Why is LaStarza a high rated name in Marciano's resume?

the Records are INCOMPLETE, generally speaking...

also was it an early loss, or a late in career loss, this is usually expected for all fighters and typically means nothing to their Peak Years and even if that guy for some reason left Boxing, it does not mean he wasn't a capable fighter...

also LaStarza was recognized as a Legitimate and Noted Fighter and Contender, we have to remember that about these men when looking back 50, 70 and 100 years. the Contemporary Reports of their times are usually accurate & clear about who & what these fighters actually were/are.

It confuses me and surprises me how people just look back without really looking at all the available Contemporary Documentation and by doing so present a disservice to Boxing History.

LaStarza was a good fighter!

 

There's a good amount of footage available to see for yourself that Roland was no bum.

In context, he was more or less mopping up the local NYC scene before the Brockton Rock decided to expand his turf south of Providence.

Notable victories before Marciano II were Layne, Bucceroni x2 and Lowry x2.

Ahead of Marciano I he didn't really beat many contender level types but again, he went a good ways toward cleaning out the Big Apple.

 

I don't think LaStarza was a bad fighter, but I think his level was C+ ,B- at best. I mean how many times would you favor him to beat other contenders historically?

 

Lastarza was a protected fighter ,very well managed ,he parlayed a close dec loss when both were coming up into a title fight which imo he didn't really deserve.Rollie gave an interview to the Ring in which he said,Al Weill ,wearing two hats as matchmaker for MSG, and Rocky's manager kept offering him dangerous contenders and his manager kept turning them down,believing Weill was trying to get him knocked out of contention.The fact remains he somehow missed loads of top heavyweights.

 

Layne had been abused by Marciano,Bucceroni was a light heavy and Lowry was a journeyman who lost almost as many as he won.

 

He was the current #1 Ring Magazine contender, so it must be regarded as a respectable win on that alone.

 

Okay, so?

 

Bucceroni beat him in their 1 st fight,and most thought Layne beat him,or at least deserved a draw.

• Unofficial AP scorecard - 4-4-2 Draw
• Unofficial UP scorecard - 5-4-1 Layne
• Attendance - 7,180
• How much gravitas we give where a fighter is ranked rather depends who was around in that era.imo

 

Lastarza was a well regarded fighter with a nice amateur background I believe. I didn’t have much respect for him till I saw his fight with Layne (who was no bum at all!). I highly recommend watching that fight as Marciano can make fighters look not themselves. The best version of Roland can be see as an excellent boxer with decent speed and power. Nothing to fancy and he was protected but he was no bum. He reminds me of what modern contenders are now. One good win or less even on a resume and their in the top ten. He at least had two good wins and a close match w The champ.

 

For sure, but it at least makes the win significant, relative to the era.

 

Ummm watch the Layne fight. Was close but he didn’t win.

 

The press thought he did.
Sys
Neuhaus
Valdes
Williams
Louis
Charles
Walcott
Satterfield
Bivins
Dunlap
Baker
Baksi
Henry
Jackson
Harrison
Walls
Are just some of the ranked fighters he "missed"..

 

The press aren’t always right especially when we can watch a fight ourselves and clearly see the judges got it right.
Yes he was protected. No argument there
Layne was a damn good fighter who fought close fights with so many good to great fighters. Walcott, Charles, Lastarza, Baker, Brion.