ESPN Classic - Marciano glorified boxing Marciano glorified boxing By Larry Schwartz Special to ESPN.com "He was relentless. The bell would ring, he would be on you. The bell would ring, he stopped. The bell would ring again, he'd be right back on you," said George Foreman about Rocky Marciano on ESPN Classic's SportsCentury series. Rocky Marciano had two goals in mind while growing up in Brockton, Mass. He didn't want to follow in his father's footsteps and work in a shoe factory. He wanted to be a major league catcher. Funny how things developed. Marciano delivered 43 knockouts in 49 fights. Marciano couldn't make it with a Chicago Cubs' farm team because he didn't have a strong enough right arm. But the arm was powerful enough for him to register 43 knockouts in 49 fights. When The Rock retired in 1956, he was (and still is) the only heavyweight champion to exit undefeated. The odds of Marciano succeeding in boxing seemed about the same as him reaching the major leagues. He was a crude barroom brawler type.

For a heavyweight, he was considered too short (5-10 1/4) and too light (183-189 pounds) for most of his fights. His reach of only 68 inches was a distinct disadvantage (no heavyweight champ ever had such a short reach). But how do you measure a person's heart? In that area, Marciano possibly had the largest in the sport. He refused to stay down, and he refused to lose. He might be bloodied, but he wouldn't be beaten. "Rocky couldn't box like [Gene] Tunney, and probably couldn't hit like [Joe] Louis, but in one respect he had no challenger," wrote Pulitzer Prize winner Red Smith. "He was the toughest, strongest, most completely dedicated fighter who ever wore gloves. Fear wasn't in his vocabulary and pain had no meaning." "The Brockton Blockbuster" was amazing in his resistance to punishment - his chin seemed to be cast in concrete - and destructive in administering it. He was a ceaseless aggressor, a human tank who would gladly absorb two or three punches just for the opportunity of landing one, especially with Suzie Q, his pet name for his thunderous right.

Of Marciano's first 14 pro fights, none went beyond the fifth round, with nine ending in the first. When the esteemed Charley Goldman, who would become Marciano's trainer, first saw Rocky, he told Angelo Dundee, his assistant, "I gotta a guy who's short, stoop-shouldered, balding, got two left feet and, God, how he can punch." Archie Moore, a knockout victim in Marciano's final bout, said, "After a fight with Marciano, you felt like someone had been beating you all over the body with a blackjack, or hitting you with rocks." Physical condition was Marciano's forte in his monkish, monomaniacal pursuit of the title. He was as addicted to exercise as some are addicted to cocaine. It gave him more stamina than his opponent, and was instrumental in his knockout of Jersey Joe Walcott to win the heavyweight championship on Sept. 23, 1952. Born Rocco Francis Marchegiano in Brockton, just outside Boston, on Sept. 1, 1923, he was the first of six children of Perrino and Pasqualena, Italian immigrants.

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 baseball and football. He was introduced to boxing by an uncle, and fought during his stint in the Army during World War II, mostly because he wanted to avoid KP and other lousy details. He didn't think he would make boxing his career. But after his discharge from the Army in 1946, he began training. On March 17, 1947, fighting under the assumed name Rocky Mack to protect his amateur status, he had his first fight as a pro, registering a third-round knockout and receiving $35. That was about $459,965 less than what Marciano would earn in his final fight. That spring, Marciano's dream of becoming a major league catcher finally ended when he failed in his tryout with a Cubs' farm team in North Carolina. He continued to box as an amateur for another year before turning pro for good, at almost 25.

With his instinct for the attack and the power of his right hand, Marciano knocked out his first 16 opponents, nine in the first round. By now he was under the tutelage of Goldman, who trained fighters for New York manager and promoter Al Weill. Goldman instructed Marciano to fight out of a crouch. "Charley taught the technique that if you are short, you make yourself smaller," Dundee said. "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." Rocky Marciano is the only heavyweight champ to retire undefeated (49-0). Victim No. 38 for the up-and-coming Marciano was old-and-should-have-stay-retired Louis, with Marciano sending the former champ into permanent retirement. He knocked Louis out with a powerful right to the jaw in the eighth round on Oct. 26, 1951. In the locker room afterwards, Marciano wept when he visited Louis.

Eleven months later at Philadelphia's Municipal Stadium, Marciano fought for Walcott's title. In the first round, for the first time in his 43-fight pro career, Marciano saw what it was like to look up from the canvas at the guy who just put you there. A clever boxer, the 38-year-old Walcott frustrated Marciano, cutting him between the eyes and on the forehead. After 12 rounds, the champ was in total control, ahead by four rounds from one official, three by another and two by the third. Marciano needed a knockout to take the title. Though battered and bloodied, The Rock wouldn't give in to defeat. Thirty seconds into the 13th round, with Walcott backed into the ropes, the exhausted Marciano delivered one of the most devastating punches in boxing history, a short right from Suzie Q to the side of Walcott's chin. Walcott sank to one knee, his left arm hooked around the middle rope, head resting on the canvas. Walcott was out, and Marciano was in as heavyweight champ. There was no drama in the rematch, Marciano knocking out Walcott in the first.

He had a more difficult time in his third and fourth defenses, against Ezzard Charles in 1954. In the first fight, after falling behind on points early, Marciano's right did more damage than Charles' left, and he kept his title on a unanimous decision. The rematch was even tougher. Charles hit Marciano with a left hook that split his left nostril down the middle in the sixth round. In the seventh, Charles inflicted a cut on Marciano's left brow. With blood spurting from both wounds, and aware that the referee was considering stopping the fight, a desperate Marciano unleashed a furious attack in the eighth and knocked Charles down twice, the second time for the count. In Marciano's sixth - and final - defense, he came back from a second-round knockdown to KO Moore in the ninth round. Seven months later, Marciano, at 32, announced his retirement. A Sports Illustrated story in 1993 didn't paint a pretty picture of Marciano's life after boxing.

