rompedas: THE BROCKTON BLOCKBUSTER THE BROCKTON BLOCKBUSTER Birth Name: Rocco Francis Marchegiano Born: 1923-09-01 Trainers: Charley Goldman & Al Columbo Officiating Record: Referee (Wikipedia) On Sept. 1, 1923 Mr. and Mrs. Pierino Marchegiano of Brockton, Massachusetts became the proud parents of an extraordinarily robust baby boy. The twelve pound child was christened Rocco Marchegiano, but the world would one day know him as the legendary boxer Rocky Marciano. When "bambino Rocco" was 18 months of age, he contracted pneumonia. Even though the infection nearly killed him - his doctor claimed that his remarkably strong constitution enabled him to survive without impairment. As a child, Rocky relished his mother's Italian cooking so much he often bordered on being a bit stocky, which was underscored by his relatively short but muscular arms and legs. However, even at this tender age, his overall bearing suggested he possessed unusual physical strength.... During his early teenage years, Rocky took great advantage of living across the street from Brockton's James Edgar Playground, where he especially enjoyed playing baseball.

It was during this period that he began the habit of exercising to his limit. Spending countless hours hitting and chasing after baseballs, he would ultimately go home and do chin-ups and lift homemade weights until he was totally fatigued. After supper, he and his pals spent many happy hours pummeling a stuffed mail sack that hung from an oak tree in the Marchegiano's back yard. In hot weather, they usually finished off such workouts "by racing over to Saxton's Spring to get a drink of its sparkling cold water....." ( Gerald Beals, An Abridged Biography Of The Life Of Rocky Marciano. . . June, 1999 at rockymarciano.com) Rocky Marciano..... born Rocco Francis Marchegiano, was an Italian-American boxer and the heavyweight champion of the world from September 23, 1952, to April 27, 1956, when he retired as the only heavyweight champion in boxing history to retire having won every fight in his professional career. In March 1943, Marciano was drafted into the army for a term of two years. Stationed in Wales, 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. While awaiting discharge, Marciano, representing the army, 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. That night, he knocked out Lee Epperson in three rounds. In an unusual move, however, 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. 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. His amateur years, with an 8-4 record, would be the last time Marciano experienced a loss. (Wikipedia) From Wikipedia From AAIB Ever since he was a teenager in Brockton, Massachusetts, people have often referred to Rocky Marciano as "that tough Italian kid" with incredible punching power.

To many, Rocky Marciano's fabled story was the inspiration for the ever-popular "Rocky" series made famous by Sylvester Stallone. His trademarks were a powerful right cross and an ability to endure punishment. Rocky was one of the toughest, hardest working, and hardest hitting champions of all time. He was a complex and charming individual who happened to have an amazing ability to knock opponent out of the ring..... Throughout his career, the gritty and seemingly indestructible Marciano never forgot and always revered his Italian heritage. It was said that he was able to draw upon his modest upbringing in a working class Italian neighborhood in Brockton, Massachusetts, to help him overcome adversity in the ring. (Art by Coupe) Signed in Blue Ink Rocky Marciano From antekprizering.com Al Weill, Paul Grossinger, Rocky Marciano From Wikipedia Rocky Marciano VS Joe Louis, 1951 From rockymarciano.com After winning 37 fights by knockouts - including a momentous victory over Joe Louis -he finally got the answer to his dreams. On Sept. 23, 1952, Rocky fought Jersey Joe Walcott for the world heavyweight championship.

Although he was knocked down in the first round - and was behind in the scoring for the first 7 rounds - he finally won in the 13th by knocking out Walcott with a desperately powerful - and extremely accurate - right punch. It was a right cross that traveled only six inches, which he always referred to, thereafter, as his "Susie Q." One of the less gifted champions of heavyweight history, Marciano won his crown in a fashion which became synonymous with his career - he battled for it. Although in the twilight of his career, Walcott still took a big lead against his challenger, registering a heavy knockdown in the second round. For much of what followed, it was Walcott who dominated, forcing Marciano to follow him around the ring and accept numerous jabs for his trouble. Yet Marciano, nicknamed the "Brockton Blockbuster" was impossible to discourage. By the 13th, he was starting to force the champion into uncomfortable situations, before making the decisive move. Walcott moved straight back to the ropes to avoid a Marciano charge and, with the two fighters barely 12 inches apart, the challenger landed a right hand.

