man, The Nation’s Fist, Destroyer, Mexicutioner and the list goes on. Mike Tyson (1966) Famous For: Unified the heavyweight titles under the WBA, WBC, & IBF At twenty years old, Mike Tyson became the undisputed heavyweight champion, unifying the WBA (World Boxing Association), WBC (World Boxing Council), and the IBF (International Boxing Federation) heavyweight titles. “The Baddest Man on the Planet”, as Tyson was known, won 44 of his fifty fights by knockout. He is also known as Iron Mike and Kid Dynamite for his hard hitting punches. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (1977) Famous For: Undefeated record Rated as the best pound for pound fighter today, Floyd Mayweather Jr. remains undefeated. He is a world champion in five divisions beginning with the Super Featherweight, Lightweight, Welterweight, Light Welterweight, and Light Middleweight, divisions.

As an amateur, he had an 84-6 record, as a professional, he is 45-0. He has two nicknames to date, “Money” & “Pretty Boy.” Jack Johnson (1878-1946) Famous For: Galveston Giant The “Galveston Giant” or John Arthur Johnson became the first Black American world boxing heavyweight (179 lbs not more than 201) champion. His reign as champion lasted for seven years. He had a total of 114 fights, he won eighty fights, forty-five by knockouts; twelve draws, fourteen no-contest, and 13 losses. Johnson was an “orthodox” style of boxer. George Foreman (1949) Famous For: Rumble in the Jungle Two time World Heavyweight Champion George Foreman was one of the most famous boxers of his time that go with his epic battles against the likes of Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, and Muhammad Ali. In 1968, he won the gold medal at summer Olympics in Mexico City. In his storied boxing career, Foreman compiled seventy-six wins.

He was the oldest, at age 45, Heavyweight champion to win the title. His nicknames include, “The Heywood Giant, Big George, and the Punching Preacher.” Roy Jones Jr. (1969) Famous For: 1990s Fighter of the Decade After starting as a boxer in the light middleweight division, Roy Jones Jr. eventually found himself winning the heavyweight title. During the 1990s, Jones received the recognition for being the “Fighter of the Decade.” He garnered a total of 56 wins during his professional career, receiving the title Champion as a Middleweight, Super Middleweight, Light Heavyweight, and Heavyweight. He was known as “RJ, Captain Hook, Superman, and Junior.” Rocky Marciano (1923-1969) Famous For: Undefeated Heavyweight boxer Untied and undefeated in his professional boxing career, former World Heavyweight champion Rocky (Rocco Francis Marchegiano) Marciano, is the only boxer to hold this distinction. He had forty-nine fights, lost none, won 43 by knockout.

Born in Brockton, Massachusetts, he has been given the alias “Rock from Brockton” and “Brockton Blockbuster.” Julio César Chávez, Jr. (1986) Famous For: WBC Middleweight champion in 2011 Following in the footsteps of his father, Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. has a record of 47 wins and 1 loss. He won the WBC middleweight title in 2011. He has been rated to fight in two weight classes, Middleweight and Light Heavyweight. Joe Frazier (1944-2011) Famous For: Thrilla in Manila Joseph William “Smokin Joe” Frazier was proclaimed the “undisputed World Heavyweight Champion” in boxing in 1970. In the 1964 Tokyo summer Olympics, Frazier won the gold medal in the heavyweight division. As a professional, Smokin Joe had 32 wins and 4 losses, twice each to Ali and Foreman. Evander Holyfield (1962) Famous For: Holyfield vs.

Tyson, the Bite With a nickname “The Real Deal”, Evander Holyfield proved that he was just that, the real deal as a boxer. Of his 44 wins, he won 29 by knockout. Some of those wins were at the expense of the likes of Foreman, Holmes, and Mike Tyson, to name a few. Another nickname given to Holyfield was “The Warrior.” Julio César Chávez (1962) Famous For: The Great Mexican Champion Considered as Mexico’s greatest fighter, Julio Cesar Chavez is remembered for his punching power, relentless attack against his opponents, and his ability to take the punches. As a Chavez had 107 wins to go with being crowned six times as world champion in the Super Featherweight, Lightweight, and Light Welterweight divisions. Lennox Lewis (1965) Famous For: Undisputed Champion in 2000 British/Canadian Heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis is viewed by many as one of the greatest fighters of all time. He received a gold medal during the 1988 Seoul summer Olympics. He turned professional in 1989 in which he won forty-one times.

