Yesterday marked the 55th anniversary of that tragic day when the legendary champion Rocky Marciano, whose Italian blood makes us even more connected to his unforgettable sporting triumphs, crashed with his private plane from the sky over Newton, USA. Taking flight despite the prohibitive weather conditions was his last act of reckless courage, the final challenge to fate, which he had so often defied during a career as a fearless warrior who had never succumbed until then. Today, however, is the anniversary of his birth, dated September 1, 1923, and we at Boxe Punch take this opportunity to dive into the anecdotes, details, and legendary feats of the great Rocky.
Rocky: An Everlasting Name
It seems that to create the protagonist of his unforgettable boxing film saga, Sylvester Stallone was inspired by the fight between Chuck Wepner and Muhammad Ali. The brave but limited Wepner, who for 15 long rounds continued to advance regardless of the blows he took, his broken nose, and the blood covering his face, until the referee stopped the fight while he was desperately trying to get up, was indeed the perfect subject for a movie. Yet, the name chosen was “Rocky,” an appellation that had already become synonymous with unyielding will and boundless courage in the boxing world, thanks to Marciano. The heavyweight from Brockton chose the famous alias as an Anglicized adaptation of the Italian name “Rocco,” but soon, inspired by his feats, many fighters of various origins and ethnicities began to call themselves “Rocky.” Among the more recent examples are Puerto Rican Roman “Rocky” Martinez, the “Russian Rocky” Ruslan Provodnikov, and Englishman Rocky Fielding, whose real name is Michael.
A Granite Jaw That Can Deceive
The superhuman resistance to punches that Marciano displayed multiple times throughout his career was undoubtedly a crucial asset for him, but at the same time, it became a small misfortune for the evaluations of posterity. Many superficial observers, deceived by Rocky’s superb ability to take punches, describe him today as a crude and technically deficient boxer, not doing justice to a fighter far more skilled than generally believed. Torso twists, savvy use of shoulders and gloves, and imperceptible movements made before launching his punches: Rocky’s defense relied on a multitude of small precautions, without which power and a strong jaw would never have been enough to achieve the results he did. Below is a video that well summarizes his more “hidden” abilities:
The Desperate Feats
But how did a boxer who achieved glory in the 1950s become a true symbol capable of withstanding the passage of decades? The World Heavyweight Title won and defended multiple times, the undefeated record in 49 fights, and the high percentage of knockouts are certainly valid explanations but not sufficient. What truly made Rocky immortal were his desperate feats: those seemingly hopeless situations from which he emerged victorious, like film heroes who perform the decisive act when the end seems imminent. A tired Rocky, with swollen and half-closed eyes, already knocked down and trailing in points, chases the more experienced Jersey Joe Walcott, who seems to have the fight locked up when, two rounds before the end, BANG: the right hand for the win! A wounded Rocky, with his nose split in half and blood gushing out, is warned by the referee that he will have only one more round before the fight is stopped and BANG: Ezzard Charles hits the canvas! Rocky is the man who doesn’t give up, the one who keeps believing when no one else does.
The Curse of 49
While in other weight classes there have been fighters able to win more than 49 consecutive fights, surpassing what Marciano achieved, no one has yet managed to surpass his record among heavyweights. What makes the legend of the “Rocky curse,” which supposedly prevents any heavyweight from breaking his record, even more fascinating and eerie are the peculiar episodes that struck those fighters who came close to the coveted milestone. While Larry Holmes was training for his first fight against Michael Spinks, which could have given him his 49th consecutive victory, a pain due to a pinched nerve affected his preparation. A doctor told him that fighting in his condition would be like playing Russian roulette: with every right hand he threw, he would risk paralysis. Many doctors categorically denied their colleague’s diagnosis, but Holmes stepped into the ring fearful, used his right hand sparingly, and lost. When the Danish fighter Brian Nielsen was about to reach 50 wins, thanks to the strategy of only facing easy opponents, a sudden drop in energy, likely due to dehydration, caused him to dramatically collapse in the final round of a fight he had dominated until then.
55 years have passed since the crash that took him from this world, yet his name is on everyone’s lips, his fame is stronger than ever, and his curse continues to protect his historic record: the great Rocky Marciano is still with us!