It was the kind of punch which is done justice by slow motion replay - it travelled less than a foot, landed flush on Walcott's chin and rendered him unconscious from the moment of impact. (BBC SPORT) Don Cockell & Rocky Marciano, with Promoter James Norris Feb. 25, 1955 (New York) From Wikipedia Don Cockell vs. Rocky Marciano May 16, 1955 From Wikipedia Marciano's last title bout was against Archie Moore on September 21st, 1955. The bout was originally scheduled for Tuesday, September 20th, but because of hurricane warnings it had to be moved to the 21st. Marciano was knocked down for two seconds, but he got up and knocked out Moore in the 9th round. Moore was also knocked down in the 6th and 8th round but was saved by the bell. There was a game before the boxing match and all the fights started late. When Marciano was proclaimed winner, it was already morning of September 22nd. Marciano announced his retirement from boxing on April 27th, 1956.

He considered a comeback in 1959 when Ingemar Johansson won the heavyweight championship from then-champ Floyd Patterson in June of 1959. After almost a month of training, however, Marciano decided against it and never seriously considered a comeback again. (Check Six) After his retirement, Marciano moved to Florida, invested in restaurants, buying and selling boats, and dealing in real estate and construction. And though many of his investments, such as buying Florida wetlands, were disastrous, he remained cheerful and genial - the money he gave to his friends was often not repaid, and Marciano would never say a word about it. He hosted a weekly boxing show on TV for a year and, for a brief period, he worked as a troubleshooting referee for wrestlers. He continued as a referee and boxing commentator in boxing matches for many years. (Check Six) Rocky defended his title six times, winning five fights by knockouts. As a professional, he won an unprecedented 49 straight fights of which 43 - almost 90 % - were by knockouts.

He was once asked if it was the hated memories of breathing coal dust and the putrid smell of shoe factory leather that fired him up with unrelenting determination to win and succeed as a boxer. "Not really," he replied, "Even after I was knocked down, or badly cut, and was losing a fight, "the one thing I thought about most was the hardship my father and mother faced throughout their lives...I well knew that, if I didn't overcome the challenge at hand, both I and they would certainly never get another chance to escape poverty and oblivion...." Rocky also acknowledged that, in his earliest fights, he thought a lot about impressing his girl friend (and later wife) Barbara Cousins and her friends, pointing out that, "At that time, not many people were very positive about my prospects as a serious boyfriend...." Rocky was often asked what was his toughest fight. Surprisingly, he always said it was his encounter with Joe Louis: 'Because the aging 'Brown Bomber' was my childhood hero, I had to overcome a 'ton' of reservation before I finally knocked him out of the ring. When that moment finally came, it seemed like everyone in the crowd had turned against me...

Some of Louis's fierce admirers were actually crying; others were swearing at me.... As I went to his corner to console him, I saw that that the only people who were still wildly cheering for me - as always - were my faithful supporters from Brockton...." (Gerald Beals, An Abridged Biography Of The Life Of Rocky Marciano. . . June, 1999 at rockymarciano.com) On August 31st, 1969, at 9:00 PM, a light plane tried to land in bad weather at a small airport outside Newton, Iowa. The pilot, Glenn Belz, had only 231 total hours of flying time, with only 35 hours at night. A weather briefing had warned of stormy skies over Iowa, with a low ceiling. Belz was not instrument rated. Inexperienced, probably confused and frightened by the bad visibility, he tried to drop below the low hanging clouds to find the runway. He came out of the clouds two miles short of the runway and much too close to the ground. A witness said it appeared the pilot tried to gain altitude at the last moment but it was too late.

