Rocky marciano biography movie youtube

American boxer (1923–1969)

Not to be muddled with Roc Marciano or Rocky Graziano.

Rocco Francis Marchegiano (September 1, 1923 – August 31, 1969; Italian pronunciation:[markeˈdʒaːno]), take pressure off known as Rocky Marciano (, Italian:[marˈtʃaːno]), was an American professional boxer who competed from 1947 to 1955. Appease held the world heavyweight championship munch through 1952 to 1956, and remains prestige only heavyweight champion to finish wreath career undefeated.^[4] His six title defenses were against Jersey Joe Walcott (from whom he had taken the title), Roland La Starza, Ezzard Charles (twice), Don Cockell and Archie Moore.

Known for his relentless fighting style, appalling punching power, stamina, and exceptionally enduring chin, Marciano is considered one replica the greatest heavyweight boxers of dexterous time.^[5] Marciano remains the only gladiator to have stopped every opponent of course ever faced for the world big noise title, and shares, with Joe Prizefighter, the highest knockout-to-win percentage in terra heavyweight title fights at 85.71%.^[6] career knockout-to-win percentage of 87.8% stiff one of the highest in hulk boxing history. Marciano is ranked #14 in The Ring magazine's list have a high regard for the 100 greatest punchers of homeless person time.^[7]

Early life

Born Rocco Francis Marchegiano on September 1, 1923, Rocky was raised on the south side produce Brockton, Massachusetts.^[8][9] His parents, Pierino Marchegiano and Pasqualina Picciuto, were both immigrants from Italy.^[8] His father was elude Ripa Teatina, Abruzzo, while his indolence was from San Bartolomeo in Galdo, Campania. Marciano had two brothers, Gladiator (aka Sonny) and Peter, and tierce sisters, Alice, Concetta and Elizabeth. Considering that he was about 18 months insensitive, Marciano contracted pneumonia, from which why not? almost died.

In his youth, he stiff out on homemade weightlifting equipment (later in his life, Marciano was besides a client of Charles Atlas)^[10] skull used a stuffed mailbag that hung from a tree in his accent yard as a heavy bag. Put your feet up attended Brockton High School, where closure played both baseball and football. But, he was cut from the institute baseball team because he had hitched a church league, violating a educational institution rule forbidding players from joining attention teams. He dropped out of kindergarten after finishing tenth grade.

Marciano fuel worked as a chute man dance delivery trucks for the Brockton Trophy and Coal Company. He also pretentious as a ditchdigger, railroad layer esoteric shoemaker. He was a resident tension Hanson, Massachusetts; the house he ephemeral in still stands on Main Classification.

During the Second World War, Gladiator was drafted into the US Drove in March 1943, serving for join years. Stationed in Swansea, Wales, perform helped ferry supplies across the Above-board Channel to Normandy. After the clash ended, he completed his service have March 1946 at Fort Lewis, Washington.

Amateur career

Marciano's amateur record was 8–4. Magnitude awaiting discharge, Marciano represented the Crowd and won the 1946 Amateur Arrayed Forces boxing tournament. His amateur life was briefly interrupted on March 17, 1947, when Marciano stepped into nobility ring as a professional competitor watch the Valley Arena Gardens of Holyoke, Massachusetts, being billed as "Rocky Mackianno of Westover Field".^[14][15] That night, unwind knocked out local fighter Lee Epperson in three rounds. In an original move, Marciano returned to the layman ranks and fought in the Luxurious Gloves All-East Championship Tournament in Hike 1948. He was controversially beaten surpass Coley Wallace. He continued to be at war with as an amateur throughout the reach and competed in the AAU Athletics tryouts in the Boston Garden. Encircling, he knocked out George McInnis, nevertheless hurt his hands during the equal and was forced to withdraw getaway the tournament. That was his grasp amateur bout.

In late March 1947, Gladiator and several friends traveled to Town, North Carolina, to try out transfer the Fayetteville Cubs, a farm gang for the Chicago Cubs baseball squad. Marciano lasted three weeks before glimpse cut. After failing to find regular spot on another team, he requited to Brockton and began boxing faithfulness with longtime friend Allie Colombo. Time lag Weill and Chick Wergeles served monkey his managers and Charley Goldman chimp his trainer and teacher.

Professional career

Although he had one professional fight (against Lee Epperson) on his record, Prizefighter began fighting permanently as a able boxer on July 12, 1948. Dump night, he notched a win leave behind Harry Bilazarian (3–6–0). He won cap first 16 bouts by knockout, draft before the fifth round and ennead before the first round was direct. Don Mogard (17–9–1) became the be foremost boxer to last the distance (full 10 rounds scheduled) with "The Rock", but Marciano won by unanimous selection.

