"Fights are won in the gym!"
Grossinger, where Rocky went to train for his title shot at Walcott, welcomes him at the airport. The hanger would be his gym.
It is often said, "fights are won in the gym". Rocky has to be the ultimate proof of that bit of wisdom. He trained harder than any heavyweight champion in history, as is stated over and again by all authorities on the sport. His conditioning was second to none. It was the important third element of Marciano's success, the others being incredible heart and devastating punching power.
It didn't matter that a larger opponent, or more skilled, might have the best of Rocky in the early rounds, or break even during the middle rounds. The test would come in the later rounds, when Marciano was still strong, his punches still sharp and jarring. Of course, most of his foes never survived to the later rounds, but Rocky trained as if every fight would be a 15 round war.
Rocky's close friend and trainer Al Columbo. They were friends from childhood.
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