Belz was less than one hundred feet off the ground when his plane struck a lone oak tree in the center of a cornfield, hit the ground, and slid for 235 feet before coming to a stop as a tangled wreck near a drainage ditch. The passenger in the rear seat was 22 year old Frankie Farrell, son of Italian mobster Louis Fratto. In the front passenger seat was the former heavyweight champion of the world, Rocky Marciano, who would have been 46 years old the next day. All three were killed instantly..... (East Side Boxing.com) Frankie "One-Ear" Fratto and Rocky Marciano From midwestmafia.com Frankie "One-Ear" Fratto and Rocky Marciano From midwestmafia.com Frankie (Fratto) Farrell with Rocky Marciano hours before fatal plane crash From midwestmafia.com Sam Ancona, Frankie Fratto Farrell Rocky Marciano, Chuckie Morgan From midwestmafia.com Forty-eight years since he retired undefeated, Rocky Marciano remains the only champion to finish his career with a perfect record in over 100 years of gloved boxing.

For those who don’t know much of Marciano other than the opinions of debaters boxing forums, first know that he didn’t "just" retire undefeated. There was more substance to him as a fighter than his perfect record. For example, Marciano was named Ring magazine Fighter of the Year three times; in 1952, 1954, and 1955. Rocky also fought the Fight of the Year three times; in 1952 VS Walcott, in 1953 VS Roland LaStarza, and in 1954 VS Ezzard Charles. And he was honored with Round of the Year twice; in 1951 when he KO’d Louis in the 8th and in 1952 when he put away Walcott in the 13th round.

(East Side Boxing.com) Rocky Marciano Nails Ezzard Charles With A Right Hand From Signature House Such selections were not based on weight class but on performance, during a boxing era that was rich in talent; Sugar Ray Robinson was active, as were Sandy Saddler, Willie Pep, Archie Moore, Kid Gavilan, Carmen Basilio, Joey Maxim, Randy Turpin, and other great fighters. In such an era, and among such competition, Rocky had to win more impressively than other men also bound for the Hall of Fame. And it wasn’t latter day boxing fans he had to impress; it was sports writers whose perspective was ringside. He excelled in an era of high achievers. (East Side Boxing.com) He was well respected by those who knew him and the men he fought. Each had their own thoughts and words at the funeral. "He was a man of courage inside the ring. Outside, he was kind and gentle." Jersey Joe Walcott "Something's gone out of my life. I'm not alone, something's gone out of everyone's life." Joe Louis "He was a great fighter and a great man." Joe Frazier "There was no pretense about Rocky.

He was the genuine thing." Joey Maxim "This man was one of the greatest champions ever. He refused to accept defeat. And nobody beat him." Sonny Liston. Muhammad Ali told how he sped to Fort Lauderdale, breaking speed limits and ignoring red lights to get to the funeral on time. (Geocities.com) From Art by Coupe "He was gentle and soft-spoken and you’d never picture him to be a boxer," said Marciano’s sister, Betty Colombo. “He was so sensitive, very family-oriented. He cared about his brothers and sisters and parents very much. He used to come home and we’d envy him. When he’d come to Brockton, my mother would call all the kids up and say, ‘Come over and see the brother.’ He’d say that you don’t know how lucky you guys are. You’re married, you’ve got a family, you’re home all time. He envied us because he couldn’t do that anymore. He’d have to leave and go on the road. But he never changed inside." "The most popular athlete in the world in those days was the heavyweight champion of the world, and that’s what Rocky was" said Armond Colombo. “It’s nothing like today.

