In His Own Time
Hindsight is, as they say, 20-20. Therefore, it's always hard to get an accurate picture of some person or event many years after the fact. We know what place Marciano holds in the boxing magazines and listings of today and we can read the opinions of experts, but few if any now writing ever saw him fight in person. The films of his fights, most of which I have, are black and white and not of the detailed quality of today's fight films.
However, I do have an extensive collection of magazines from Rocky's time, and within those yellowing pages are the words of those who were his contemporaries and saw him fight. So, here are some of the things that were said of him when he was still fighting, before anyone knew he would retire undefeated.
The May 12, 1952 issue of Quick had Rocky on the cover with the caption, "Rocky Marciano: Is he a 'Bum'?".
The article had this to say:
MARCIANO: Ring Riddle
The hardest working, most promising heavyweight in the ring today is the Brockton, Mass., block-buster, Rocky Marciano. Yet, at a time when fight fans desperately sought a new idol, Marciano still hadn't convinced them he was championship material.
One big reason is that in the ring, although his style is exciting, Marciano is a brawler- and few brawlers have achieved greatness.
Still unbeaten, Marciano has compiled an amazing string of victories, beating such "name" heavyweights as former world champion Joe Louis, Rex Layne, and Lee Savold....
...his famed left hook and right cross should make him the most feared puncher in the ring today.
With the experts, Marciano is rated no "bum", but a potential champion who might, with a little more seasoning, become truly great.
NY News sports editor Jimmy Powers, who telecasts the Gillette Cavalcade of Sports boxing shows from Madison Square Garden says: "I believe young Rocky Marciano can punch hard and definitely can improve. He could one day be a champion."
The Ring, Dec. 1952: Marciano Another Dempsey?
On the eve of his fight with Jersey Joe Walcott, Marciano was asked to discuss his chances.
Fighters usually have no fear of going out on a limb and predicting their success. Walcott, usually not given to boasting, had reiterated, time after time, "I will win, and win with ease."
Marciano, on the other hand, said, "I won't predict a victory for myself. I know he is a tough fighter. I have my ideas about this fight and you may rest assured that I will go all out. But for me to come out and say, 'I'll beat Walcott' would be silly. I don't know who will win, any more than he does- for sure."
"Marciano hits harder than Jack Dempsey did," said Jack Kearns, the Manassa Mauler's old manager, after Rocky had stopped Walcott.
Marciano's style is somewhat reminiscent of Dempsey's. Rocky, too, is a two-fisted hitter.
Marciano, the champion, is far from his peak. He still is not a good boxer, he still is far from the conserver of energy. When he mellows, when he learns to find the target much more often, when his punches are better controlled, he will be a truly great fighter. Now he is the truly formidable hitter.
Quick News Weekly March 23rd, 1953
Why They Don't Box Any More
With the April 10 meeting at Chicago between heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano and dethroned Jersey Joe Walcott only weeks away, arguments over the abilities of the two fighters grew hotter. Top argument: Was Marciano truly the world's best heavyweight, or just a wild-swinging brawler who landed a lucky punch to flatten the shifty, ring-wise veteran Walcott?
When Jack Dempsey dominated the ring, every novice bobbed and weaved; when Joe Louis was tops, youngster after youngster copied the Louis shuffle. Today, they mimic Marciano's two-fisted slam bang style- and they don't box any more.
What quality boxers does this produce, good or bad? Marciano's handler, Charley Goldman, says: "Too many youngsters, when they try to imitate the styles of great champions, forget it might not suit them... When Weill brought Rocky to me I saw he was a powerful puncher, but had short arms. There was no sense in me trying to make a fancy Dan out of him, so I tried to strengthen his good points, and slowly teach him to correct his weaknesses. Kids coming along today look at the great success Rocky has had and figure if they imitate him, they can be champ. They forget Rocky's wealth of natural ability."
Champion Marciano has his own ideas: "They don't box any more because a lot of good hitters have come along. Why waltz 10 rounds with an opponent if you can KO him in one?"