At six feet five inches, he had a reach of 84 inches. He has been given the nickname “The Lion” and “Lenny”, though he viewed himself as “the pugilist specialist.” Victor Ortiz (1987) Famous For: WBC Welterweight champion in 2011 Another southpaw, Victor Ortiz’s fighting record is 29 wins, 4 losses, and 3 draws. In 2011, he won the WBC welterweight title against Andre Berto. He us rated eligible to fight in the welterweight, light welterweight, and light middleweight divisions. Sugar Ray Leonard (1956) Famous For: The Super Fight vs. Hagler In the 1980s, Sugar Ray Leonard received the recognition for being the “Boxer of the Decade”. Although he only figured in 40 fights, he won 36 of them, the men he fought against were equally legendary. Representing the USA at the summer Olympics in 1976, we won gold in the light welterweight division. He fought in five divisions, moving up from Welterweight to Light Heavyweight.

His battles against fellow Hall of Famers were epic, these include the likes of Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, Wilfred Benitez, and Marvin Hagler. Timothy Bradley (1983) Famous For: World champion in welterweight division Current WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley is just getting started in his boxing career. To date, he has won 31 fights with no losses. He won the welterweight title against then champion Manny Pacquiao. Jack Dempsey (1895-1983) Famous For: Boxing World Heavyweight Champion 1919-1926 Jack Dempsey held boxing’s World Heavyweight Championship belt for seven years, from 1919 to 1926. Because of his aggressive power, Dempsey was one of the most popular boxers in his time. Of the 83 fights he fought in, Dempsey won 65, winning 51 of those by knock-out. He only lost six of the 83.

His nicknames include “Manassa Mauler” and “Kid Blackie.” Joe Louis (1914-1981) Famous For: Brown Bomber & Boxing World Heavyweight Champion 1937-1949 As boxing’s World Heavyweight champion for twelve years, of the 70 fights Joe Louis fought, he only experienced three losses, winning 66. Of that victories, he won 52 by knockout. He is viewed as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers of all time. He had reach of 76″. He was nicknamed the Brown Bomber. Sugar Ray Robinson (1921-1989) Famous For: best pound for pound boxer The title of the “greatest boxer” of all time may be given to Sugar Ray Robinson, as an amateur, he had a record of 85-0, 69 won by knockout, forty of those in the first round. Robinson had an “orthodox” style as a boxer. He fought in the welterweight (140 pounds not more than 147) and middleweight (152 pounds not more than 165) divisions of boxing.

Sonny Liston (unknown-1970) Famous For: 1964 rematch against Muhammad Ali One of the most controversial boxers of his time, Sonny Liston had a record of 50 wins and four losses. He was in the heavyweight division and in 1962 was crowned the World Heavyweight Champion. His most memorable fights were those against Floyd Patterson and Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali), whom he each fought two times. Rubin Carter (1937) Famous For: his nickname, the Hurricane The Hurricane, this was the nickname given to middleweight boxer Rubin Carter. He was not tall for a middleweight fighter, but he did have a total of forty fights in which he won 27 of those, 19 by knockout. Jake Lamotta (1921) Famous For: Raging Bull LaMotta has been given the nickname of “Raging Bull” and “Bronx Bull” for his bully style of fighting in the ring. As a middleweight and light heavyweight boxer, Jake fought a total of 106 times, winning 93 of those.

His storied rivalry against Sugar Ray Robinson, they fought six times, the last had been labeled as boxings version of the “Valentine’s Day Massacre” in which LaMotta was out-boxed, out punched by Robinson, but never knocked down. Roberto Durán (1951) Famous For: “No Mas, No Mas” One of the best fighters to step into the wrong was Panamanian Roberto Duran, the man who had been given the nickname “Manos de Piedra or Hands of Stone.” He fought in five different weight classes, Lightweight, Welterweight, Light and Super Middleweight, and Middleweight. He won 103 times and 70 of those by knockout. Shane Mosley (1971) Famous For: Sugar Shane Mosley As a professional boxer, Shane Mosley has a record of 47 wins and 8 losses. 39 of those wins came via knockout. He held world titles as a Lightweight, Welterweight, and Light Middleweight. As an amateur, Mosley’s official record was 230 wins and twelve losses.