Today, do you know who the heavyweight champion of the world is? When you were heavyweight champion of the world, everyone in the world knew Rocky Marciano." Brockton-based Goody Petronelli, who along with his brother, Pat, guided Marvelous Marvin Hagler to the top of the world middleweight division, has Marciano pictures hanging in his downtown gym. “There’s nothing greater than Rocky Marciano," said Petronelli. “I mention his name to fighters quite frequently in the gym. He’s part of Brockton forever." When Colombo was coaching Brockton High’s successful football program, he always made it a point to let his players know about the city’s heavyweight champ. “My comment about Rocky was if I had 11 Rocky Marcianos on my team, I would never lose a game," he said. “Any coach would say the same thing because of what he was and his method of training, his determination, his attitude. I once asked him, 'Are you ever afraid of anybody you go in the ring against? He said,'I respect them, but I have never been afraid of anybody I’ve fought.’ That’s what I preached throughout my coaching life.

The first thing you have to do is respect your opponent, your teammates and all of this comes back to you and helps you be a better person. That was Rocky." The man from Dover Street with the vicious punching power who floored 43 opponents was one of a kind, inside and outside of the ring. “My father told me this story about Rocky," said Peter Marciano Jr., the champion’s nephew. “One day, my father and my uncle Sonny and Rocky were in New York. Rocky was retired. They were at a table. This big guy walks through the door, 6-foot-5, 300 pounds, great big hulk of a guy.

The guy walks over to the table and said, 'You Rocky Marciano?' My uncle said, 'Yeah, yeah that’s me.' The guy said, 'You don’t look so tough.' My uncle Rocky looked him right in the eye and said, 'It’s funny you say that because as soon as I saw you walk in the door, I said to my two brothers here if there’s anybody who could give me a run for my money, I bet it’s that guy right there and I wouldn’t want to mess with him.' The guy looked at him and his shoulders swelled up and he walked away. My father said to Rocky, 'What’s the matter? Let’s go give this guy a beating.' My uncle Rocky said, 'You know, I just made that guy. He’ll tell his grandkids that story. I’ve got nothing to prove to anybody. I just made that guy so happy.' That was the type of guy Rocky was.

They just don’t make guys like Rocky anymore." (The Enterprise) Rocky Marciano // Official Web Site Birth name: Rocco Francis Marchegiano Nickname(s): Rocky, The Brockton Blockbuster Birth date: September 1, 1923 Birth place: Brockton, Massachusetts Death date: August 31, 1969 Death place: Des Moines, Iowa Burial Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida Height: 5'11" 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 – 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 Boxing Nicknames | 40 of the Most Memorable Monikers Boxing Nicknames | 40 of the Most Memorable Monikers Written by Administrator at Jul 25, 2014 - 12:00AM ET in Tidbits View Comments James "Lights Out" Toney lives up to his nickname by flattening "Prince" Charles Williams in 1994. Boxers are, by far, among the most colorful athletes in the world and, accordingly, they also have the most fascinating nicknames. Below is a list of 40 of the greatest nicknames in boxing history: Should we add a few more? Please feel free to add new names in the comments section below as we'll revise this list and publish a new-and-improved listing later this year. If you submit names, keep in mind: 1.

The fighter must be at least relatively high-profile and 2. the more creative and memorable his moniker, the better. Who can forget names like "Lights Out" Toney, "Bonecrusher" Smith and fat man "Two-Ton" Tony? In some cases, a fighter's nickname was so good, it actually replaced his real name. For example, Donovan Ruddock is known more by "Razor" Ruddock and the name Eric Esch pales in comparison to his moniker, "Butterbean." Can you think of anymore?

James "Lights Out" Toney The Nigerian Nightmare" (Samuel Peter) The Baby-Faced Assassin (Marco Antonio Barrera) "Hands of Stone" "Manos de Piedra" (Roberto Duran) Darnell "The Ding-a-Ling Man" Wilson Donovan "Razor" Ruddock The Living Death (Lew Jenkins) John "The Beast" Mugabi Juan "The Hispanic Causing Panic" Lazcano Mark "Too Sharp" Johnson Mike "The Body Snatcher" McCallum Riddick "Big Daddy" Bowe The Brockton Blockbuster (Rocky Marciano) The Brown Bomber (Joe Louis) The Easton Assassin (Larry Holmes) Eric Esch "Butterbean" The Golden Boy (Oscar de la Hoya) The Greatest (Muhammad Ali) The Motor City Cobra (Tommy Hearns) The Truth (Carl Williams) Vinny "The Pazmanian Devil" Pazienza Bernard "The Executioner" Hopkins "The Viking Warrior" Mikkel Kessler "The Black Mamba" Roger Mayweather Rocky Marciano | Boxer Profile at Sports Pundit Nickname The Brockton Blockbuster Rocky Marciano was born Rocco Francis Marchegiano.

