Marciano - Undefeated Champ...???

Here's something I heard a few years ago...

... The widely held belief that Rocky Marciano was the only heavyweight champ to retire undefeated is not true because he turned professional in 1946 under the name of Rocky Mack and was beaten in his first fight. He then returned to fight as an amateur and then turned pro in 1947 as Rocky Marciano. It is only under his second name that he remained undefeated. This may or may not be true... it could easily be an urban myth, but I would be interested to find out if anybody else has heard this story??

not true-he lost an amateur fight under the name rocky mack--not professional--and it was his first amateur fight

I'm not too sure either, wasn't it Coley Wallace, he was an amateur champ, turned out to be a good pro later on.

He lost a fight as Rocky Mack, but it was as an amateur. He fought professionally right out of the Army.

Then went back and entered the Golden Gloves under the name Rocky Mack. He lost that, fought a few more times in the amateurs, lost a couple, and then fought pro again as Rocky Marciano.

But he did lose a couple fights in between the time he turned pro and the time he retired. They just weren't pro.

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Originally Posted by amat

He lost a fight as Rocky Mack, but it was as an amateur. He fought professionally right out of the Army.

Then went back and entered the Golden Gloves under the name Rocky Mack. He lost that, fought a few more times in the amateurs, lost a couple, and then fought pro again as Rocky Marciano.

But he did lose a couple fights in between the time he turned pro and the time he retired. They just weren't pro.

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That sounds like how the story got mixed up - easy to see how the old 'Chinese whispers' works. Thanks for clarifying it guys. I've also heard stories about how Rocky was involved in a bar-room brawl when he was over here in Wales in the forces. I've heard it was in a pub in Neath and also in a pub in Swansea, but nobody is able to name the pub. I was in a pub quiz many years ago and they asked a question about which heavyweight champion played rugby for Swansea... they gave the answer as Rocky, but I'm not sure about that one either. Sound like a couple of urban myths to me!!

Marciano lost on a DQ in an amateur fight under the name 'Rocky Mack'. He himself admitted in his autobiography that he was losing badly, as he had run out of steam, and fouled the guy on purpose to get disqualified rather than lose.

Rocky never again made that mistake and he was probably the best conditioned heavyweight champion that there has been.

IN terms of the brawl in Swansea, he did knock someone out with a left hook on the Mumbles mile. Later that year, he also boxed a 3 round exhibition with a British Army soldier. The son of that soldier wrote into the 'Mail' newspaper recently to answer this very question.

He said that his dad was enormously proud that he was actually one of the few people to see the end of the third round against marciano (as he was later known, being plain Rocco Marchegiano at the time) He also said that he was shocked at the raw strength and power that a reasonably small guy was able to generate even before he had been training seriously.

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Originally Posted by X

Marciano lost on a DQ in an amateur fight under the name 'Rocky Mack'. He himself admitted in his autobiography that he was losing badly, as he had run out of steam, and fouled the guy on purpose to get disqualified rather than lose.

Rocky never again made that mistake and he was probably the best conditioned heavyweight champion that there has been.

IN terms of the brawl in Swansea, he did knock someone out with a left hook on the Mumbles mile. Later that year, he also boxed a 3 round exhibition with a British Army soldier. The son of that soldier wrote into the 'Mail' newspaper recently to answer this very question.

I was at a sporting dinner last year for the Welsh sports hall of fame and one of the guests there claimed to have boxed Marciano at the St. Athan Air Force base near Barry. It was an inter-services tournament and the guys name was Dr. Jack Matthews who was a Wales and British Lions centre. I found the story difficult to believe due to the difference there would have been in size, but if it was just a sparring session then maybe he was that guy. His version of the story however had him taking the decision against Marciano...?? You decide!!!

He said that his dad was enormously proud that he was actually one of the few people to see the end of the third round against marciano (as he was later known, being plain Rocco Marchegiano at the time) He also said that he was shocked at the raw strength and power that a reasonably small guy was able to generate even before he had been training seriously.

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Yes ...... Jack Matthews - that was the name of the guy.

Not sure about winning the decision (though I'd say that too seeing as Rocky is dead and nobody would know any better ;))