Oscar De La Hoya (1973) Famous For: Golden Boy Golden Boy Oscar dela Hoya has won ten world boxing titles in different weight classes beginning in the Super featherweight all the way up to Middleweight, six in all. He won a gold medal at the Olympics in Barcelona, Spain in the lightweight division. His professional boxing record is a respectable 39-6. Larry Holmes (1949) Famous For: Easton Assassin The Easton Assassin, this was how former WBC Heavyweight champion was known. He grew up in the city of Easton in Pennsylvania. He reigned as boxing champion from 1978 through 1983. His record as a professional boxer was 69-6. Rocky Marciano - Bio, Facts, Family | Famous Birthdays Famous Birthdays Virgo ABOUT Heavyweight boxing champion who compiled a career record of 49-0-0. He was known as the Brockton Blockbuster and successfully defended his title in six matches. BEFORE FAME He suffered from pneumonia when he was just 18 months old and nearly died from it. His first professional fight came in 1947.

TRIVIA His name and boxing style inspired the film series Rocky which starred Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa. He worked in television after retiring in 1955. FAMILY LIFE Met his wife-to-be Barbara in 1947, while he was a ditch digger for a gas company. They married in 1950 and had two children. ASSOCIATED WITH Five Greatest Boston Fighters of All Time | Bleacher Report Five Greatest Boston Fighters of All Time By Colin Linneweber , Senior Writer Jun 23, 2010 Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse more stories 5.5K 9 Comments Boston is a fight town and few cities have produced as many legendary boxers as Beantown has. Below are the five greatest pugilists to hail from “The Hub of the Universe.” 1 ) “The Brockton Blockbuster,” Rocky Marciano Marciano (49-0, 43 KOs) was born and raised in Brockton, Massachusetts. Marciano, one of the rare titlists to retire undefeated, is an absolute sports icon who was rightfully inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.

“The Brockton Blockbuster” rated 14th by Ring Magazine on its list of the 100 greatest punchers of all time, landed arguably the most famous knockout blow ever when he crushed Jersey Joe Walcott (51-18-2, 32 KOs) with a devastating right hand in the 13th round of their epic 1952 championship bout. Sadly, Marciano died prematurely in a tragic plane crash at the young age of 45 in 1969. Nevertheless, in his brief life, Marciano left an indelible impression on boxing. He is an immortal athletic figure who will forever be remembered for his ring greatness. 2) Marvelous Marvin Hagler Hagler (62-3-2, 52 KOs) also hailed from Brockton. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1993 and was the undisputed world middleweight champion from 1980 to 1987.

Hagler, named the 17th greatest fighter of the past 80 years by Ring Magazine, went without being defeated in an astounding 37 consecutive bouts after he lost a unanimous decision to Willie Monroe (40-10-1, 26 KOs) in March 1976. During his 15-year career, Hagler managed to trump legends Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns (61-5-1, 48 KOs), Roberto “Manos de Piedra” Duran (103-16, 70KOs), and John “The Beast” Mugabi (42-7-1, 39 KOs). Hagler bitterly retired after he lost an extremely controversial split decision to “Sugar” Ray Leonard (36-3-1, 25 KOs) in April 1987. 3) “The Boston Strong Boy,” John L. Sullivan Sullivan (35-1-2, 30 KOs), inducted into the International Hall of Fame in 1990, was born in Roxbury.

“The Boston Strong Boy” is recognized as the last heavyweight titlist of bare-knuckle boxing under the London Prize rules, and is also considered the first gloved boxing champ. The original millionaire American athlete, Sullivan lost his closing match to James J. Corbett (16-4-3-2, 4 KOs) by knockout in the 21st round. 4) Paul Pender Pender (40-6-2, 20 KOs) hailed from the ritzy Boston suburb of Brookline (also the town of John F. Kennedy’s birth). He was a solid fighter whose brittle hands unfortunately prevented him from ever becoming the dominant pugilist he surely otherwise would have become. Nonetheless, Pender beat the brilliant “Sugar” Ray Robinson (173-19-6, 108 KOs) on two separate occasions. Pender emerged victorious over Robinson both times by split decision at the Boston Garden in January and June 1960 respectively. If a fighter can beat the spectacular Robinson once, let alone twice, he is great.

5) John “The Quiet Man” Ruiz Ruiz (44-9-1-1, 30 KOs) was born in Methuen and he is widely regarded as the first Latino heavyweight king in the annals of pugilism. Ruiz, a Puerto Rican who twice captured the WBA crown, was an unpopular fighter due to his boring clinch and grab defensive tactics. Still, he beat three world champions—Evander Holyfield (43-10-2, 28 KOs), Hasim Rahman (47-7-2-1, 38 KOs), and Tony Tucker (59-7, 48 KOs)—and that demands respect and admiration. Rocky Marciano – The Brockton Blockbuster - World in Sport Home / Boxing / Rocky Marciano – The Brockton Blockbuster Rocky Marciano – The Brockton Blockbuster Share Tweet Rocky Marciano in 1956 A product of the Army and amateur ranks, Marciano was born on September 1, 1923 and he takes his place alongside Dempsey and Louis as one of the great heavyweights.

