Rocky Marciano facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rocky Marciano
Marciano, c. 1953
Statistics
Real name	Rocco Francis Marchegiano
Nickname(s)	The Brockton Blockbuster The Rock from Brockton
Rated at	Heavyweight
Height	5 ft 10 in (2 m)
Reach	67 in
Born	(1923-09-01)September 1, 1923 Brockton, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died	August 31, 1969(1969-08-31) (aged 45) Newton, Iowa, U.S.
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	49
Wins	49
Wins by KO	43

Rocco Francis Marchegiano (born September 1, 1923 – died August 31, 1969), known to the world as Rocky Marciano, was an American professional boxer. He competed from 1947 to 1955. Rocky was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1952 to 1956. He is famous for being the only heavyweight champion to finish his career without losing a single fight!

Rocky Marciano was known for his powerful punches, amazing energy, and incredibly strong "chin" (meaning he was very hard to knock down). Many people think he was one of the best heavyweight boxers ever. He was also the only fighter to knock out every opponent he faced for the world heavyweight title. His record of knocking out opponents was one of the highest in heavyweight boxing history.

Early Life and Beginnings

Rocco Francis Marchegiano grew up in Brockton, Massachusetts. His parents, Pierino and Pasqualina, were immigrants from Italy. Rocky had two brothers and three sisters. When he was very young, he got pneumonia, a serious lung illness, and almost died.

As a kid, Rocky trained using things he made himself. He lifted weights he put together and punched a mailbag hanging from a tree in his backyard. He went to Brockton High School and played baseball and football. But he left school after the tenth grade.

After school, Rocky worked different jobs. He was a delivery truck worker, a ditchdigger, and even a shoemaker.

In March 1943, Rocky joined the United States Army during World War II. He was stationed in Swansea, Wales, and helped move supplies across the English Channel. He finished his service in March 1946.

Amateur Boxing Career

Rocky Marciano had a short amateur boxing career, with 8 wins and 4 losses. While in the Army, he won a boxing tournament in 1946.

He actually had one professional fight very early, in March 1947, where he knocked out Lee Epperson. But then, in an unusual move, he went back to fighting as an amateur! He competed in the Golden Gloves tournament in 1948. He had to stop fighting as an amateur after hurting his hands during a tryout for the AAU Olympics.

After his amateur career, Rocky tried out for a professional baseball team, the Fayetteville Cubs. He stayed for three weeks but didn't make the team. So, he went back to Brockton and focused on boxing. He trained with his friend Allie Colombo and had managers named Al Weill and Chick Wergeles. His main trainer was Charley Goldman.

Becoming a Professional Boxer

Rocky Marciano officially started his professional boxing career on July 12, 1948. He won his first 16 fights by knockout! Many of these knockouts happened very quickly, some even in the first round.

Early in his career, he changed his last name. The announcer in Providence, Rhode Island, couldn't say "Marchegiano" easily. So, his manager suggested "Rocky Mack," but Rocky didn't like it. He chose "Marciano" instead, which sounded more Italian.

Rocky continued his winning streak. He fought Carmine Vingo in December 1949. Both boxers were very promising. Rocky knocked Vingo out in the sixth round. Vingo was badly hurt and taken to the hospital, but he recovered and later became friends with Marciano.

Rocky's Close Calls

On March 24, 1950, Marciano fought Roland La Starza. This was a very close fight, and some people thought La Starza might have won. Rocky won by a "split decision," meaning the judges were divided. Rocky had scored a knockdown, which helped him win under the scoring rules used back then. Both boxers were undefeated before this fight.

Rocky kept winning, mostly by knockout. On October 27, 1951, he faced the famous 37-year-old boxer Joe Louis. Many people thought Louis would win, but Marciano surprised everyone and won the fight. This was Joe Louis's last professional fight.

Winning the World Title

After more wins, Rocky Marciano, who was 29 years old, got his chance to fight for the World Heavyweight Championship. He faced the champion, 38-year-old Jersey Joe Walcott, on September 23, 1952.

