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Rocky Marciano “The Brockton Blockbuster” was born on September 1st 1923 and died on March 17th 1947.
On October 26th 1951, Marciano faced the former world heavyweight champion Joe Louis. Louis was past his prime and took the fight for money reasons. When Marciano stopped him out in the 8th round he had such mixed feelings on beating his hero he cried in Louis’s dressing room.
September 23rd 1952, Marciano faced the World Heavyweight Champion Jersey Joe Walcott. Walcott dropped Marciano in the 1st round. Throughout the fight Walcott built up a points lead until the 13th round when Marciano landed a powerful right hook known as his “Suzie Q”. Walcott slumped to the canvas and was counted out by the referee Charlie Daggert. Marciano became the new World Heavyweight Champion.
May 15th 1953, Marciano gave Walcott a rematch and knocked him out in the 1st round. He knocked out Roland La Starza on September 24th 1953. He won a points decision against Ezzard Charles on June 17th 1954. Marciano almost lost his title in their rematch on September 17th 1954, when coming out of a clinch in the 6th round Marciano had a nasty gash on his left nostril, it was so bad his corner men couldn’t stop the bleeding. In the 7th round Charles made the wound a target which also opened up a cut on Marciano’s left eye. Blood was pouring out, Marciano knew the referee Al Berl or the ring doctor might stop the right. Before coming out for the 8th round, Marciano’s trainer Charlie Goldman advised him to go for Charles’s body but Marciano ignored him and went for the chin knocking Charles out with just 24 seconds to go for the end of the round. Afterwards Marciano said, ‘I was spilling too much blood and they might’ve stopped it. I like my title too much to lose it on account of a little blood. I don’t knock ‘em out in the body, I knock ‘em out on the chin.’
May 16th 1955, Marciano stopped out Don Cockell despite the mob enticements for Marciano to throw the fight. Marciano’s last fight was on September 21st 1955 against the aging former great Light-Heavyweight World Champion Archie Moore. Marciano was down for a count of four in the 2nd round, he soon recovered and knocked out Moore in the 9th round and retained his World Title.
Marciano held the World Heavyweight Championship for four years, from 1952 – 1956. He made six title defenses and was unbeaten in 49 fights. He announced his retirement on April 27th 1956. Rocky Marciano “The Brockton Blockbuster” is known to be one of the greatest heavyweight Champions of all time.
