Fighter of the Year Three Times
1952, 1954, 1955
For the third time, Rocky was named The Ring Magazine's Fighter of the Year in the Feb. 1956 issue.
Rocky Marciano Fighter of the Year (Ring Magazine Feb. 1956)
After weighing the matter for several days, the Selection committee decided to name Rocky Marciano the Ring Magazine’s Fighter of the Year for 1955, the third time in four years the citation had been awarded to the heavyweight champion of the world.
The claims of Robinson were powerful. But the heavyweight king’s right to the award was clear and emphatic, in and out of the ring.
Robinson placed a close second. On a purely technical basis, he presented little more than the knockout over the much deteriorated Olson against Marciano’s knockout triumphs over Archie Moore and don Cockell.
As a man of clever maneuvers in the ring, Rocky does not rate as a Jim Corbett. But as a power hitter, a remarkable physical specimen, as a hard working, honest, successful operator, with a perfect family life and a personal record that is an open book for all to admire, Marciano reflects tremendous credit on the prize which again has gone to him.
Nat Fleischer, editor and publisher of the magazine, acting as moderator, forced the backers of Marciano to prove, beyond all doubt, that Rocky and not Robinson, Basilio, or the other three contenders, merited the award.
Marciano defended his title with eminent and conclusive success twice in 1955. First he knocked out Don Cockell in nine rounds, then he scored a similar victory over Moore.
The triumph over Cockell, British Empire and European Heavyweight Champion, was of great international importance. It eliminated the top non-American contender.
After both the Cockell and Moore fights, most of the newspaper reporters appeared to be more concerned with what they called the terrific gameness of the losers, rather than the striking exploits of the champion. It was apparent that to stand up against Marciano for nine rounds was a superb feat in stamina and in plain, old fashioned guts.
Fighter of the Year
1928 Gene Tunney 1940 Billy Conn
1929 Tommy Loughran 1941 Joe Louis
1930 Max Schmeling 1942 Ray Robinson
1931 Tommy Loughran 1943 Fred Apostoli
1932 Jack Sharkey 1944 Beau Jack
1933 No Award 1945 Willie Pep
1934 Barney Ross and Tony Canzoneri 1946 Tony Zale
1935 Barney Ross 1947 Gus Lesnevich
1936 Joe Louis 1948 Ike Williams
1937 Henry Armstrong 1949-50 Ezzard Charles
1938 Joe Louis 1951 Ray Robinson
1939 Joe Louis 1952 Rocky Marciano
1953 Bobo Olson
1954-55 Rocky Marciano