BoxingManiac

There are several reasons to why Rocky Marciano retired.

First, lets clear some things up.

Rocky Marciano did not duck Floyd Patterson. Patterson was a light heavyweight when Marciano retired, and Patterson jumped at a chance to win the heavyweight crown.

Rocky Marciano did not duck Sonny Liston. Liston was not a big fighter by the time that Marciano retired, and he did not deserve a title shot.

I want anyone to give me a name on somebody that Marciano ducked.

The first reason that Marciano retired was because he had a terrible back. When Marciano says something is bad.... its horrible.

The second reason is because who is there to fight. There was no more big name fighters that deserved a title shot, and he had beaten everybody worthy.

The third reason was because he hated his promoter Al Weill. Weill got half of all of Marcianos earnings, and Marciano hated him so much that he did not want to give Weill another dime. Marciano's father cooked for Marciano while Marciano was training, and Al Weill went into the kitchen and yelled at his father for cooking the food. Then Marciano went in there and told Weill never to speak to his father like that again. I would have said, "You talk to him like that again, and I'll kill you." litterally.

What do you guys think?

Obama

Top Contenders Marciano beat:

Moore – Height: 5'11" || Weight: 188 lbs || Reach: 75”
Cockell – Height: 5'11" || Weight: 205 lbs || Reach: 71”
Charles – Height: 6'0" || Weight: 185 ½ & 192 ½ lbs || Reach: 73”
LaStarza – Height: 6'0" || Weight: 187 & 184 ¾ lbs || Reach: ??
Walcott – Height: 6'0" || Weight: 196 ½ & 197 ¾ lbs || Reach: 74”
Matthews – Height: 5'10 ¾” || Weight: 179 lbs || Reach: ??
Layne – Height: ?? || Weight: 193 lbs || Reach: ??
Louis – Height: 6'2" || Weight: 213 ¾ lbs || Reach: 76”

Top Contenders Marciano didn't fight:

This list shows the highest rank these fighters had in brackets and their current record in parenthesis

Nino Valdez [1] - 6’3” – 210 – (48-19-2)
Bob Baker [2] - 6’2” – 215 – (51-16-1)
Dan Bucceroni [3] - 6’2” – 190 – (46-6)
Tommy Jackson [3]- 6' 3½” – 195 – (34-9-1)
John Holman [4] - 6’3” – 205 (27-17-1)
Earl Walls [5] - 6'2½” – 192 – (34-9-1)
Heinz Neuhaus [6] – 6’2” – 212 (43-9-7)
Karel Sys [9] – 5’11” – 210 – (114-17-10)
Young Jack Johnson [9] – 6’3” – 208 – (24-20-1)
Coley Wallace [10] – 6’2” – 205 – (20-7)


Deduction:

From the information seen here we can deduce that the only man Rocky ever beat over 6 ft tall and 200 lbs was Joe Louis. In professional boxing today, you are not Heavyweight until you weigh ABOVE 200 lbs.

7/10 of the second group of fighters weigh above 200 lbs. 6 of them are at least 6'2”. The remaining 3 fighters are 6'2”, 6'2 ½”, and 6'3 ½”. Given the dimensions of the top contenders Marciano did fight, there seems to be a severe disparity in size compared to the one's he didn't.

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bill1234

Notice the quality of fighters though. Out of Marciano's title defences, 4 of them were against hall of famers.

Also, Marciano fought the 6'1, hard hitting, Rex Layne who lingered around the top 10. And he fought the 6'4 Carmine Vingo, who Marciano put into a coma with 1 punch. Vingo's bright looking career was cut short due to that one punch.

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Obama

Some of the guys I listed have victories over the guys Rocky beat, including the hall of famers.

And how did you count 4 hall of famers?

Lastly, how did you find out Rex Layne's official height. I've searched and came up with nothing.

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bill1234

Not 4 different hall of famers, but 4 of his defences were against a hall of famer. Walcott (once), Charles (twice), and Moore (once). 1+2+1=4.

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Obama

Aaaand where'd you get Rex Layne's height from?

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BoxingManiac

Archie Moore, Jersey Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles, and Joe Louis.

I don't know if Layne was 6'1". I remember seeing the fight between two equally sized men.

And I do not think that Marciano ducked those men. He was fighting the better challengers first. Like, for instance, Moore, Charles, and La Starza. Cockell may or may not be the best person for Marciano to fight at that time though. Marciano surely did not retire because of those men listed though.

bill1234

A few articles and I'm about 85% sure I've heard it on TV various times.

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Obama

Joe Louis wasn't a title defense, I wasn't asking you this question, I asked bill, he answered.

I didn't say Marciano ducked them. I just said he didn't fight them, and proved they were significantly larger than the men he defended the belt against, then included that their ranks were still high.

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BoxingManiac

Sorry, I misread the comments.

Well, I did ask for fighters that he did duck, and when you posted top contenders that he did not fight I thought that you were saying that Marciano ducked them.

BTW, Are you sure that Cockell was 205 pounds? He looked a lot fatter to me.