Marciano was born and raised in Brockton, Massachusetts, to parents who were immigrants from Italy: when he was about eighteen months old, Rocky got pneumonia, from which he almost died. When Rocky grew up he worked as a chute man on delivery trucks for the Brockton Ice and Coal Company. He also worked as a ditch digger and as a shoemaker. Rocky was also a resident of Hanson, Massachusetts; the house he lived in still stands on Main Street. At school Rocky played both baseball and football, but was subsequently kicked out for forbidding the rules, playing for a church league which violated his school rules by joining other teams. He then dropped out of school when he finished tenth grade. After failing to find a spot on another team, he returned to Brockton and began boxing training with long-time friend Allie Colombo. Al Weill and Chick Wergeles became Rocky’s managers, while Charley Goldman was his trainer and teacher. In March 1943, Marciano was called up to the army to serve for two years. He was placed in Swansea, Wales, where he helped ferry supplies across the English Channel to Normandy.

Rocky Marciano in US Army Uniform After the war ended, he completed his service in March 1946 at Fort Lewis, Washington. As an amateur Marciano’s record was 8–4, he represented the army and won the 1946 Amateur Armed Forces boxing tournament. His amateur career was interrupted on March 17, 1947, when Marciano stepped into the ring as a professional competitor. Rocky Marciano vs Lee Epperson That night, he knocked out Lee Epperson in three rounds, after Marciano returned to the amateur ranks and fought in the Golden Gloves All-East Championship Tournament in March 1948. He was beaten by Coley Wallace and competed in the AAU Olympic tryouts in the Boston Garden. Coley Wallace defeats Rocky Marciano in this amateur fight. 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.

Marciano began fighting permanently as a professional boxer on July 12, 1948, he won three more fights by knockout and then he met Ted Lowry (58–48–9), who, according to many scribes and witnesses, probably managed to win three or four of the ten rounds from Marciano. Nevertheless, Marciano kept his winning streak alive by beating Lowry by unanimous decision. Four more knockout wins followed, including a five-rounder on December 19, 1949, with Phil Muscato (56–20–0), an experienced heavyweight from Buffalo, New York, and the first “name fighter” Marciano would face. Three weeks after that fight, Marciano beat Carmine Vingo (16–1–0) by a fifth round knockout in New York that almost killed Vingo. A fighter with iron-fists, he was the only heavyweight who went through a career without a loss. Starting as a professional in 1947, he scored forty-nine victories, forty-two by knockouts and retired undefeated. Yet it was not until he fought Roland LaStarza in 1950 and gained a disputed decision that he became a headliner.

Marciano landing a big left on Roland La Starza Marciano continued to rise, shunting to the sidelines mediocre talent until mid-summer 1951, when his knockouts of Rex Layne in six rounds and Freddie Beshore in four brought him onto the championship spotlight. Marciano destroys Joe Louis in 1951 On Oct. 27, 1951, the 28-year-old Marciano took on the 37-year-old Joe Louis and he continued his rise by handing Joe Louis a terrific beating, stopping the erstwhile Bomber in the eighth round after which Lee Savold, Gino Buonvino, Bernie Reynolds and Harry Matthews were put out of the picture. With those triumphs he was now ready for a shot at the world crown, where he would face Walcott. “Marciano is an amateur,” Walcott sneered. “If I lose I deserve to have my name taken out of the record books.” The two men met in Philadelphia’s Municipal Stadium on Sept. 23, 1952.

The champ was making the challenger look like a fool, who steadily built up a points lead; but in the thirteenth, but then, half a minute into the 13th round, Walcott used his trademark feint to set up his right hand, but Marciano’s “Suzie Q” landed first, Walcott got hit with a sledgehammer and that was all she wrote. Rocky Marciano lands a Suzie Q on Jersey Joe Walcott Marciano landed a glancing left hook as Walcott slumped to his knees with his arm draped over the ropes. He lay 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. Marciano defended his title six times. In his initial defence, a return bout, he knocked out Walcott in the opening round of a disappointing fight in Chicago. Four months later, he in New York, he disposed of Roland LaStarza in the eleventh round. The following year he fought two thrillers with Ezzard Charles.

