JAKARTA- The history of world sports today, 27 April 1956 was marked by the resignation of the world heavyweight boxing champion, Rocky Marciano. The boxer, nicknamed The Brockton Blockbuster, retired at the peak of his career, at the age of 32.
Marciano is the only heavyweight world champion who is undefeated until he hangs up his gloves. His match record until retirement was 49-0-0 (43 KOs).
Born in Brockton, Massachusetts on September 1, 1923, Marciano came to a working-class family of Italian immigrants. His real name is Rocco Francis Marchegiano. His father is Pierino Marchegiano and his mother is Pasqualina Picciuto. Marciano has two brothers named Louis and Peter, and three sisters: Alice, Concetta, and Elizabeth.
Marciano has been involved in the world of sports since he attended Brockton High School. Like most Americans, baseball and American football are his favorite sports. Marciano briefly entered the school baseball team, but his passion was dropped midway after he dropped out after finishing 10th grade.
Marciano then worked odd jobs, starting as a construction worker to a driver. One thing he never left was sports. Marciano continues to train alone, keeping fit by hitting sandbags, an activity that the two have been doing since they were young. That's where his love for boxing began.
Enter the ArmyMarciano's boxing talent began to be honed since he entered the army. In 1943, Marciano enlisted in the United States Army to serve two years of military service. During World War II, he was stationed in Swansea, Wales in logistics.
After World War II ended, Marciano was withdrawn from his post at Fort Lewis, Washington in March 1946. Before his term was over, Marciano had entered an amateur boxing tournament between the army, and won.
But amateur boxing did not catch Marciano's attention. After the army and unemployed, he plunged into professional boxing. His debut as a pro boxer was made in Holyoke, Massachusetts on March 17, 1947. Marciano won by knockout in the 3rd round over local boxer, Lee Epperson.
“Rocky is an Italian man who comes from a poor family, and he values money more than anyone. He's only been paid so little, and that makes him like a tiger tasting blood," said Armand Weill, Marciano's manager, as quoted by The New York Sun.
Marciano began to seriously pursue his profession as a boxer starting July 12, 1948, when he won the first round knockout over Harry Bilazarian. After that fight, he no longer competed in amateur boxing tournaments like the year before.
Rocky Marciano won his first 16 fights in professional boxing, all of them by KO in under 5 rounds. His KO wins only stopped in his 17th fight, when Don Mogard was able to force Marciano to only win by points in a 10-round fight in Providence, Rhode Island on May 23 1949. After that, he again scored KO victories.
"Why linger in front of the opponent for 10 rounds, if we can finish him in just one round?" said Marciano, in the article Rocky Marciano: The Blockbuster from Brockton written by Ed Fitzgerald in January 1953.
World Champion RankRocky Marciano entered the world championship ladder at the age of 29, when he faced Jersey champion Joe Walcott in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on September 23, 1952. At that time, professional boxing was not what it is today. The only professional boxing organization in the United States, the National Boxing Association (NBA) which became the forerunner of the World Boxing Association (WBA), awards world titles to belt holders.
Marciano, who is still in the prime of his career, toppled the aging Walcott at the age of 38, with a 13th of 15 knockout that was scheduled. Marciano defended the title six times, including a rematch against Walcott in Chicago on May 15, 1953 which ended in just one round.
"What's better than being recognized by everyone as the world heavyweight champion, when we're walking around cities everywhere?" said Marciano, as Thomas Hauser wrote in Remembering the Brockton Blockbuster article in The New York Sun on September 14, 2005.
Marciano's last match was held at Yankee Stadium, New York on September 21, 1955. He faced former light heavyweight world champion who is also aging, Archie Moore. In that duel Marciano won by knockout round 9 of the scheduled 15.
Seven months after defeating Moore, Marciano announced his retirement from the boxing ring on April 27, 1956.
"I don't want to be remembered as a champion who has been beaten," Marciano said of his motivation for retiring early.
After retiring, Marciano busied himself with activities as a boxing commentator on television. Together with several colleagues, he also founded the Papa Luigi Spaghetti Dens restaurant franchise. Marciano was rumored to be making a comeback in 1959, but he insisted that it was just a rumour.
"I'm comfortable in retirement and I'm not afraid of the future. Except in a truly emergency situation, the public will never see Rocky Marciano return to boxing," Marciano was quoted as saying by The New York Times.
Marciano died in the Cessna 172 light aircraft crash in Newton, Iowa on August 31, 1969. His remains are buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. From his marriage to Barbara, the undefeated heavyweight world boxing champion was blessed with a pair of children: Marry Anne and Rocco Kevin.
That's the story of Rocky Marciano, the great athlete who became part of the history of world sport.
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