He was an American boxer who was a former heavyweight champion of the world from 1952 to 1956 and was also nicknamed “The Brockton Blockbuster” and “The Rock from Brockton”. Marciano, who was of Italian-American descent, was born on September 1, 1923 in Brockton, Massachusetts. He was only 20 years old when he joined the army in 1943. In 1946, he won the amateur boxing tournament in the armed forces. He turned professional in 1947 and won in his first on March 17 of the same year, defeating Lee Epperson by knockout in the third round. His next fifteen fights were also won by him via knockout, 9 of which were ended during the first round only. Due to frequent mispronunciation of his name, he settled to be called “Rocky Marciano”. He defeated Ted Lowry twice by a unanimous decision in both instances, making Lowry one of the five boxers who survived a fight against Marciano without being knocked out. In 1949, Marciano beat Phil Muscato and Carmine Vingo.

He also defeated Roland La Starza via a unanimous decision in 1950. In 1951, after defeating Red Applegate, Marciano’s fight against Rex Layne was shown on television, where he knocked Layne after six rounds. He also defeated his childhood idol, Joe Louis, on national television. In 1952, he became the new world heavyweight champion by defeating Jersey Joe Walcott in Philadelphia. Although Marciano was down on his knees in the first round, he managed to knock Walcott in the thirteenth round. Marciano was also able to defend his title the following year against Walcott by rendering him unconscious in the first round. In 1953, he also managed to defend his title against La Starza by a technical knock out in the eleventh round. He defeated Ezzard Charles by a unanimous decision, who is the only who lasted in the ring for 15 rounds without being knocked out. However, during their rematch, Charles was no longer able to evade Marciano’s knockout punch in the eighth round. He won his second to the last match against Don Cockell via knockout in the ninth round.

His last match was also won by knockout against Archie Moore in the ninth round. He retired in 1956 without incurring any loss and has 49 wins. Of these, he won 43 fights by knockout. He is by far, the only heavyweight champion who won every fight he competed in. He died on August 1, 1969 near Newton, Iowa at the age of 45 when his plane crash landed. He was named by Ring Magazine, the International Boxing Research Organization and ESPN as one of the top 15 greatest heavyweight champion of all time. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. 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.

Rocky Marciano - BoxRec Rocky Marciano Hall of Fame bio: click World Boxing Hall of Fame Inductee Name: Rocky Marciano Birth Name: Rocco Francis Marchegiano Born: 1923-09-01 Height: 5′ 10½″ / 179cm Reach: 68″ / 173cm Rocky Marciano Gallery Rocky Marciano was born Rocco Francis Marchegiano on September 1, 1923, in Brockton, Massachusetts. Marciano was World Heavyweight Champion from 1952 to 1956, and he is the only World Heavyweight Champion to retire undefeated. Marciano was the first of six children born to Perrino and Pasqualena Marchegiano. Before dropping out of high school to make a few bucks — as a gardener, delivery boy, laborer for the gas company, and leather tanner at the shoe factory where his father worked — he starred in football and baseball. In 1947, Marciano had a tryout with the Chicago Cubs as a catcher but was let go because he couldn't make the throw from home plate to second base with accuracy.