It said he was obsessed with collecting his payments for personal appearances in cash, evading paying income tax, having numerous sexual encounters with women other than his wife, never picking up a check, consorting with Mafia figures, and loaning more than $100,000 to finance a Cleveland loan shark. On Aug. 31, 1969, the day before Marciano's 46th birthday, Barbara Marciano had planned a joint birthday party for her husband and herself (Barbara had turned 40 on August 30) in their Fort Lauderdale home. But Marciano, in Chicago, chose not to attend. Instead, he flew with the nephew of a mobster to make a personal appearance in Des Moines, Iowa. The small plane crashed in a cornfield in Newton, Iowa, killing both passengers and the inexperienced pilot. At the funeral service of the popular former champion, Louis said, "Something's gone out of my life. I'm not alone; something's gone out of everyone's life." He bent over and kissed the casket.

Top 10 Heavyweights in Boxing History | Bleacher Report Top 10 Heavyweights in Boxing History By Cliff Eastham , Senior Writer Feb 9, 2010 Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse the slideshow 2.7K 48 Comments The Heavyweight Boxing Championship of the world used to be the most precious of all titles in any sport. Oh, how times have changed. There have been many champions over the course of history, some well known and great, and some not so well known (ever hear of Michael Bentt?). Ordered lists such as this are as varied as snowflakes. You may totally disagree with all of my choices, that Sir, is your prerogative. That is one of the few things that is still great about living here in the fruited plain. I write my list and you pick it apart. Cool, I can live with that. Remember, I am old school, so do not expect any of the Russian guys on the list, it won't happen. Eight of the ten are African-Americans however. Without any more bull, let us look at the list. No.

10—Jersey Joe Walcott Joe Walcott—1/31/1914-2/25/1994. Walcott was born in Merchantville, NJ, as Arnold Raymond Cream and later changed his name in honor of his idol, welterweight champion Joe Walcott. Joe was one of only two men to ever knock down undefeated Rocky Marciano. He fought Marciano twice and was knocked out both times, first time in the 13th round and sent into retirement by virtue of a first-round KO in the other. Walcott fought Ezzard Charles four times, losing the first two and winning the next two. He beat Joey Maxim twice and lost to him once. He unsuccessfully challenged Joe Louis for his Heavyweight Title but was on the short end of a split decision in the first fight after knocking Louis down in the first and fourth rounds. Louis knocked him out in the 11th round of the rematch in 1948. In the Ring Magazine Fight of the Year in 1951, Joe won the Heavyweight Title by knocking out Ezzard Charles in the seventh round.

He successfully defended his crown in 1952 by beating Charles by unanimous decision before losing the title for good to Marciano in September of the same year. Walcott's career record is 51-18-2 with 32 KOs. Next » No. 9—Joe Frazier Joe was born in Beaufort, SC in 1944 and won the Olympic Heavyweight Gold Medal in 1964. He is best known for his trilogy with Muhammad Ali. He became the first man to beat Ali in 1972. He fought "Big" George Foreman in 1973 as an undefeated champion. Foreman brutally defeated Frazier, flooring him seven times before the referee called a halt to it in the second round. After defeating tough Englishman, Joe Bugner in London, he fought Ali in Madison Square Garden, the scene of their first fight. Ali won a 12-round unanimous decision in a battle of non-champions. The third fight with Ali, known as the "Thrilla in Manilla" was one of the best fights ever. Ali later said it was the closest to death he had ever been.

Frazier had to quit at the end of the 14th round because of the beating he took. He fought Foreman once more in 1976, this time being knocked out in the fifth round, causing Joe to retire. He made a return to the ring five years later to beat Jumbo Cummings by majority decision. His career record is 32-4-1 with 27 KOs. Next » No. 8—Mike Tyson Iron Mike became the youngest Heavyweight Champion in history at 20, by knocking out champion Trevor Berbick in 1986. Although losing three of his final four fights, Tyson was a fearless, relentless fighter. He owns wins over some spectacular fighters including Larry Holmes and Michael Spinks. He is probably remembered most for biting the ear off of Evander Holyfield in their second fight. Holyfield beat him twice, although most people remember his first career loss the most. After winning his first 37 fights he was knocked out by Buster Douglas in the 10th round in 1990. Tyson's career record is 50-6 with 44 KOs. Next » No.

7—Larry Holmes The "Easton Assasin" had one of the best jabs in boxing history which he used profusely to set up his opponent with a huge right hand. Holmes won the title in 1978 in one of the best fights ever. He and Kenny Norton fought 15 of the toughest rounds imaginable. In the end, Holmes hand was raised in a split decision. He was 48-0 before being decisioned twice by Mike Spinks. His list of conquests include Ali, Earnie Shavers (2), Leon Spinks, an undefeated Gerry Cooney, Tim Witherspoon, Bonecrusher Smith, and Mike Weaver (2). His career record is 69-6 with 44 KOs. No. 5—Jack Dempsey Jack Dempsey—6/24/1895-5/31/1983 The Manassa Mauler won the Heavyweight Title by knocking out Jess Willard in the third round in 1919. He was a busy fighter, fighting 16 times in 1916. One of the most popular champions of all time, Dempsey always drew a good crowd.

