Rocky Marciano: Boxing
Rocco Francis Marchegiano, popularly known as Rocky Marciano, (September 1, 1923 – August 31, 1969) was the only undefeated American boxing champion, the only person to hold the heavyweight title without a tie or defeat during his entire professional career, defending it six times. Marciano is the only boxing champion to retire undefeated. He made his professional boxing debut in 1947 when he was only 24 and fought his last boxing match on September 21, 1955.
Greatest Sporting Achievements
By the end of his career, he was 49-0 with 43 of his victories came by knockouts.
He was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1980 and the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.
He defeated world champions including Jersey Joe Walcott, Roland La Starza, Ezzard Charles (twice), Don Cockell and Archie Moore.
In 1969, he knocked out Muhammad Ali in a controversial fantasy “Computer” super-fight.
Why Was He So Good?
Although he has been gone for more than 30 years, he’s still known as one of the greatest fighters of the sport until this day. Marciano was always shorter than his opponents and has shorter arms but he used those distinctiveness to his benefit by making himself smaller by bending his knees into a deep squat giving his rivals less target on his body to hit. He mastered punching from that position from the floor with extraordinary power. Rocky Marciano was never among the top boxers of all time in terms of skills, speed and power but he knew how to use the skills he developed.
What You May Not Know
- Rocky Marciano wanted to be a professional baseball player.
- He won his first 16 fights by knock out.
- He died at the eve of his 46th birthday from a private plane crash in Iowa. He was supposed to give a speech to a local club and to attend his surprise birthday party.
Was he a legend?
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Related Pages
- More Boxer Profiles
- About Boxing
- Athlete Database home
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