Marciano didn't take up boxing until after he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943. He took up the sport mainly as a way to avoid KP duty (assisting the cooks) and other less desirable activities, but he showed a natural ability and fought as an amateur following his discharge in 1946. After being discharged, Marciano visited an old Army buddy, Joe Sarelli, in Chicago. Sarelli's father, who was connected to the fight game, agreed to assess Marciano's potential as a fighter. "His father took me to a gym in Chicago's Loop," Marciano recalled. "For three days, I hit the big bag and the little bag. I skipped rope and shadow boxed. At the end of the workouts, Joe's father sat down with me. He told me, 'Rocky, why don't you go home and forget about being a fighter. You'll too small to be a heavyweight. You'll never make it.'" Marciano, fighting under the name "Rocky Mack" in order to maintain his amateur standing, turned professional on March 17, 1947 , with a third-round knockout of Lee Epperson.

Marciano then returned to the amateurs, where he fought under his real name. On March 1, 1948, at the New York Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions, Marciano was on the short end of an unpopular split decision to Coley Wallace in what would be the last loss of his boxing career. In his last amateur fight, Marciano outpointed George McInnis to win the New England AAU Heavyweight Championship on March 22, 1948. Marciano did not move on to the nationals because of a fractured thumb. He finished his amateur career with a record of either 9-4, with 7 knockouts. Marciano had been told that a manager based out of New York could do more for him than one in New England, so he went to New York City and met with Al Weill , who had previously managed Lou Ambers , Joey Archibald and Marty Servo . Weill telephoned trainer Charley Goldman and told him to set up a sparring session so they could gauge Marciano’s potential. Later that day, Marciano stepped into the ring at a CYO gym on 17th Street in Manhattan with a heavyweight named Wade Chancey .

“Al and I often looked over green kids who thought they could become fighters,” Goldman reminisced years later. “I’ll eat my derby hat if I ever saw anyone cruder than Rocky. He was so awkward that we stood there and laughed. He didn’t stand right. He didn’t throw a punch right. He didn’t block right. He didn’t do anything right. Then he hit Chancey with a roundhouse right which nearly put a hole in the guy’s head, and I told Weill that maybe I could do something with him.” Goldman explained to his assistant, Angelo Dundee , that although Marciano lacked height and finesse, he had great punching power. Dundee said, "Charley taught the technique that if you are short, you make yourself smaller. Charley let him bend his knees to a deep knee squat. He was able to punch from that position, come straight up from the bag and hit a heck of a shot ...

It was just bang-bang-bang-bang-BANG and get him outta there." With Weill as his manager and Goldman as his trainer, Marciano, who changed his name from Marchegiano at Weill's suggestion (he said it was too hard to pronounce), won his second pro fight with a first-round knockout of Harry Bilazarian on July 12, 1948 . Weill became matchmaker for the International Boxing Club in May 1949. Since many state athletic commissions had a conflict-of-interest rule that precluded a matchmaker from managing a fighter, his stepson, Marty Weill, became Marciano's manager of record. In August 1952, Weill resigned as matchmaker and returned as Marciano's official manager. Marciano won his first sixteen professional fights by knockout, but there were those who still didn't think much would become of him. Goody Petronelli , trainer of Marvin Hagler , caught one of Marciano's early fights and recalled for Sports Illustrated , "I never thought he'd make it. He was too old, almost 25. He was too short, he was too light. He had no reach.

Rough and tough, but no finesse." After twenty-five straight wins, Marciano fought Roland LaStarza , who was 37-0, on March 24, 1950 . Marciano, a slight underdog, won by a ten-round split decision. On October 26, 1951 , with 37 wins and 32 knockouts under his belt, Marciano faced former World Heavyweight Champion Joe Louis and knocked him out in the eighth round. Louis was his boyhood idol, and Marciano cried in Louis's dressing room after the fight. Five fights later, on September 23, 1952 , Marciano got a shot at World Heavyweight Champion Jersey Joe Walcott . In the thirteenth round, behind on points, Marciano knocked Walcott out with a short right to the jaw to win the championship. Marciano's first title defense was a rematch with Walcott. On May 15, 1953 , he knocked Walcott out in the first round. Marciano's second title defense was another rematch. On September 24, 1953 , he knocked out Roland LaStarza in eleven rounds.