He is perhaps best remembered for this second fight with Gene Tunney. Tunney was knocked down in the seventh round and it is believed by many that Tunney was down for 14 seconds instead of nine. Jack retired after that fight with a career record of 62-6-9 with 51 KOs. Next » No. 4—George Foreman Big George Foreman has had two careers in one. In his first career he was an Olympic Gold Medal winner, seemed to be invincible, and was sent into retirement by Jimmy Young. In his second he was overweight, old and determined. He was 34-0 and fearless when he fought Muhammad Ali in Zayre. Ali knocked him out in the eighth round. Foreman came back after a 10 year retirement and won the title at age 45 by knocking out Michael Moorer in the 10th round. Foreman has wins over Frazier, Norton, Cooney, Ron Lyle, George Chuvalo. His career record is 76-5 with 68 KOs. Next » No.

1—Muhammad Ali Cassius Clay won the 1960 Olympic Gold Medal and proceeded to show the world tht he was the greatest heavyweight boxer the world had ever seen. He changed his name to Ali when he became a Muslim after retiring because he refused to enter the armed forces. When he returned to the ring in 1972 he won the first two fights before suffering his first loss to Joe Frazier. He went on to fight Joe two more times, winning them both. He had three wars with Ken Norton, winning two and losing one. He also beat Sonny Liston, Floyd Patterson, Archie Moore, Jerry Quarry (2), Jimmy Ellis, Oscar Bonaveno, George Chuvalo, George Foreman, and Joe Bugner (2). His career record is 56-5 with 37 KOs. Three of his four losses came after the age of 36. -------------------------------------------------------- HONORABLE MENTION LIST In no particular order Ken Norton, Ezzard Charles. Floyd Patterson, George Chuvalo, Evander Holyfield, James Jeffries, Sonny Liston, Max Schmeling, Lennox Lewis, Jim Corbett, Max Baer, John L.

Sullivan, Harry Wills, Riddick Bowe, Bob Fitzsimmons, Jerry Quarry. The Sports Archives – Fighters Who Have Retired As Undefeated Boxing Champions! | The Sports Archives Blog The Sports Archives Blog Posted on March 12, 2013 by thesportsarchives When you look at the list of some of the most famous fighters in history, they all have a mark or two in the loss column throughout their career. There are not many who have retired as undefeated champions, but here is a list of a few: Sven Ottke (34-0-0): Ottke was a German professional boxer who is better known as “The Phantom”. He was the IBF/WBA Super Middleweight Champion who successfully defended his title 21 times. What is unusual about his career is that he was 256-47-5 as an amateur, a far cry from his storied professional career.

He was the East Germany Middleweight Champion from 1985 to 1989, German National Middleweight Champion from 1990 to 1991 and 1995 to 1996, and the German National Light Heavyweight Champion from 1992 to 1993. He also fought in the Olympics in 1988, 1992, and 1996. Tracy Beasley (26-0-1): Tracy “Bad News” Beasley won a National Golden Gloves Light Heavyweight Championship at the age of 17. He was also a representative of the United States as a member of the U.S. Armed Forces for an Amateur Athletic Boxing Tour in Europe. He took his amateur record up a level by amassing a 26-0-1 record professionally. He was the 1989 IBA Light Heavyweight World Champion and had 19 of his wins by knockout. After retiring from the ring, he became an entrepreneur and boxing trainer. He continued his list of boxing awards by adding “Trainer of the Year in Houston” in 2002.

Rocky Marciano (49-0): You can’t forget about Rocky Marciano, undoubtedly one of the best of the undefeated champions. As with Beasley, he had an amateur career in the military and amassed an 8-4 record while representing the United States Army. He won his first sixteen bouts by knockout, all before the fifth round. Nine of the first sixteen were in the first. He defended his title many times and also had a storied win over Roland La Starza (37-0), which was a split decision win and the closest anyone ever came to defeating Marciano. Terry Marsh (26-0-1): “The Fighting Fireman” was the first European boxer to retire as an undefeated world champion, Marsh’s career was ended at the age of twenty nine when he was diagnosed with epilepsy. Before that time, he added the British, European, and IBG Light Welterweight Championships to his name. This is in addition to the three ABA senior amateur championships . Although he had a few negative things happen to him after his career, it is what he did in the ring that he is known for.

If not for him retiring, he would have eventually been matched against the likes of Pernell Whitaker and Julio Cesar Chavez latter in his career. With that aside, he is still an undefeated champion. BBC SPORT | Boxing | Undefeated Calzaghe quits boxing Undefeated Calzaghe quits boxing Why I'm retiring - Calzaghe reveals his reasons exclusively to BBC Sport Undefeated world super-middleweight and light-heavyweight boxing champion Joe Calzaghe has announced his retirement. The 36-year-old Welshman, who reigned as a world champion for more than 11 years, quits the ring with a glittering record of 46 wins from 46 fights. "It was a difficult decision but I have achieved everything I wanted to achieve in boxing," he told BBC Sport. "I've been world champion for 11 years. I've got no other goals to go for.

That's why I am calling it a day." In an exclusive interview with BBC sports editor Mihir Bose, Calzaghe, who held the WBO, WBA, WBC and IBF super-middleweight belts during his 16-year professional career, said he had thought "long and hard" about retiring but insisted it was the right move. BEN DIRS BLOG Calzaghe deserves to sit alongside Ken Buchanan and Lennox Lewis as the greatest of Britain's post-war greats "I had a long think with my family," he said. "My children wanted me to give up, plus my mum. That's why I called it a day and will go on to do something else." Asked if he could ever be tempted back into the ring in the future, the Newbridge fighter replied: "My decision is to retire. I've been boxing for 25 years and, like I said, I've achieved everything I want to achieve. "You can never say never in this game, but I can't see myself boxing again. There's loads of things I want to do.