In the first round, Walcott knocked Marciano down! Walcott was ahead on points throughout the fight. But in the 13th round, Rocky landed a powerful punch called "Suzie Q." Walcott fell to his knees and couldn't get up. Rocky Marciano became the new World Heavyweight Champion!

Marciano and Joe DiMaggio visiting President Dwight D. Eisenhower at the White House

Rocky defended his title six times.

• A year later, he had a rematch with Walcott and knocked him out in the first round.
• Then came another fight against Roland La Starza. Rocky won this rematch by a technical knockout in the 11th round.
• Next, he fought Ezzard Charles twice. Charles was a former champion and a boxing legend. Charles was the only boxer to last all 15 rounds against Marciano in their first fight, which Rocky won by points. Rocky won the second fight by knockout.
• He also defeated British champion Don Cockell by knockout.
• Rocky's last title fight was against Archie Moore on September 21, 1955. Marciano was knocked down in the second round but got back up and won by knockout in the ninth round.

Marciano in 1954

Rocky Marciano announced his retirement from boxing on April 27, 1956, when he was 32 years old. He ended his career with a perfect record of 49 wins and 0 losses!

Life After Boxing

After retiring, Rocky Marciano thought about coming back to boxing in 1959, but he decided against it.

He appeared on television, hosting a boxing show and even acting in an episode of the TV show Combat!. He also worked as a referee and boxing commentator for many years.

In 1969, shortly before he passed away, Marciano took part in filming for a special called The Superfight: Marciano vs. Ali. They filmed him sparring with Muhammad Ali, and then used computers to imagine what a fight between them would have been like when they were both at their best.

Religious Beliefs

Rocky Marciano was a devoted Catholic. He often went to Catholic mass when he was training and before his fights. He once said that meeting the Pope would be the most exciting thing he could imagine.

Death

On August 31, 1969, the day before his 46th birthday, Rocky Marciano was a passenger in a small private plane. The plane was flying at night in bad weather. The pilot tried to land at a small airport but the plane hit a tree before reaching the runway. All three people on board died in the crash.

Rocky was on his way to give a speech and there was a surprise birthday party waiting for him. He had hoped to get back home early the next morning to celebrate his 46th birthday with his wife.

Rocky Marciano is buried in a crypt in Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. His wife, Barbara, passed away five years later and is buried next to him.

Legacy and Achievements

Rocky Marciano holds the record for the longest undefeated streak by a heavyweight boxer. He is also the only world heavyweight champion to retire without ever losing a professional fight. His knockout percentage (the number of wins by knockout) is one of the highest for any heavyweight champion. In his entire professional career, he was only knocked down twice!

Even with his perfect record, some people have debated the quality of the opponents he faced. However, over the years, many boxing experts have ranked Marciano very highly on lists of the greatest boxers of all time.

• In 1998, The Ring magazine named Marciano the sixth greatest heavyweight champion ever.
• In 2005, the International Boxing Research Organization called him the fifth greatest heavyweight of all time.
• In 2007, ESPN.com ranked him number 14 on their list of the 50 Greatest Boxers of All Time.

Tests showed that Marciano's knockout punch had incredible power. One report said it had "more explosive energy than an armor-piercing bullet."

Marciano was named "Fighter of the Year" three times by The Ring magazine. His championship fights were also named "Fights of the Year." He received many awards for being a top athlete.

Rocky Marciano is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.

Rocky had two children: a daughter named Mary Anne and a son named Rocco Kevin.

There are two bronze statues of Rocky Marciano. One is in his hometown of Brockton, Massachusetts, which was unveiled on September 23, 2012. Another statue is in Ripa Teatina, Italy, the hometown of his father.

Professional Boxing Record

Images for kids

• 

  The Main Street of Brockton, Rocky’s hometown

• 

  Marciano with Boston Mayor John F. Collins (center-right) and singer Jimmy Durante (right), circa 1968

See also

In Spanish: Rocky Marciano para niños