In the first, on June 16, 1954, at the Yankee Stadium, Rocky retained the throne, gaining the decision in fifteen rounds; and in the second fight, on September 17, in the same arena; Ezzard was knocked out in the eighth round. Each bout was replete with action and drama. The knockout was a stunner; the power behind Rocky’s punches was in evidence. Rocky Marciano against Ezzard Charles Then came the international championship mill in San Francisco where he easily stopped Don Cockell, British Empire champion, in the ninth round and followed that with his farewell fight, a contest in New York on September 21, 1955. Marciano stopped Archie Moore, holder of the light heavyweight crown, in the same number of rounds. Rocky Marciano vs Archie Moore on September 21, 1955 With that knocked ended the brilliant career of the Brockton Blockbuster. Only one other heavyweight king retired undefeated and made it stick, Gene Tunney.

His six title defences netted Marciano purses totalling $1,462,961, with his pre-championship income plus his side income following his rise to the top, his earnings were well beyond the $2,000,000 mark. John L. Sullivan popularized boxing in the United States; James J. Corbett set the model for scientific boxing; Jack Dempsey set the record for million dollar gate; Joe Louis established an all-time record for title defences; and Rocky Marciano is hailed as the only heavyweight king who not only won every bout in which he engaged as a professional but hung up his gloves with that clean slate and stuck to his decision. Marciano’s retirement brought about a world elimination in which Archie Moore received a bye and Floyd Patterson and Tommy (Hurricane) Jackson entered the final elimination, with Floyd winning a split decision. Under manager Al Weill piloting, Rocky rose to the top of the heavyweight division and divided a fortune with Weill. From 1947, when he began as an unknown preliminary boy, until he retired in 1955 as champion he was never once defeated.

Rocky Marciano retired undefeated Marciano was knocked down to the canvas only twice in his professional career. The first occurred in his first championship against Jersey Joe Walcott, 38, and the second occurred against Archie Moore, 38. Rocky Marciano met his untimely death when he, his wife Barbara and his daughter Mary Ann were killed in a plane crash in Newton, Iowa on August 31st in 1969, the day before his 46th birthday. Rocky Marciano’s Grave He is interred in a crypt at Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. His wife, who died five years after him at the age of 46, is entombed next to him. His father died in March 1972 and his mother in early January 1986. 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 a friend’s son and there was a surprise birthday celebration waiting for him.

He had hoped to return early morning for his 46th birthday celebration with his wife. Rocky Marciano (1952) 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 armour-piercing bullet and represents as much energy as would be required to spot lift 1000 pounds one foot off the ground.” Marciano crowned fighter of the year by Ring Magazine three times, his three championship fights during 1952–54 were named fights of the year by that magazine. In 2006 Marciano’s 1952 championship bout against Walcott was polled as the greatest knockout ever. Marciano also received the Hickok Belt for top professional athlete of the year in 1952. In 1955, he was voted the second most important American athlete of the year. Rocky Marciano was the inspiration for the name, iconography, and fighting style of the title character Rocky Balboa from Sylvester Stallone’s American classic ‘Rocky’ movie series.

The character Rocky dreams of becoming like his idol Rocky Marciano, later in the series he even gifts his son a ‘valuable possession given to him by Marciano himself’. Marciano is a member of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame. You must be logged in to post a comment Login Leave a Reply You must be logged in to post a comment. Related Posts Military People ROCKY MARCIANO World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Rocky Marciano was a champion in civilian life and in the Army, receiving high honors for his achievements in both areas. Rocky Marciano was born Rocco Francis Marchegiano on September 1, 1923 and grew up in a working-class family in Brockton, Massachusetts. Later in his illustrious boxing career, he would become known as the "Brockton Blockbuster." In his childhood neighborhood of working class families, Rocky had a reputation of being a tough kid. Soon, Rocky's athletic talents came to the fore and he was known more as a baseball slugger than a fighter. Rocky dropped out of high school and worked to help support his family. Then, in 1943 at the age of 20, Rocky joined the Army and was sent overseas to Europe.

Marciano was assigned to the 150th Combat Engineers. The 150th went on to receive service stars for Normandy, North France, Rheinland, Ardennes-Alsace and Central Europe. It was in the Army that Marciano first began boxing, reportedly as a way to get out of kitchen duty. Rocky received an honorable discharge from the Army in the summer of 1946. He returned home to Brockton, Massachusetts and continued to box as an amateur. He also began to play baseball for a semi-professional team known as the Taunton Lumber Team. Rocky was invited to tryout with the Chicago Cubs in Fayetteville, North Carolina, but he was turned down for a catcher's position. Thus, Rocky returned to Brockton and began to seriously prepare for a professional boxing career. Marciano fought his first professional match on March 17, 1947, defeating Lee Epperson in a third-round knockout. From there, Marciano went on to win his next 15 matches by knockout. He became known as a tough fighter and powerful puncher with an awkward but winning style.