I'm proud to be one of only a few fighters in history to retire undefeated." Calzaghe, who was born in London but moved to Wales when he was two, chalked up an impressive record as an amateur, winning 110 of his 120 contests after taking up the sport at the age of nine. He began his professional career with a first-round stoppage of Paul Hanlon on 1 October, 1993, going on to win seven of his first nine bouts in round one. Trained by his father, Enzo, he became British super-middleweight champion in 1995 before capturing his first world title in 1997, outpointing Chris Eubank to claim the WBO crown. Calzaghe with his WBO and WBC super-middleweight belts Despite suffering from several hand injuries, Calzaghe defended the title a total of 21 times, adding the IBF version to his trophy cabinet with a stunning victory over American Jeff Lacy in March 2006.

He then claimed the WBA and WBC belts with what he feels was his most satisfying fight, a unanimous points win over Denmark's Mikkel Kessler at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on 4 November, 2007. "Unifying the super-middleweight division in front of 50,000 fans was a dream come true for me," he told BBC Sport. "I was fighting a younger fighter than me, I was the underdog. A lot of people thought I was going to lose that fight. It was a great night." Just a few weeks later, he was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year, becoming a CBE soon afterwards, after being appointed an MBE in 2003. Calzaghe's final two fights cemented his reputation as one of Britain's greatest ever boxers. Stepping up to light-heavyweight and fighting in America for the first time, he won a split decision against Bernard Hopkins in Las Vegas to become 'The Ring' magazine's light-heavyweight champion. Calzaghe was 2007 BBC Sports Personality He then finished his career with a comprehensive points victory over the legendary Roy Jones Jr at New York's Madison Square Garden on 8 November.

Calzaghe, who will be 37 on 23 March, hinted before the fight with Jones that it would be his last, despite talk of a re-match with Hopkins. Fellow Briton Carl Froch, who took possession of Calzaghe's old WBC super-middleweight belt by beating Canadian Jean Pascal in December, was also eager to take him on. But Calzaghe resisted the lure of another big pay day and the chance to inch closer to heavyweight legend Rocky Marciano's record of 49 wins from 49 fights. Strawweight and light-flyweight Ricardo Lopez of Mexico, with 51 wins in 51 fights, also retired undefeated. Calzaghe, who has two sons, Connor and Joe, from his marriage to Mandy, says he now plans to concentrate on his charity work and becoming a boxing promoter. Now divorced and living with model girlfriend Jo-Emma, he also revealed he had several TV projects lined up. Bookmark with: Rocky Marciano // Official Web Site BIOGRAPHY Rocky Marciano was born Rocco Francis Marchegiano, on September 1, 1923, in Brockton, Massachusetts.

During his career, Marciano held the heavyweight boxing title for four years in the 1950s, and he is the only boxing champion to ever retire undefeated. His father, Pierino, worked at a shoe factory. His mother's name was Pasqualena, and Rocky would spend much of his life making sure she didn't have to live in the poverty that Rocky knew growing up. Marciano was a typical American kid, playing baseball and football and dreaming of a professional career in one of those sports. He didn't take up boxing until after 1943, when he was drafted into the Army. He took up the sport mainly as a way to avoid KP (assisting the cooks) and other less desirable activities, but he showed a natural ability and fought as an amateur following his discharge in 1946. 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. It was the end of his baseball dreams, and the following year he turned professional in the ring.

By the spring of 1949, his boxing skills had garnered some attention, as he knocked out his first 16 opponents. The quality of his opponents improved over the latter half of 1949 and 1950, but Marciano continued to beat challengers, knocking out most of them. There were those who didn/'t think much would become of the 190-pound heavyweight from Brockton in the early days. Goody Petronelli, noted fight trainer, caught one of his 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." The hometown folks became believers, though, traveling in groups to Marciano's fights in nearby Providence, Rhode Island, and yelling "Timmmmberrr" when Rocky had an opponent ready to go down. Trainer Charley Goldman taught Marciano his trademark technique, which would serve him well as champion.

On October 26, 1951, with 37 wins and 32 knockouts under his belt, Marciano faced his most formidable opponent in former heavyweight champion Joe Louis . Louis was past his prime and when Marciano knocked him out in the eighth round, he had such mixed feelings at beating his hero that he cried in Louis' dressing room after the fight. Sentiment aside, however, the fight established Marciano as one of the marquee fighters in the heavyweight division, and assured him of a title shot before too long. Rocky Marciano - boxing Topics - ESPN Rocky Marciano Retirement Rocky Marciano was a heavyweight boxing champion. He retired as the only heavyweight champion in boxing history never to lose a professional fight. His thunderous right - which he nicknamed Suzie Q - was often credited with knocking out 43 of the 49 opponents he faced. Boxing historian Bert Sugar called Marciano the "hardest puncher in the history of the sport. Rocco Francis Marchegiano was born Sept. 1, 1923, in Brockton, Mass. Rocky was one of six children born to Italian immigrants Pierino Marchegiano and Pasqualina Picciuto.

He grew up with a dream of making a career in either football or baseball. At Brockton High School he played on the football and baseball teams, but he was cut from the baseball team when he joined a church baseball league -- violating a school policy against players joining other teams. He dropped out of school after the 10th grade so he could work to help his poor family through the Great Depression. Among the odd jobs he had were working as a ditch digger, a gardener and leather tanner in the same shoe factory where his father worked. In March 1943, Marciano was drafted into the army and it was here that he got his first taste of boxing. Marciano opted to fight as a way to get out of doing kitchen duty and other unpleasant tasks and quickly found that he had a natural ability for it. While awaiting discharge in 1946, he won the amateur armed forces boxing tournament. On March 17, 1947, Marciano fought his first professional fight, knocking out Lee Epperson in the third round. Still, Marciano dreamed of playing professional baseball.