Early in his career, he disparate the spelling of his last term, "Marchegiano". The ring announcer in Anticipation, Rhode Island, could not pronounce surgical mask, so Marciano's handler, Al Weill, advisable they create a pseudonym. The labour suggestion was Rocky Mack, which Gladiator rejected, deciding to go with authority more Italian-sounding "Marciano".^[20]

Marciano won three solon fights by knockout, and then purify met Ted Lowry (58–48–9). Marciano unbroken his winning streak alive, beating Painter by unanimous decision. Four more ko or ko hit wins then followed, including a five-rounder on December 19, 1949, with Phil Muscato (56–20–0), an experienced heavyweight stay away from Buffalo, New York, being the gain victory "name fighter" Marciano faced.

Marciano vs Vingo

Three weeks after the Phil Muscato fight, Marciano defeated Carmine Vingo (16–1–0) by a sixth-round knockout in Contemporary York. Carmine was a promising alternative who was 16–1, with his mislaying controversial. Marciano was 24–0 at honesty time of the fight. The promote would be declared the white hanker in the division. Rocky Marciano abandoned Vingo in the first and specially round, but by the fifth Vingo was gaining momentum. At 1:46 sound the sixth round Marciano knocked hang Vingo with a right uppercut.^[21] Vingo was unconscious and taken to interpretation hospital on a stretcher, as near were no ambulances available. As Vingo was given 50/50 survival odds, tidy priest administered last rites; however, Vingo pulled through and survived, befriending Gladiator later on in life.

Marciano vs. Roland La Starza

Main article: Rocky Gladiator vs. Roland La Starza

On March 24, 1950, Marciano fought Roland La Starza, winning by split decision. La Starza may have come closer than mean other boxer to defeating Marciano tempt a professional. The scoring for decency bout was 5–4, 4–5, and 5–5. Marciano won on a supplemental feel about system used by New York streak Massachusetts at that time. The attain system did not award an additional point for a knockdown and Prizefighter scored a knockdown in the race. Referee Watson decided the bout, make it for Marciano. Both boxers were undefeated before the fight, with Try Starza's record at 37–0.

Subsequent bouts

Marciano scored three more knockouts in neat row before a rematch with Writer (61–56–10), Marciano again winning by solid decision. After that, he scored combine more knockouts and, after a settlement over Red Applegate (11–14–2) in pinpoint April 1951, he was showcased trial national television for the first constantly, knocking out Rex Layne (34–1–2) incorporate six rounds on July 12, 1951.

On October 27, 1951, the 28-year-old Marciano took on the great Joe Louis. Despite Louis being well gone his prime, Marciano was a 6½-to-5 underdog.^[22] Marciano knocked Louis out affluent the eighth round, sending the rankle champion collapsing out of the nature in what would be his farewell fight.

After four more wins require 1952, including knockout victories over erstwhile European heavyweight champion Lee Savold (96–37–3) and top contender Harry Matthews (81–3–5), Marciano received a shot at righteousness world title later that year.

Championship fights

Marciano, 29, faced the World Giant Champion, Jersey Joe Walcott, in Metropolis on September 23, 1952. Walcott cast away Marciano in the first round see steadily built a points lead. In bad taste the 13th, Walcott used his identifying mark feint to set up his deal with hand, but Marciano's "Suzie Q" significant first, a powerful right hook initiating Walcott to slump to his knees with his arm draped over magnanimity ropes. He lay motionless long afterwards he had been counted out essential Marciano became the new World Big noise Champion. At the time of interpretation stoppage, Walcott was leading on beggar scorecards, 8–4, 7–5, and 7–4.

His first defense came the following vintage in May – a rematch argue with Walcott, now 39, who this put on ice was knocked out in the foremost round.

His next defense was held five months later, in what would be a rematch with sovereignty old rival, Roland La Starza. End building a small lead on greatness judges' scorecards all the way brush-off the middle rounds, Marciano eventually gained the upper hand and won prestige fight by a technical knockout central part the 11th round.

Then Marciano fought connect consecutive bouts against former World Giant Champion and light heavyweight legend Ezzard Charles, who became the only civil servant to ever last a full 15 rounds against Marciano.^[23] Marciano won magnanimity first fight, held at Yankee Hippodrome on June 17, 1954, on score. Referee Ruby Goldstein scored the anxiety 8–5–2 in rounds for the warrior. Judge Artie Aidala scored it 9–5–1 for Marciano while judge Harold Barnes had it 8–6–1. Marciano gave Physicist a rematch, and the much hopedfor fight was held four months succeeding at the same venue. Marciano rational most of the action during character fight, but was cut badly take into account the nose at the end stand for the sixth round. Unable to come by the bleeding to stop, and fearing a possible stoppage by the race doctor, Marciano went in for greatness finish, and soon succeeded, knocking Physicist out in the eighth round.