On October 26, 1951, Marciano showed himself to be a contender when he faced former heavyweight champ Joe Louis and knocked him out in the eighth round. Marciano captured the heavyweight crown in Philadelphia on September 23, 1952, when he scored a knockout against Jersey Joe Walcott in the 13th round. Marciano faced Walcott again in Chicago on May 15, 1953, and defeated him in a first-round knockout. Rocky Marciano successfully defended his title five more times, with his last professional bout against Archie Moore in New York on September 21, 1955, ending in a ninth-round KO. On April 27, 1956, Marciano announced his retirement from boxing. When he ended his career, Marciano was the only heavyweight champion with a perfect record: 49 wins in 49 professional bouts, with 43 knockouts. Marciano still had no plans to return to the ring when he died unexpectedly in a small-plane crash on August 31, 1969.

Following his death, many tributes were given to honor Marciano's life, but it was Rocky's one-time opponent Joe Louis who simply stated it best: "Everything I remember about him is good." Expert Answers are Ready: Boston's Five Greatest Fighter's | Bleacher Report Boston's Five Greatest Fighter's The great John L. Sullivan died February 2, 1918. Colin Linneweber Senior Writer IJanuary 16, 2017 93-years ago this past Wednesday, iconic pugilist John L. Sullivan died at 59 in Mattapan, Massachusetts. In tribute to Sullivan and his absolute greatness in the squared circle, I decided to rank the five greatest boxers to ever hail from “The Hub of the Universe.” “The Brockton Blockbuster” Rocky Marciano Marciano (49-0, 43 KOs) was born and raised in Brockton, Massachusetts. Marciano, one of the rare titlists to ever retire undefeated, is an absolute sports icon who was rightfully inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.

“The Brockton Blockbuster,” rated 14th by Ring Magazine on its list of the 100 greatest punchers of all-time, landed arguably the most famous knockout blow ever when he crushed Jersey Joe Walcott (51-18-2, 32 KOs) with a devastating right hand in the 13th round of their epic 1952 championship bout. Sadly, Marciano died prematurely in a tragic plane crash at the young age of 45 in 1969. Nevertheless, in his brief life, Marciano left an indelible impression on boxing and he is an immortal athletic figure who will forever be remembered for his ring greatness. Marvelous Marvin Hagler Hagler (62-3-2, 52 KOs) also derived from Brockton. Hagler, inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1993, was the undisputed world middleweight champion from 1980 to 1987.

Hagler, named the 17th greatest fighter of the past 80 years by Ring Magazine, went without being defeated in an astounding 37 consecutive bouts after he lost a unanimous decision to Willie Monroe (40-10-1, 26 KOs) in March 1976. During his 15-year career, Hagler managed to trump legends Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns (61-5-1, 48 KOs), Roberto “Manos de Piedra” Duran (103-16, 70KOs) and John “The Beast” Mugabi (42-7-1, 39 KOs). Hagler bitterly retired after he lost an extremely controversial split decision to “Sugar” Ray Leonard (36-3-1, 25 KOs) in April 1987. “The Boston Strong Boy” John L. Sullivan Sullivan (35-1-2, 30 KOs), inducted into the International Hall of Fame in 1990, was born in Roxbury.

“The Boston Strong Boy,” recognized as the last heavyweight titlist of bare-knuckle boxing under the London Prize rules, is also considered the first gloved boxing champ. Sullivan, the original millionaire American athlete, lost his closing match to James J. Corbett (16-4-3-2, four KOs) by knockout in the 21st round. Paul Pender Pender (40-6-2, 20 KOs) hailed from the ritzy Boston suburb of Brookline (also the town of John F. Kennedy’s birth). Pender was a solid fighter whose brittle hands unfortunately prevented him from ever becoming the dominant pugilist he was capable of. Nonetheless, Pender beat the brilliant “Sugar” Ray Robinson (173-19-6, 108 KOs) on two separate occasions. Pender emerged victorious over Robinson both times by split decision at the Boston Garden in January and June 1960 respectively. Any fighter that could beat the spectacular Robinson once, let alone twice, is great.