Later that month he and a few friends traveled to Fayetteville, N.C., to try out for a Chicago Cubs farm team. He tried out as a catcher but was cut after three weeks after learning that he did not have a strong enough right arm to throw to second base with any accuracy due to an arm injury he received in the army. He returned to Brockton and began seriously training as a boxer. A year later, he returned to amateur status to compete in the Golden Gloves All-East Championship Tournament and was beaten by Coley Wallace. He continued to fight as an amateur throughout that spring. His record as an amateur was an unimpressive 8-4. Marciano turned professional again on July 12, 1948, and as a professional won his first 16 bouts by knockouts -- all before the fifth round and nine before the first round even ended. Marciano -- who changed his name early in his career at the suggestion of his handler, Al Weill, because the ring announcer in Providence, R.I., could not pronounce Marchegiano -- began to see better opponents by mid-1949.

Don Mogard was the first boxer to go the distance with Marciano, on May 23, 1949, though Marciano won by unanimous decision. He continued to beat all the rest, most by knockout, to earn the nickname "The Rock from Brockton." Marciano's power was on display the night of Dec. 30, 1949, in Madison Square Garden when Marciano faced Carmine Vingo. Vingo came into the fight unbeaten in his last 12 bouts but Marciano knocked him down early for two nine counts -- once in the first round and again in the second round. The brutal contest finally came to an end in the sixth round when a crushing right from Marciano knocked Vingo unconscious. Vingo was rushed to a hospital, where he underwent surgery for a brain hemorrhage. Marciano was so devastated by what had happened that he vowed never to fight again if Vingo did not survive. Vingo pulled through but was left partially paralyzed. Marciano later offered to pay some of Vingo's hospital bills and the two became friends. On March 24, 1950, Marciano faced arguably his toughest opponent, Roland La Starza.

Like Marciano, La Starza was undefeated when he climbed into the ring and fought a bout that nearly derailed Marciano's climb to the top. The fight went the distance -- 10 rounds. The split decision went Marciano's way but many in the crowd believed La Starza had won. The two met again in September 1953, one year after Marciano became heavyweight champion. The fight was close through the first six rounds, but then La Starza began to tire. By the time the fight was stopped by referee Ruby Goldstein in the 11th, La Starza had been mercilessly beaten and knocked through the ropes. He was hospitalized with a broken arm, several blood clots and in need of surgery. In one of his most celebrated fights, Marciano was matched against his boyhood idol, Joe Louis, the former heavyweight champ who was past his prime. Louis had come out of retirement to pay his bills and was still a formidable opponent who was determined to recapture the heavyweight crown. They went eight rounds on Oct. 26, 1951, before Marciano knocked him out, much to the chagrin of many boxing fans.

Marciano too felt terrible and went to Louis' dressing room after the fight and cried. Louis never fought again, and the nationally televised fight ensured Marciano a shot at the title. Heavyweight champion On Sept. 23, 1952, at Municipal Stadium in Philadelphia, Marciano squared off against champion Jersey Joe Walcott for his first shot at the title. It proved to be a grueling fight for Marciano, who, for the first time in his professional career, was decked in the first round by one of Walcott's left hooks. But instead of staying down, Marciano bounced back up madder than ever and shouted at a surprised Walcott. But Marciano was never in control, struggling throughout one round after the next. Walcott had cut him between the eyes and on his forehead. After the 12th round, Walcott was in total control and ahead on points. Marciano said later that he had been blinded for several of those rounds. As the 13th round began, Marciano could only claim victory with a knockout.

Thirty seconds later, he unleashed his right, a short overhand jab that slammed into Walcott's chin with such force that he dropped to one knee, hooked his left arm around the middle rope and dropped his head to the canvas. Walcott was out and Marciano was the new heavyweight champion. Marciano took on Walcott in a rematch on May 15, 1953, at Chicago Stadium and knocked him out at 2:25 in the first round. Marciano successfully defended his title another five times over the next few years. His last title bout came against Archie Moore on Sept. 21, 1955. Although he was knocked to the canvas in the second round, Marciano got up and knocked down Moore in the sixth and eighth rounds before knocking him out in the ninth."After a fight with Marciano, you felt like someone had been beating you all over the body with a blackjack, or hitting you with rocks," said Moore. Stature Marciano was an unlikely boxer, given his stature. He was only 5-foot-10 and change, and his weight hovered in the mid-180s. His reach of only 68 inches was well short for a typical heavyweight champion.

However, Marciano transformed his stature into an advantage. Under the tutelage of his trainer, Charley Goldman, Marciano learned to box from a crouched position, thus making himself even shorter and more difficult to hit. His jabs came straight up and with tremendous force. Marciano was once quoted as saying that his style benefited him because most of his opponents "wound up punching down at me," defusing much of the punch's power. An upward punch, on the other hand, carries increased power. That may be one reason that the only two fighters who knocked Marciano to the canvas, Walcott and Moore, were both Marciano's size. That fact, Marciano once said, negated the advantage he usually had in the ring. Conditioning Marciano kept in such superb physical condition that he was able to fight every few weeks or even days. In fact, after knocking out Harold "Kid" Mitchell in the second round on March 20, 1951, he climbed back into the ring six days later to knock out Art Henri in the ninth round.

And he needed only seven days' rest between his knockout of Johnny Pretzie in the fifth round on March 21, 1949, and his knockout in the first round of Artie Donato on March 28. Thirteen days later, he knocked out James Walls in the third round. Marciano announced his retirement on April 27, 1956. He was 31 and the only man ever to retire as the undefeated heavyweight champion of the world. He told the New York Times: "I thought it was a mistake when Joe Louis tried a comeback. 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." The ring tempted him once more, however, just three years later. But after only a month of training, he hung up his gloves for good. He told reporters he wanted to spend more time his with family. In retirement, he made money from personal appearances. Although he never climbed into the ring again, he participated in a computerized matchup against Muhammad Ali.

