Rocky Marciano: A Remembrance

Rocky Marciano: A Remembrance

By Joe Hester

On the 54th anniversary this August 31st, the late-great Rocky Marciano departed the world he once ruled in 1969 at the young age of 45. Despite a cruel, sad ending in a horrific plane crash that claimed Rocky’s life short, the rock from Brockton left behind a revered career for the history books that will live in eternity. That career of 49 fights began in 1947 after finishing his service with the US Army after World War Two. A global, violent conflict that captured the worst imaginations in the world was left in the past for many drafted servicemen, but Rocky Marciano embarked on a gruelling career of violence so harsh it would force his opponents into submission forty-three times of his forty-nine fights.

It all started in the Valley Arena Gardens in Holyoke, Massachusetts, 111 Miles from Rocky’s birthplace of Brockton. Which isn’t that far, if you ask an American. The venue regularly hosted small sporting events, and Rocky certainly made it feel like home with a knockout in the third round of four against Lee Epperson on March 17th 1947. Lee Epperson, also in his debut fight, never fought again. Who can blame you, Lee!

Originally built in 1884, the Valley Arena Gardens was demolished in 1960 and was replaced with a recreational park, only now inhabited by the spirits and memories of the past roaming the greenery from a lifetime of ambience. Former world heavyweight champion Jersey Joe Walcott, whom Rocky would later meet in the ring twice in 1952 and 1953, also fought in the Valley Arena for an exhibition match before its demise. 

The most prominent evolution of the heavyweight division over the last seven decades since Marciano’s reign is the biological growth of mankind. Compared to today’s heavyweights, Rocky stood at 5ft 10 (178 cm) with a reach accompanying that of 67 inches. Today’s current and former champions in the modern era would look nothing short of a circus act next to Rocky in the ring, which is fascinating and peculiar in terms of the size difference. Deontay Wilder, who also has dynamite in his hands, stands at a huge 6ft 7 (201cms) accompanied with a reach of 83 inches for a mental image of the two standing next to each other.

Fantasy matchups are fun to talk about, but the truth of the classic “Who would win?” When interchanging eras, it’s impossible to draw a comparison, and all champions have achieved a special feat in their respective present era. It wasn’t until Mike Tyson’s 1987 clash against Tyrell Biggs for the last ever heavyweight championship 15-round fight, which was waved farewell to after governing bodies voted to outlaw the under the guise of safety. Ultimately, it was a wise decision. Although Iron Mike Tyson didn’t need five rounds most of the time, let alone fifteen. As I came to learn that even the greatest of all time fell victim to the sport he had at the palm of his hand, Muhammed Ali. My dad recalled attending a packed-out book signing in Guildford, Surrey in 1993 and despite visible illness, Ali’s charm was still at the forefront cracking a smile for strangers he’d only just met until the very end of not just that day, but for the rest of his life.

The reminiscence of Rocky Marciano can only be dented by one historical record in which he still commendably holds to this day: the only heavyweight champion ever to retire undefeated. A record that is only threatened to be taken by Tyson Fury or Oleksander Usyk if they remain undefeated as of right now. In a long list consisting of legends and the purest skill from the likes of Ali, or the toughness of Mike Tyson it’s a record that should be highlighted more, especially since it can be broken any day now if Tyson Fury or Oleksandr Usyk retires tomorrow morning after Hall of Fame careers. Optimistically, the public would like to see them face each other before that happens first.

From knocking out his opponent on his debut in front of a capacity of anywhere between people, not much had changed except it was less than a decade before Marciano headlined inside of the iconic New York Yankees stadium four times against Harry Matthews, Ezzard Charles (twice) and Archie Moore. Magnificently in his own right, the ‘Cincinnati Cobra’ Charles managed to be the first fighter to take Rocky the full 15-round distance, before business as usual resumed for Rocky with a KO in the rematch in the eighth round. The ‘Cincinnati Cobra’ might just be one of the slickest nicknames in boxing history, if I must say so myself. Ezzard went on to fight over twenty more times after gracing the ring with Rocky, totalling a career of 121 fights and posthumously being inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990.

I try to imagine sitting here in the present day if fighters have the calibre and durability to fight that many times in their lifetime nowadays, and the answer I navigate towards is probably not, even if they were allowed to. And there will be some there’s an argument for, but the majority would be false egos. I look back on an era I wasn’t around to witness with rose-tinted glasses and an aura of folklore, therefore, I’m going to pretend I’m an older gentleman now with a closing line of: “That generation was cut from a different cloth.”