John “The Quiet Man” Ruiz Ruiz (44-9-1-1, 30 KOs) was born in Methuen and he is widely-regarded as the first Latino heavyweight king in the annals of pugilism. Ruiz, a Puerto Rican who twice captured the WBA crown, was an unpopular fighter due to his boring clinch and grab defensive tactics. Still, Ruiz beat three world champions, Evander Holyfield (43-10-2, 28 KOs), Hasim Rahman (47-7-2-1, 38 KOs) and Tony Tucker (59-7, 48 KOs), and that demands respect and admiration. Famous Gravesites of Florida Famous Gravesites of Florida gplus by Jaclyn Castek | Contributor | December 11, 2015 Many Floridians have grown bored of theme parks and beach vacations. If you fall into this category, you'll be happy to know there are lots of other ways you can enjoy Florida. One slightly offbeat way is to check out some of the gravesites of famous people and gravesites that have become famous for other reasons.

South Florida Jackie Gleason Jackie Gleason was of course the comedian best known for playing Ralph Kramden on the TV show "The Honeymooners." He died of cancer at age 71 in June of 1987. He was laid to rest in Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Cemetery in Miami. Leslie Nielsen This silver-haired comedy legend is probably best known for his roles in the Naked Gun films and Airplane! His love for flatulence jokes lives on as "Let 'er rip" is inscribed on his tombstone. He was buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Fort Lauderdale in 2010 after dying of pneumonia. Esther Rolle ​ Esther Rolle was most known for the role she planed on the TV show Good Times. The actress was also a Black activist. She died of diabetes in 1998 at the age of 78 and is buried in Westview Community Cemetery in Pompano Beach . Danny Joe Brown Danny Joe Brown was the lead singer of the 1970s Southern rock band Molly Hatchet. In March of 2005 he died early at the age of 53 due to diabetes.

His grave can be found in the Lauderdale Memorial Park in Fort Lauderdale. Rocky Marciano This professional boxer was the Heavyweight Champion of the World from 1952-1956. Also known as "The Brockton Blockbuster," Marciano won the Golden Gloves titled when he was only an amateur. He died in August 1969 in a Plane accident and is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens in Fort Lauderdale (section AA, bottom row, 4th to the right). North and Central Florida Ronnie Van Zant Ronnie Van Zant, the lead singer and a founding member of the 1970s Southern rock band "Lynyrd Skynyrd" died in a plane crash in 1977 and is buried in Riverside Memorial Park in his hometown of Jacksonville. Bo Diddley Bo Diddley will forever be known as a legendary guitarist and vocalist. His songs have been covered by bands like The Rolling Stones and The Doors. Bo Diddley died of a heart attack in June of 2008 and is buried in the Rosemary Hill Cemetery in Bronson (Levy County).

Bob Ross Bobb Ross was the much-loved artist who hosted the TV show the Joy of Painting on public television, which started in 1983. He was known for his soothing voice and positive outlook, as well as his "happy little trees." Ross died of cancer in 1995 and is in the Woodlawn Memorial Park cemetery in Gotha, Orange County. Notable Key West Graves The most famous grave in Key West is Mitzi the Dolphin, who played the role of the original Flipper in the 1960s film and the TV series that followed. The aquatic star died in 1972 and was buried at the Dolphin Research Center on Grassy Key. He was 14 and died of a heart attack. There are two other popular gravesites in Key West ; their popularity due mostly to what is inscribed on the tombstones that mark the graves. One of these simply says "Devoted Fan of Julio Iglesias." The other is a marble tablet that was made for a Pearl Roberts. It reads: "I told you I was sick." Jaclyn Castek is a Florida native who enjoys exploring the Florida parks and outdoor recreation opportunties.

Book Your Travel "The Brockton Blockbuster" Rocky Marciano - YouTube "The Brockton Blockbuster" Rocky Marciano Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Aug 2, 2007 "The Brockton Blockbuster" Rocky Marciano on BoxRec: - 49-0-0, 43 KOs (11 knockouts in the very first round) - Heavyweight champion of the world 1952-1956 (last title defense against Archie Moore in September 21st 1955, announces retirement in 1956) - One of the greatest heavyweight champions of all time Category Rocky Marciano Home Page Rocky Marciano Come back soon for coverage of the Rocky statue unveiling!

