Bob Baker was the highest regarded HW of the crop of prospects that included Rocky?

The Baker vs. Valdez fight stunk. Ring Magazine had a good report on it. I think I have it archived in my other PC. I'll see if I can post the full report here.

Rocky retried because his back was giving him fits. When a crouching type of fighter has a bad back, its pretty much over for him.

When Rocky announced his retirement, he said he might have had 1 or 2 fights left in him.

 

The article cited was from May 16, 1955, after the Moore-Valdes fight. Shulberg does not think much of Cockell, but why do you presume he thought that much of Valdes either? He was talking up Moore as a worthy contender.

In the summer of 1953, Fleischer mentioned that Charles, LaStarza, and Moore were the three best contenders out there. Despite Valdes' upset of Charles and Cockell's victory over LaStarza, I think in hindsight these three were in fact the three best contenders during Marciano's reign.

 

The NBA might have felt Valdes was the #1 contender, but it is also true that the NBA was an American only organization and Valdes was an American controlled fighter.

This is from the New York Times--November 14, 1954, an AP report from London:

"Robert K Christenberry, president of the World Boxing Committee, said today he will ask the group to select either Britain's Don Cockell or Cuba's Nino Valdes as Rocky Marciano's next opponent.
"Christenberry, also chairman of the New York State Athletic Commission, said he would enter the proposal at the committee meeting tomorrow. He added that if Cockell and Valdes are accepted as the top contenders, he would suggest that Marciano choose which one he wants to meet this winter.

"Christenberry arrived by plane from New York today for the world committee meeting with Livingston Osborne, chairman of the Illinois Athletic Commission, who will represent the National Boxing Association.
"The world committee was formed a year ago by boxing officials of the United States, Britain, and France to screen championship fights in order to prevent dual claims for world titles."


I think Christenberry was the most powerful official overseeing boxing in the 1950's with his dual roles as chairman of the NYSAC and president of the World Boxing Committee. I think this article points to another factor in chosing between Valdes and Cockell. While Valdes was Cuban and the Cuban champion, he was living in America, fighting mainly in America, and controlled by American interests. There had not been an international defense since Louis fought Farr, Schmeling, and Godoy prior to WWII. There was pressure from Britain and Europe for Cockell to get a shot and they might not have shared the American centered ratings of the NBA and Nat Fleischer.

Marciano was, after all, the WORLD champion and defending against a regional champion like Cockell was certainly justified.

Also, Jim Norris still owed Jack Solomon a favor for allowing Turpin to come over to New York a mere three months after defeating Robinson in order to defend against Robinson, a very lucrative bout for Norris. Cockell getting a shot, and later Pompey getting a shot at Moore, were part of the payback.

 

I don't think it is that difficult to understand why Marciano retired. There was a lack of outstanding contenders, with Patterson not likely to accept a match with Marciano in 1956, he had a bad back, and was pushing 33, getting pretty old for a swarmer. And he was growing weary of the training grind. His retirement came much later than those of Jeffries or Tunney, and he was only about a year and a half younger than Louis when Louis retired after the Walcott fight.