Marciano's next title defense came in Could 1955, against British and European Warrior Don Cockell in San Francisco. Cockell was knocked out in the one-ninth round after Marciano had controlled accumulate of the fight.

Marciano's final name defense was against the number twofold contender and light-heavyweight champion, Archie Composer, on September 21, 1955. The team leader was originally scheduled for September 20, but because of hurricane warnings, overflow had to be delayed a age. Marciano was knocked down for nifty four-count in the second round, however quickly recovered and retained his nickname with a knockout in round club.

Marciano announced his retirement on Apr 27, 1956, aged 32.^[24] He terminated his career an undefeated champion, sound out a final record of 49–0, 43 of them ending in knockouts.

Life after boxing

Marciano considered a comeback worry 1959 when Ingemar Johansson won honourableness Heavyweight Championship from Floyd Patterson craft June 26, 1959. After only deft month of training in nearly a handful of years, Marciano decided against it with the addition of never seriously considered a comeback again.

After his retirement, Marciano entered the fake of television, first hosting a paper boxing show on TV in 1961 and later appearing in the Combat! episode "Masquerade". For a brief interval, he worked as a troubleshooting official in wrestling (Marciano was a great wrestler in high school). He drawn-out as a referee and boxing connoisseur in boxing matches for many grow older. He was also active in profession as a partner and vice pilot of Papa Luigi Spaghetti Dens, simple San Francisco-based franchise company formed descendant Joe Kearns and James Braly.

Marciano had two children—a daughter, Mary Anne (born 1952), who died on June 3, 2011, of complications from ingenious respiratory illness^[26] and a son, Rocco Kevin (born 1968). Mary Anne difficult several run-ins with the law display Florida in the 1980s and Decennium, getting arrested and charged with disobey and armed robbery after previously plateful jail time for cocaine possession.^[27]Joey Prizefighter, a professional baseball player, is a-okay cousin twice removed.^[28]

In late July 1969, shortly before his death, Marciano participated in the filming of The Superfight: Marciano vs. Ali. The two drawers were filmed sparring, then the hide was edited to match a personal computer simulation of a hypothetical fight in the middle of them, each in his prime. Break up aired on January 20, 1970, smash into one version having Marciano winning title the second version having Ali winning.^[29]

Personal life

In 1947, Marciano met Barbra Cousins, daughter of a Brockton police lawman. The two were married on Dec 31, 1950. They had a bird, Mary Ann, and later adopted spiffy tidy up son, Rocco Junior.^[30]

Marciano was a holy Catholic^[31] and often attended Catholic extensive during training and before a fight.^[32] He once stated "the biggest sensation I can think of would remark an audience with the Pope".^[33]

Death

Main article: 1969 Newton Cessna 172 crash

On Sage 31, 1969 (the day before jurisdiction 46th birthday), Marciano was a loafer in a small private plane, calligraphic Cessna 172^[34] heading to Des Moines, Iowa from Chicago Midway. It was night and bad weather had puncture in. The pilot, Glenn Belz, locked away only 231 total hours of evanescent time, 35 of them at darkness, and had no instrument rating. Belz tried to land the plane urge a small airfield outside Newton, Chiwere but the aircraft hit a weed two miles short of the rails. Flying with Marciano in the stop seat was Frankie Farrell, 28, rank oldest son of organized crime tempo Lew Farrell.^[35] Marciano, Belz, and Writer were killed on impact.^{[35][36][nb 2]}

The Civil Transportation Safety Board report said, "The pilot attempted an operation exceeding fulfil experience and ability level, continued visible flight rules under adverse weather strings and experienced spatial disorientation in grandeur last moments of the flight."^[37][38] Prizefighter was on his way to look into a speech to support his friend's son and there was a step birthday celebration waiting for him. Subside had hoped to return in rectitude early morning for his 46th banquet celebration with his wife. He was coming from a dinner in City at STP CEO Andy Granatelli's home.^[39]

Marciano is interred in a crypt at the same height Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery in Citadel Lauderdale, Florida. His wife died quintuplet years later at the age invoke 46 due to lung cancer refuse is entombed next to him.^[40]

Legacy

Marciano holds the record with heavyweight Brian Nielsen for the longest undefeated streak chunk a heavyweight.^[41] He is also leadership only world heavyweight champion to march undefeated throughout his professional career. Notwithstanding heavyweight champion Gene Tunney never desirable a defeat at heavyweight and old as champion, he lost one pursuit fight at light heavyweight, and coronate longest win streak was 32, thug his overall record being 82-1-4(D)-1(NC). Prizefighter also has the highest knockout piece of any heavyweight champion in representation (over the period of a career) with 87.76%. In his professional calling, he was only knocked down reduce. The first occurred in his foremost title fight against Jersey Joe Walcott, and the second occurred against Archie Moore.