Rocky Marciano was born in Brockton, MA, the former world center of manufacturing.shoes Unable to succeed in a brief encounter with footwear, he ultimately became the heavyweight champion of the world, on September 23, 1952, when he defeated Jersey Joe Walcott. The Marciano room at the Brockton Historical Society features the boxing gloves and the shoes he wore while winning the Walcott fight. Also included in this fascinating exhibit, are numerous magazines, newspapers, video clips, photos, and boxing statistics.. Rocky's amazing record of 49 consecutive professional wins will probably never be exceeded. Killed in a tragic small plane crash on August 31, 1969, he is warmly remembered and held in the high esteem by all true Brocktonians.. THE POSTER 'BROCKTON BLOCKBUSTER'......... - BoxRec THE POSTER 'BROCKTON BLOCKBUSTER'......... Quote Post by overhand_right » 15 Jun 2005, 04:12 No offence mate im sure you're a swell guy and all but do u think your thread output is a little 'too high'?

Theres in total about TWENTY FIVE of your threads on pages 1 & 2 of boxers of the past forum, most of them with minimal responses. Im not calling you a spam-artist but the sheer volume of your input is shoving everybody elses threads out of sight. Isnt this the same guy who once created 30 or 40 threads in ONE day regarding a heavyweight fantasy tournement...? The word troll hangs speculatively in the air..... Quote Post by barry » 15 Jun 2005, 07:08 Troll would be a ridiculous label...he's not posting anything non-related to boxing and he is not trying to advertise any other sites, so a troll would be unjust! I like his enthusiasm and energy and the posts keep things moving, whereas they were going kind of stale they’ve now picked up. Post by tonyevs » 15 Jun 2005, 07:28 He may favour Marciano, but at least he`s contributing. Lets not knock him for that Quote Post by jab » 15 Jun 2005, 08:22 He is a good kid. Very enthusiastic.

No need to beat him down for having lots of energy and willingness to learn. After all, he doesnt get into cursing contest or post non-boxing stuff. So his energy is focused on boxing topics. and this is a Boxing forum, right? So what is wrong with a guy posting a lot on boxing topics on a boxing forum? that is the whole point. Yeah, and it makes me feel good to have another guy here that loves Marciano. Too many young fans heard or read nothing about Rocky. Some think Rocky is that buffoon character from the Rocky movies. They dont even know that a real Rocky existed and was an all time great. Keep posting Quote Post by kingpawn » 15 Jun 2005, 10:15 Hard not to notice Brockton's name up and down the page, but I like reading his posts. He seems to me a bright young guy with a real Jones for boxing. I appreciate that he doesn't make blanket statements and then leave you, the reader of his post, wondering on what basis his statements were made. Never mind the IM jargon (a small pet peeve) dude writes and articulates himself quite well.

Can't say that I haven't already disagreed with him, though, and was sorry to see him break out with the "that's bullshit" and "you're stupid" type comments. It is okay to disagree, dude. In the whole scheme of things, neither yours nor my opinions are really THAT important. Quote Post by Guest » 15 Jun 2005, 17:16 He has no respect for his elders, claiming a young Mike Tyson would have beaten up a 45 year old George Foreman. Quote Post by BrocktonBlockbuster49 » 15 Jun 2005, 17:39 Hey I would first like to say THANK YOU OVERHAND RIGHT for making me feel this popular in making a thread about me. 2nd, I totally repesct elders man. I always talk up walcott, and I give the utter most respect for foreman. I have the right to disagree that a 45 year old man would lose to a tough young mike tyson. 3rd, I post all those topics BECAUSE I LOVE THE SPORT OF BOXING.

I have realized we have a lot of smart knowledgeable adults on this forum and I post a lot so I can learn from them. If i have a quesdtion I ask. I want to learn and this is one forum where everyone knows a lot about every boxer. I also love making fantasy matchups and comparing people and i love to expres my opinion on the matter and i love to hear other peoples opinions. Its what boxing is all about. debating key issues. Boxing is the best sport to debate about. IT DOESNT MATTER WHO MAKES THE TOPICS. AS LONG AS THEIR ABOUT BOXING AND ARE GOOD TO DISCUSS WHY NOT DEBATE THEM. I LIKE OT THROW A LOT OF TOPICS OUT THEIR SO I CAN COME BACK AND RESPOND TO THEM AND ENJOY DEBATING RATHER THAN TALK ABOUT ONE TOPIC. THEIRS SO MUCH TO LEARN FOR ME, AND THIS IS A GOOD PLACE TO GET THE INOFRMATION I NEED. WE GOTTA KEEP THESE TOPICS FLYING AND ROLLING. MAKE THE FORUM REALLY UPBEAT. - Barry or anyone else. If i am breaking one of the rules tell me. I will definetly stop.

i am unware though of the rule i am breaking.

Question: Which Boxer was known as 'The Brockton Blockbuster'
Answer: Rocky Marciano