In preparation for the event -- in which both boxers stepped into a ring and threw punches at each other -- Marciano lost 50 pounds and bought a toupee. A computer weighed all the variables from each fighter and determined that had the two really met in the ring, Marciano would have won with a 13th-round knockout. But Marciano never had a chance to see it. On August 31, 1969, three weeks after the completion of the computer fight, he took a private plane to Des Moines, Iowa, to make a personal appearance for a friend's son. But because of an inexperienced pilot and poor weather the plane crashed into a cornfield in Newton, Iowa, killing all three aboard. He was a day shy of his 46th birthday. Marciano was survived by his wife of 19 years, Barbara, and two children, Rocco Kevin and Mary Anne. NEWS RESULTS FOR ROCKY MARCIANO Undefeated heavyweight world champion, Boxing | Guinness World Records Undefeated heavyweight world champion, Boxing Share Where USA Rocky Marciano (USA) (b.

Rocco Francis Marchegiano) (1923-69) is the only world champion at any weight to have won every fight of his entire completed professional career, from 17 March 1947-21 September 1955 (he announced his retirement on 27 April 1956); 43 of his 49 fights were by knock-outs or stoppages. All records listed on our website are current and up-to-date. For a full list of record titles, please use our Record Application Search. (You will be need to register / login for access) Rocky Marciano Biography - life, family, children, name, story, wife, mother, son, old, information, born Rocky Marciano Biography Des Moines, Iowa American boxer Boxer Rocky Marciano held the heavyweight boxing title for four years during the 1950s. He is the only boxing champion to ever retire undefeated. His younger years Rocky Marciano was born Rocco Francis Marchegiano on September 1, 1923, in Brockton, Massachusetts. His father, Pierino, worked at a shoe factory. His mother's name was Pasqualena.

Rocky would spend much of his life making sure she would not live in the poverty he had known growing up. He worked many different jobs to help his family, including as a dishwasher, in a candy factory, as a gardener, and in a shoe factory. As a youngster Rocky played baseball and football and dreamed of a professional career in one of those sports. He got into many fights when he thought he or his friends had been insulted, but he did not take up boxing until after 1943, when he was drafted into the army. He took the sport up because it helped him avoid "KP" ("kitchen police," soldiers who assisted the cooks) and other less desirable activities. He showed a natural ability and fought as an amateur following his discharge from the army in 1946. He won twenty-seven of his thirty fights. Baseball dreams In 1947 Marciano had a chance to fulfill his dream of being a baseball player. He was given a tryout with the Chicago Cubs as a catcher. He did not make the team, because he could not accurately throw from home plate to second base due to an arm injury he received in the army. It was the end of his baseball dreams.

The following year he turned professional in the boxing ring. By the spring of 1949 Marciano's boxing skills had received attention, after he knocked out his first sixteen opponents. The people he fought were not up to his level, but he learned much about the sport during this period. The quality of his opponents improved over the latter half of 1949 and 1950. Marciano continued to beat all opponents, knocking out most of them. Proved doubters wrong There were those who thought not much good would come from the 190-pound heavyweight from Brockton in the early days. Goody Petronelli, who was a famous fight trainer, saw one of Marciano's early fights. In a story for Sports Illustrated he said, "I never thought he'd make it. He was too old, almost twenty-five. He was too short, he was too light. He had no reach. Rough and tough, but no finesse [refinement]." The hometown folks believed in him, though. They traveled in groups to Marciano's fights in nearby Providence, Rhode Island, and yelled "Timmmmberrr" when Rocky had an opponent ready to go down.

Boxing technique Charley Goldman was the trainer who taught Marciano his trademark technique, which would serve him well as champion. Marciano was shorter than many of his opponents and his arms were not as long. Goldman taught him to use these characteristics to his advantage. He told him to make himself smaller by bending his knees almost into a deep knee squat. This gave his opponents less targets on his body to hit. He learned to punch from that position, coming straight up almost from the floor with amazing power. Even with what seemed like a physical disadvantage, because of his training and will to win, Marciano turned out to be one of the best-conditioned athletes in sports. Marciano defeats Joe Louis By October 26, 1951, Marciano had thirty-seven wins and thirty-two knockouts under his belt. That was the day Marciano faced his most formidable (challenging) opponent—former heavyweight champion Joe Louis (1914–1981). Louis was past his prime, his best fighting years, and Marciano knocked him out in the eighth round. Marciano had such mixed feelings about beating a man he had considered his hero that he Rocky Marciano. Getty Images .

cried in Louis's dressing room after the fight. The fight established Marciano as one of the most famous fighters in the heavyweight division, and assured him of a chance to box for the title before too long. Takes the Belt from Jersey Joe After another five fights he got the chance to go for the title. Jersey Joe Walcott was the defending champion and Marciano was the challenger when the pair met in Philadelphia on September 23, 1952. Marciano won a victory that is remembered as typical of his tough-guy, never-say-die style. Marciano was behind on points and struggling all night. He would not give up and finally caught Walcott with a short, overhand right to the jaw in the thirteenth round. Walcott was knocked unconscious and Marciano won the championship belt. His years as champion Marciano defended his title only six times, but some of those fights are considered classics by boxing fans. He knocked out Walcott in the first round of their rematch in 1953. He then knocked out challenger Roland La Starza later that year. Marciano won a decision against Ezzard Charles in 1954.

