“Ladies and gentlemen:
your winner by way of knockout in round number nine
and still heavyweight champion of the world,
Rrrrrrocky Marciano!”
~~~
Rocky Marciano is recognized
as the only heavyweight champion
to have retired
undefeated with a 49-0 record –
43 by way of KO.
Not bad for a kid
straight outta Brockton, Mass.
5’11”, 189 pounds in his prime
(which would classify him as a cruiserweight
in today’s weight class system –
two weight classes under heavyweight).
His biggest influence
in the world of boxing was
“The Brown Bomber” Joe Louis –
Considered at the time the greatest of all time.
Louis had a murderous championship reign
lasting for almost a dozen years
successfully defending the championship
a record 25 times.
Louis’ hands struck midnight
on the Cinderella Man’s clock as champion
and represented America vs. Germany’s
Max Schmeling that previewed World War II –
a bout in which Louis won the heart of a land
that enslaved his ancestors –
a land later would exploit his image and popularity
to attract African Americans and minorities
to the frontlines of World War II.
The former great retired and went broke.
I guess Uncle Sam was Jim Crow in disguise,
leaving Joe Louis to go for broke coming out of retirement
in hopes to cash in a couple more big checks.
The sweet science then becomes all too bittersweet.
On October 27, 1951,
managers and promoters booked
a number one contender’s match
Joe Louis vs. Rocky Marciano.
As Marciano prepared for the biggest fight of his career,
he was haunted with the stone cold fact
that he had to be his childhood hero’s villain,
crashing fists of blistering fury
into his idol’s face and body
for a big money championship opportunity
and completing the rags-to-riches story.
On October 27, 1951,
“The Brockton Blockbuster”
entered the ring as a
6 ½ /5 underdog against Louis
and walked out victorious
in devastating fashion –
Leaving Louis unconscious
with head dangling
on the bottom rope in Round 8.
As Team Marciano
cheered their way to the dressing room,
Rocky broke down and cried.
His management,
with smiles turning into frowns,
asked Rocky “What’s the matter, kid?
You’re on your way to the title!”
Wiping tears from his welted face,
Rocky choked out,
“I just knocked out my hero…”
“You had to do it, Rock.
You had to do it…”
Grizzled Youth 