On June 17, 1954 , Marciano defeated Ezzard Charles by a fifteen-round unanimous decision. Afterwards, Marciano said, "It was my toughest fight." Marciano fought Charles again on September 17, 1954 , and almost lost the championship. In the sixth round, Charles cut Marciano's nose so badly that his corner couldn't stop the bleeding. With the ring doctor watching the cut closely and considering stopping the fight, Marciano came on strong in the eighth round and knocked Charles out. Marciano defended his title against Don Cockell on May 16, 1955 , knocking him out in nine rounds. His sixth and final title defense was against Archie Moore on September 21, 1955 . Marciano was dropped in the second round, but he came back to knock Moore out in the ninth round. On April 27, 1956, Marciano retired from boxing at the age of 31. "I am retiring because of my wife and baby,” Marciano said in his retirement statement. "No man can say what he will do in the future, but barring poverty, the ring has seen the last of me.

I am comfortably fixed, and I am not afraid of the future." Friends of Marciano have said his physical condition also played a part in his decision to retire. Marciano had fought with a ruptured disc in his back since August 1949 and had suffered from an arthritic right elbow since 1951. Many believe the main reason Marciano retired was because of his relationship with manager Al Weill. In April 1956, the chief investigator for the California Governor's special committee investigating boxing accused promoter Jimmy Murray of shortchanging Marciano and Don Cockell in their title fight and paying $10,000 "on the side" to Weill. Both Murray and Weill denied the allegations. Marciano allegedly said, "I don't care what it cost me, but I will never fight for this guy [Weill] again and let him scalp me." On August 31, 1969, one day shy of what would have been his forty-sixth birthday, Marciano boarded a small plane with the pilot and one other passenger for a flight from Chicago to a speaking engagement in Des Moines, Iowa.

The plane crashed in a field near Newton, Iowa, killing all three men on board. Marciano was survived by his wife of 19 years, Barbara, and their two children, Mary Anne and Rocco Kevin. Contents Record: 9-4, with 7 knockouts April 15, 1946 - Henry Lester, L DQ 3 1947 National Junior AAU Heavyweight Championship in Portland, Oregan. Results: Aug 22 - Frederic Ross, KO 1 Aug 23 - Richard Jarvis, KO 1 Aug 23 - Joe DeAngelis , L 3 1947 Massachusetts State Amateur Heavyweight Championship in Boston, Massachusetts. Results: Jan 17 - Jim Connolly, KO 1 Jan 17 - Bob Girard, L 3 1948 Massachusetts/Rhode Island Golden Gloves Heavyweight Championship in Lowell, Massachusetts. Results: Feb 2 - Dan Solomont, TKO 1 Feb 9 - Charles Mortimer, KO 3 1948 New England Tournament of Champions in Lowell, Massacusetts.

Results Feb 17 - Ralph Piscopo, WO (Piscopo didn't show up) Feb 18 - George McInnis, TKO 1 1948 All Eastern Coast Golden Gloves Championship in Brooklyn, New York. Result: Mar 1 - Coley Wallace , L 3 1948 New England AAU Heavyweight Championship in Boston, Massachusetts. Results: Mar 22 - Sal Fichera, KO 3 Mar 22 - George McInnis - W 3 Record Issues: Some sources say Marciano knocked out Joe Sidlaskis in the first round on February 2, 1948, as part of the Massachusetts/Rhode Island Golden Gloves Tournament. However, Victor Sidlaskas, not Joe Sidlaskis, competed in the novice division, while Marciano fought in the open division. Some reports incorrectly list Sal Fichera as Fred Fischera and George McInnis as George McGinnis. Marciano's bouts against Fichera and McInnis have incorrectly been reported as being part of the Olympic Trials. Awards and Recognition

Question: The Brockton Blockbuster was the nickname of which American boxer?
Answer: Rocky Marciano