Did Rocky Retire to Avoid Patterson?

I think that it is very unlikely.

Patterson was probably two or three fights away at the time that Rocky retired.

His 50th opponent would probably have been either Pastrano or Jackson.

 

I don't put much stock into the claim. It would've taken some foresight considering I don't think Floyd was even ranked yet when Rocky retired. No reason to think Rocky wouldn't have pushed it to 51-0 or so before stepping down if it was Floyd, and not the wear and tear of his career, driving the decision to retire.

 

Floyd was the top-rated light heavyweight contender when Marciano retired, but he wasn't rated as a heavyweight yet. When Rocky retired, the top-rated heavyweight contender was still Archie Moore and he was followed by guys like Bob Baker, Nino Valdes and Tommy Jackson.

I think it had more to do with the fact that Marciano had suffered some pretty significant injuries in his final years as a fighter (destroyed nose/back problems), he hated his manager (Al Weill) who was taking 50 percent of his money, the IBC learned it was under investigation and Marciano was intimately involved with Frankie Carbo, Truman Gibson, James Norris and Weill (who was also the IBC's matchmaker).

It seemed kind of prudent at that time for Marciano to walk away and distance himself from the storm that was coming. (Sort of like Dr. Dre walking away from Death Row Records).

Marciano did consider a comeback in 1958 against Patterson. Frank Sinatra was going to be one of the people bankrolling it. But Marciano began to train and didn't feel it anymore, so Rocky said he wouldn't do it. But that's why Patterson was off for a year - after the Rademacher fight. The Patterson-Roy Harris fight was supposed to be Floyd Patterson vs. Rocky Marciano.

 

The picture can often change very quickly after a dominant champion retires.

Rocky Marciano once predicted that Charley Powell might be the fighter who finally beat him, so I don't think that he had a good grasp on who the up and coming talents were.

 

I remember a Boxing Illustrated article featuring an interview with Rocky it included his proposed,and aborted comeback against Johansson, and talk about Patterson. He said he would have had to wait a year for Patterson to make it a viable proposition. I believe him. I don't think it would have ever occurred to Rocky to be scared of/avoid anyone.

 

I read that it was included in Peter Wilson's book" Ringside Seats".

 

Floyd was not even launched as a heavyweight until Rocky announced his retirement.

Until then, as #1 contender at light heavyweight Floyd was targeting the light heavyweight title. I imagine since he was heading for a fight with Archie for the light heavyweight title anyway, with Rocky out of the way he may as well fight the same Archie for the HW title.

So When Tommy Jackson beat the winner of Baker v Valdes, Floyd as #1 LH contender, was able to gatecrash the series and enable himself to be matched in a heavyweight elimination bout with Jackson. The winner getting a crack at Archie for Rockys vacant title.

had Patterson not twice beat Jimmy Slade, a lightheavy (who often fought and beat heavyweights) I dont think he would have fought Jackson. By beating Slade, floyd was given a chance with #2 HW contender Jackson who just previous to beating Baker (to land that ranking) had just lost to Slade.

So in answer, no Rocky was already retired before Floyd was even launched seriously as a heavyweight.

 

Charley Powell was an all-around great athlete....but only a B grade boxer.

 

Lets assume that Marciano was terrified of Patterson.

Even then he is under no particular pressure.

Patterson is certainly not going to be his next opponent, and probably not the one after that.

What's the hurry?

 

A lot of people on here go crazy for B -grade boxers.

 

Obviously we know that now, but Marciano obviously saw some of his early work, and was impressed by it.

We have all been there.

 

Anybody trying to understand Cus is crazy. I agree with you, without reading the book myself it can only be speculation that that's what Cus wanted for Patterson from 15 years of age. I think Floyd could have potentially won middle, light heavyweight and heavyweight titles.

I imagine cus's goal was the lightheavy title first but his kid beats Slade twice who beats Jackson. Why let Jackson fight Moore for the heavyweight title when he has the kid who twice beats the guy who beat Jackson? Why fight Moore for the lightheavy title when they can fight him for the bigger prize?

With Marciano gone all that's there is Moore, who they were aiming to fight anyway.

Baker lost to Jackson. Jackson lost to Salade and Valdes. Moore beat valdes and Baker. And cus and Floyd were already happy to fight Moore anyway.