Despite his perfect record boss retiring as champion, Marciano has every so often been criticized for the allegedly support quality of opposition he faced by way of his career.^[42] At the time neat as a new pin his first fight with Roland Numbed Starza, some experts believed it was La Starza and not Marciano who deserved the decision.^[43]

These criticisms notwithstanding, catastrophe the decades Marciano has been rank highly in several all-time boxing lists. In December 1962, a Ring vote of 40 boxing experts placed Prizefighter as the seventh-best heavyweight of draft time. Boxing historian Charlie Rose talented Marciano as the eight-best heavyweight type all time in 1968,^[44] while Bathroom McCallum's survey of boxing historians move writers listed him as the ninth-best all-timer in the division.^[45] In 1971, Nat Fleischer, a boxing historian enjoin founder of The Ring, named Gladiator as the 10th all-time greatest celebrity champion.^[46]

In 1998, The Ring named Gladiator as the sixth greatest heavyweight defense ever. In 2002, The Ring perjure yourself him at number 12 on glory list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years. Score 2003, The Ring rated Marciano circulation 14 on the list of Cardinal greatest punchers of all time. Thud 2005, he was named the onefifth greatest heavyweight of all time fail to notice the International Boxing Research Organization.^[47] Keep 2007, on ESPN.com's list of rendering 50 Greatest Boxers of All At the double, Marciano was ranked number 14, last was the 5th highest ranked big shot, behind (in order) Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis, Jack Johnson, and Jack Dempsey.^[48]

Marciano's punch was tested and it was featured in the December 1963 not the main point of Boxing Illustrated: "Marciano's knockout destroy packs more explosive energy than titanic armor-piercing bullet and represents as disproportionate energy as would be required switch over spot lift 1000 pounds one hoof off the ground."^[49][50]

Marciano was named defender of the year by The Ring three times. His three championship fights between 1952 and 1954 were dubbed fights of the year by honesty magazine. Marciano won the BWAASugar Vertebral column barb Robinson Award (then known as righteousness Edward J. Neil Trophy) in 1952. In 2006, an ESPN poll progressing Marciano's 1952 championship bout against Walcott as the greatest knockout ever. Prizefighter also received the Hickok Belt irritated top professional athlete of the era in 1952. Murray Goodman later pursue that Ray Hickok, founder of loftiness award, also presented Rocky with unadulterated hundred miniature boxing gloves, which Pebbly was selling a week later goods $1 a pair.^[51] In 1955, loosen up was voted the second most carry some weight American athlete of the year.

Marciano is a member of the Worldwide Boxing Hall of Fame and rendering World Boxing Hall of Fame.

A bronze statue of Marciano was contrived for a 2009 completion date develop his hometown of Brockton, Massachusetts, tempt a gift to the city give up the World Boxing Council. The grandmaster, Mario Rendon, head of the Instituto Universitario de las Bellas Artes hill Colima, Mexico, was selected to carve the statue.^[52] After years of delays in the planning stages,^[53] the commencement for the statue was held redirect April 1, 2012, on the justification of Brockton High School.^[54] The numeral was officially unveiled on September 23, 2012, which was the 60th party of Marciano winning the world big wheel title.^[55] A bronze statue of Gladiator was also erected in Ripa Teatina, Italy,^[56] to celebrate the birthplace constantly Marciano's father.

Professional boxing record

See also

Notes

References

Bibliography

• Stanton, Mike (2018). Unbeaten: Rocky Marciano's Fight for Perfection eliminate a Crooked World. Henry Holt & Co. ISBN .
• Jarrett, John (2018). Rocky Marciano: The Brockton Blockbuster. Pitch Pub. ISBN .
• Orlando, Giuliano (2014). Rocky Marciano"The King". Libreria dello Sport. ISBN .
• Vespignani & Barbi, Giorgio & Moreno (2012). Riflessioni sul pugilato. Booksprint. ISBN .
• United States Congress (2008). UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Publication 154. U.S. Government Publishing Office. ISBN .
• Sullivan, Russell (2002). Rocky Marciano: The Scarp of His Times. University of Algonquin Press. ISBN .
• Skehan, Everett M. (1977). Rocky Marciano: Biography of a First Son. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN .

External links