He almost lost his title in their rematch later that year. In the sixth round Charles cut Marciano's nose so badly that his cornermen (the people who Marciano had in his corner of the ring) could not stop the bleeding. The ring doctor watched the cut closely and considered stopping the fight, but Marciano came back forcefully against Charles in the eighth round and knocked him out. Marciano defended his title against Don Cockell in 1955 by a knockout. It was later learned that organized crime tried to get him to throw the fight. Marciano's last fight was September 21, 1955, the third time he defended his title in Yankee Stadium. He knocked out Archie Moore in the ninth round. Over four hundred thousand North American viewers watched the bout on closed-circuit television. Retired from boxing On April 27, 1956, Marciano retired from boxing. He was thirty-one. "I thought it was a mistake when Joe Louis tried a comeback," he told the New York Times in an interview. "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." He said he wanted to spend more time with his family. Some people have said that he also was upset because he had to pay half of his earnings to his manager. The last years After Marciano retired he made money from personal appearances. He was frugal (very careful with money). He preferred getting rides from friends who had private planes, even though he could usually be given paid transportation to and from any of his personal appearances. On August 31, 1969, the day before his forty-sixth birthday, he died in a private-plane crash near Des Moines, Iowa. He was survived by his wife of nineteen years, Barbara, and his two children, Rocco Kevin and Mary Anne. Marciano was never among the top boxers of all time in terms of skill, speed, or power, but he knew how to use the skills he had developed and his fans recognized his grit. One sportswriter commented that if all the heavyweight champions of all time were locked together in a room, Marciano would be the one to walk out. For More Information 1000+ images about 107.

Retired Undefeated on Pinterest | Madison square garden, Magic johnson and Italian man Ex-heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey, right, strikes a familiar pose with heavyweight Rocky Marciano during visit to Rocky's training camp at Grossinger in New York on Sept. 9, 1952. (AP Photo) See More Ranking the 10 Most Accomplished Heavyweight Champions in Boxing History | Bleacher Report Ranking the 10 Most Accomplished Heavyweight Champions in Boxing History By Kelsey McCarson , Featured Columnist Feb 9, 2015 Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse the slideshow ED KOLENOVSKY/Associated Press Ali knocked out Foreman in 1974. 25.2K 75 Comments Historical rankings are a fool’s errand unless one prescribes a strict set of criteria to base the rankings on. The absence of such is exactly why historical rankings of the 10 greatest heavyweight boxing champions vary so widely from list to list, even among notable writers and recognized historians. To that end, Bleacher Report offers a ranking of the 10 most accomplished heavyweight champions in boxing history.

No thought has been given to who would defeat who in presumed fantasy fights, and special emphasis has been placed on title bout wins, length of championship reign and number of consecutive defenses. Click through to see the 10 most accomplished heavyweight champions ever. Richard Drew/Associated Press Tyson landed just outside the top 10. The most difficult part of making any top-10 list are the cuts one must make to pare down the field. The number of heavyweight champions who have had notable and impressive careers is much higher than 10. Moreover, as one moves further down the list from the top, the gap between the competitors becomes smaller and smaller. But not everyone could make the final cut. Among those who were considered for the top 10 but didn’t quite end up on the finalized list are James J. Jeffries, Jack Dempsey, Joe Frazier and Mike Tyson. All four men were all-time great heavyweights who had magnificent accomplishments, but they don’t quite rank among the top 10. 10. Vitali Klitschko (45-2, 41 KOs) Frank Augstein/Associated Press Klitschko's career is underappreciated.

Why He’s Here: Vitali Klitschko finished his impressive career with nine consecutive defenses of the WBC title. Moreover, he’s tied with Lennox Lewis for fifth-most title-bout wins in the division at 15. Like his younger brother, Wladimir, Klitschko is often underrated among contemporary boxing aficionados but will likely be far more appreciated by future historians. Best Win: After almost four years out of the ring, Klitschko came out of retirement in 2008 and dominated WBC titleholder Samuel Peter over eight one-sided rounds until the contest was finally halted. Titles: Lineal champion 2004; WBO titlist 1999-2000, WBC titlist 2004 and 2008-2012 9. George Foreman (76-5, 68 KOs) Jeff Scheid/Associated Press Foreman was the oldest heavyweight champ ever at age 45. Why He’s Here: George Foreman was twice lineal champion with 20 years separating each title reign.

He was a standout in the most historically deep heavyweight era ever, the 1970s, and earned the championship again in the other great era of the division, the 1990s. Foreman remains the oldest heavyweight to ever capture the title. He was 45 when he knocked out Michael Moorer in 1994. Best Win: In 1973, Foreman butchered the previously undefeated Joe Frazier in just two rounds to become heavyweight champion. Foreman knocked Frazier down six times on the way to the destructive win. Titles: Lineal champion 1973-74 and 1994-97; WBA/IBF titlist 1994-95, IBF titlist 1995. 8. Evander Holyfield (44-10-2, 29 KOs) JEFF SCHEID/Associated Press Holyfield defeated Tyson by TKO 11 in 1996. Why He’s Here: Probably the greatest cruiserweight ever, Evander Holyfield also won legitimate versions of the heavyweight title four times in his career, including twice capturing the lineal championship.

He won 10 total title bouts against a myriad of stalwart opposition and consistently displayed the ability to overcome long odds to recapture heavyweight glory when most folks thought it impossible. Best Win: Holyfield out-brawled Mike Tyson in 1996 for the WBA heavyweight title by knocking him out in Round 11 of a bout very few believed he could win at the time. The win proved him to be one of the most successful heavyweights ever. Titles: Lineal champion 1990-92; WBC, WBA, IBF titlist 1990-92, WBA/IBF titlist 93-94, WBA titlist 1996-99, WBA titlist 2000-01 7. Rocky Marciano (49-0, 43 KOs) Associated Press Marciano was undefeated in 49 fights. Why He’s Here: Rocky Marciano is the only heavyweight champion to ever retire undefeated. His rugged style and powerful punches made him almost impossible to beat in his era, and he proved resourceful enough over the span of his career to pull out remarkable knockout wins when all seemed lost.

