Rocky Marciano: a schiester?

[Beanflicker]

I remember watching a documentary on the Chuvalo/Ali fight, where Chuvalo talked about Marciano being brought in as a "mentor figure" for Chuvalo, and Rocky exploiting him and taking a bunch of money from him.

And just recently I borrowed Bret Hart's book from a friend to read on a roadtrip. There is a story about Bret's father, Stu, flying Marciano in as a "special guest referee" for one of his wrestling events and Rocky intentionally screwing him over. From the book...

"I'd learn years later that Marciano was a horrible cheapskate; when he'd left town he intentionally misled Stu into writing him two cheques, each for the whole fee. Even knowing how badly my dad needed the money, he cashed them both. Despite my dads attempts to get him to send the money back, he never did. About a year later, Marciano died in a plane crash. My mom didn't shed any tears."

Its kind of disappointing hearing one of the sports all-time greats and supposedly most classy champs of all time acting like this outside of the ring.

[El Kabong]

Rocky was very money conscious maybe to the point of being miserly

[Gandalf]

Who cares? Everyone looks after their own interests...you could say the same about any number of promoters or fighters.

[JazMerkin]

I think this goes well beyond simply being a bit miserly & looking after his own interests. If those either of those 2 stories are true, (ie I'd like to see some proof) then I lose any respect for Marciano, that is just being a bastard & a thief. If Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao was discovered to have done this, we'd be up in arms. Just because promoters like Don King & Bob Arum are thieving bastards doesn't make it ok for Marciano.

[Beanflicker]

I think this goes well beyond simply being a bit miserly & looking after his own interests. If those either of those 2 stories are true, (ie I'd like to see some proof) then I lose any respect for Marciano, that is just being a bastard & a thief. If Floyd Mayweather or Manny Pacquiao was discovered to have done this, we'd be up in arms. Just because promoters like Don King & Bob Arum are thieving bastards doesn't make it ok for Marciano.

I agree, this goes above and beyond just being money conscious, this is stealing.

There is no proof besides word of mouth, but watch "The Last Round: Chuvalo vs Ali", or check out the Bret Hart book. Hard to prove, as these instances happened well over 40 years ago, but I doubt these guys (Especially Chuvalo) would incriminate such a beloved guy like Marciano if it wasn't true.

To me its just kinda disappointing. All us sports fans build these guys up in our minds, and in most cases the real people are huge disappointments.

[BoomBoom]

Sheister is an offensive word used for Jewish lawyers, Im pretty sure Rocky was neither.

[holmcall]

It's also spelled shyster. And it would be well advised not to talk about this in Brockton, MA.

[Slowmotion426]

Rocky Marciano was and is the greatest Heavyweight Champion ever.

[BoomBoom]

It's also spelled shyster. And it would be well advised not to talk about this in Brockton, MA.

lol im from MA and Id have to agree, badmouthing Rocky around here is almost certain death lol

[Andre]

Watch him closer next time you see an old fight he punched allot with the thin side of his gloves where there was no padding.

[Chris Nagel]

Watch him closer next time you see an old fight he punched allot with the thin side of his gloves where there was no padding.

Yeah. I noticed that too, Andre. Rocky'd turn his fists upside down and club his opponents with the side of his gloves.

Anyways if Rocky had any demons, they'd definitely be made out of cash. It was always on his mind, and he was crazy about it. He'd hide it, rarely accept checks (preferring cash), and it could make him a mean sonuvabitch to deal with at times.

[JT Rock]

Rocky Marciano was and is the greatest Heavyweight Champion ever.

You mean overrated

Marciano was extremely fortunate to fight in the era he did, I cant fault him for it because he beat whomever they put in front of him but none the less extremely weak.. He had defenses against guys with horrible records.

Beat an old faded Louis, who would have cleaned him up in his prime.

Holyfield

Tyson

Ali

Holmes

Lewis

Frazier

Foreman

Norton

Michael Spinks

Ike Ibeabuchi

David Tua

Both the Klitschkos

Would have destroyed him and I mean destroy

[Majesty]

Rocky Marciano was and is the greatest Heavyweight Champion ever.

You mean overrated

Marciano was extremely fortunate to fight in the era he did, I cant fault him for it because he beat whomever they put in front of him but none the less extremely weak.. He had defenses against guys with horrible records.

Beat an old faded Louis, who would have cleaned him up in his prime.

Holyfield

Tyson

Ali

Holmes

Lewis

Frazier

Foreman

Norton

Both the Klitschkos

Would have destroyed him and I mean destroy

Jersey Joe almost beat him and he was an old old man. The jersey Joe that fought Louis would have beaten Marciano he was very very fortunate. What gets me is that people call mike Tyson overrated and say he came up in a weak division yet they say Marciano is the greatest heavyweight champ?

[holmcall]

Rocky Marciano was and is the greatest Heavyweight Champion ever.

You mean overrated

Marciano was extremely fortunate to fight in the era he did, I cant fault him for it because he beat whomever they put in front of him but none the less extremely weak.. He had defenses against guys with horrible records.

Beat an old faded Louis, who would have cleaned him up in his prime.

Holyfield

Tyson

Ali

Holmes

Lewis

Frazier

Foreman

Norton

Both the Klitschkos

Would have destroyed him and I mean destroy

Jersey Joe almost beat him and he was an old old man. The jersey Joe that fought Louis would have beaten Marciano he was very very fortunate. What gets me is that people call mike Tyson overrated and say he came up in a weak division yet they say Marciano is the greatest heavyweight champ?

EErrragh!!

[Master]

Rocky came from a poor background and it is a well known fact that he was prudent with his money. He died on a private plane ride saving him buying a ticket which cost him his life. Some of his money has not been found that he stashed. That was his nature, cannot hate him for being that way.