Marciano’s mauling style is sometimes underappreciated but was unmistakably effective. Best Win: Marciano’s Round 13 knockout of Jersey Joe Walcott in 1952 is one of the most dramatic moments in the history of the division. Marciano was down on the scorecards but took care of business with a tremendous overhand right to Walcott’s jaw. There has never been a more perfect KO punch thrown in the ring. Titles: Lineal champion 1952-55 6. Jack Johnson (55-11-8, 35 KOs) Associated Press Johnson is one the best defensive fighters ever. Why He’s Here: Jack Johnson was the first black heavyweight champion and one of the finest defensive fighters who ever lived. He wore the heavyweight crown for eight years and defended his claim to the throne a total of eight times. Johnson could block and parry punches better than any other heavyweight ever, and his thudding power made mincemeat out of would-be usurpers. Best Win: Few moments in any sport rival the cultural significance of Johnson’s Round 15 knockout of James J. Jeffries in 1910.

Jeffries hadn’t fought in six years and was persuaded to come out of retirement to fight Johnson for racial reasons. Johnson mopped the floor with him. Titles: Lineal champion 1908-15 5. Wladimir Klitschko (63-3, 53 KOs) Frank Augstein/Associated Press Very few have accomplished as much as Klitschko. Why He’s Here: The younger Klitschko brother is one of the most accomplished heavyweight titleholders ever. He’s held some version of the heavyweight championship since 2008 and has defended it 17 consecutive times, third most in the division’s history. Wladimir Klitschko’s 24 total title bout wins is second only to Joe Louis’s 26. Best Win: Klitschko’s Round 5 knockout of Kubrat Pulev earlier this year showed how high a ceiling the sensational heavyweight still has even at age 38. Pulev was big, strong and highly credentialed, and he fought as mean as he could. But Klitschko destroyed him with ease and showed why he’d be a tough out for anyone ever.

Titles: Lineal champion 2013-present; WBO titlist 2000-03, IBF titlist 2006-present, WBO titlist 2008-present, WBA titlist 2011-present 4. Lennox Lewis (42-2-1, 32 KOs) ERIC DRAPER/Associated Press Lewis was the best heavyweight of the 1990s. Why He’s Here: Lennox Lewis is the most accomplished heavyweight of the second-best era in the division’s fabled history. He proved himself to be the class of the 1990s and won a total of 15 title bouts over the course of his impressive career. His wins over Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson make his inclusion in any top-five heavyweight list a no-brainer. Best Win: Lewis bested fellow all-time great Holyfield by unanimous decision in 1999. The bout was a rematch of their highly controversial draw the prior year. The win made Lewis the unified champion and established the talented big man as the best of his era.

Titles: Lineal champion 1998-2001; WBC titlist 1997-99, WBC, WBA, IBF titlist 1999-2000, WBC, IBF titlist 2000-01, WBC, IBF titlist 2001-02, WBC titlist 2002-03 3. Larry Holmes (69-6, 44 KOs) Dale Atkins/Associated Press Holmes fought off great competition for over seven years. Why He’s Here: Larry Holmes defended his heavyweight championship 20 times before being bested by Michael Spinks in 1985. He earned a total of 21 title bout wins over the course of his career against excellent competition. Holmes probably had the best jab in the history of the division and was adept at throwing punches on the move. Best Win: Holmes defeated stalwart contender Ken Norton in 1978 to become WBC heavyweight champion.

Norton was relentless down the stretch, but Holmes showed the grit and determination he’d need to hold onto at least one version of the heavyweight title for over seven years. Titles: Lineal champion 1980-85; WBC titlist 1978-83, IBF titlist 1983-85 2. Muhammad Ali (56-5, 37 KOs) Mitsunori Chigita/Associated Press No one defeated as many great heavyweights as Ali. Why He’s Here: Nicknamed “The Greatest,” Muhammad Ali comes pretty close to living up to it. He is the only heavyweight to ever hold the lineal championship on three different occasions, and Ali’s 22 title bout wins ranks No. 3 all time. Ali was a fantastic boxer with fast hands and feet. Moreover, his grit and determination were unparalleled, and he proved his quality by being the best heavyweight of the division’s best era, the 1970s. Best Win: Ali probably fought and defeated the best competition of any heavyweight ever, but his best win was probably his upset of George Foreman in 1974.

The Round 8 knockout of the menacing slugger, Foreman, is simply one of the greatest performances in boxing history. Titles: Lineal champion 1964-70 and 1974-78 and 1978 1. Joe Louis (66-3, 52 KOs) Associated Press The was never a more complete heavyweight than Louis. Why He’s Here: Joe Louis is the standard bearer for heavyweight champions. His lineal championship reign was the longest in the division’s history, and he defended his crown 25 consecutive times, tops among his historical rivals. Moreover, Louis’s 26 total title bout wins is the most ever by a heavyweight in the history of the sport. Louis is quite clearly the most accomplished heavyweight champion ever. Best Win: Louis knocked out Max Schmeling in Round 1 in 1938 in probably the most significant sporting event of the century. Louis was the first black heavyweight champion since Jack Johnson, while Schmeling was a German who at the time was the sporting symbol of his country’s Nazi regime (whether he cared to be or not).

The bout was a rematch of Schmeling’s Round 12 knockout win over Louis in 1936. Titles: Lineal champion 1937-49

Question: Who was the only Heavy weight boxing champion to retire undefeated?
Answer: Rocky Marciano