First-hand account of Marciano's diet and workout regimen (1952)

https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/6...5&lat=5692.118928728802&lon=2519.172697623969
This says he sparred 183 rounds, while Ezzard sparred 143 rounds.

 

Yeah. I get the impression that modern fighters do more per day, with shorter camps.

Wlad apparently did around 150 for Byrd II. Joshua claims to have done 200 in preparation for Povetkin. Rahman said he sparred about 100 rounds to prepare for Klitschko in 2008. Lewis claimed (key word here) to have done 100 rounds in preparation for Vitali Klitschko. I'm sure there's a lot more information out there about the number of rounds sparred by various fighters at different points in history.

Rocky's 183 rounds (and Charles's 143, for that matter) are pretty impressive, considering the time period they did it in.

 

The volume of articles you guys have produced has persuaded me that it's likely that Marciano's training was different from the orthodox view.

If getting all of these articles doesn't get us any closer to the truth, then I'm a little confused about the point of all this, and even more puzzled about why I'm finding it persuasive.

 

On this forum, sure.

I am not yet completely persuaded. Additional media from either side would strengthen or weaken my current opinion.

Arguments are rarely about persuading your opponents, but persuading the silent onlookers who will read this thread in a forum search years from now.

 

That depends what you mean by "typical Marciano training folklore".

The zany stuff like training his eye muscles is possible, since eccentric training techniques weren't unknown at that time. 10 miles a day? Maybe at certain stretches. The 300 pound bag was viewed as silly until somebody produced footage of Marciano hitting a 270 pounder. Slightly smaller than the myth, but close. Keeping his weight down? Pretty plausible. Marciano doesn't really need that much of a caloric deficit to gradually reduce his weight over the course of many long training camps. Especially with the 5 mile jogging every day. Goldman starving him of fruit sounds strange on its face. That would be pretty unhealthy.

So I don't know what the percentage chance would be of the orthodox guys being right, because I haven't seen a full accounting of the myths you're taking aim at here. My exact list probably differs depending on what you're targeting.

The most plausible picture I'm seeing is a guy who runs 5 miles a day and spars 4-6 rounds in the evening (or does equivalent bagwork with an excessively large bag) for pretty long stretches of time. Depending how much Marciano was eating, that's going to burn a good amount of calories if he's doing it consistently and eating healthily.

 

2 fight reports from 2 training camps confirm that he only ran 5 miles.
#TakeTheStatueDown

 

I have to admire the Marciano detractors.

They have done more to shed light on how he folded the toilet paper during training, than his most delusional supporters!

They have also started seven Marciano threads, for every one that his so called supporters have started!

Are the Marciano fanatics falling asleep on the job?

Marciano is not hunting you!

 

I get someone being obsessed with someone they admire. In fact it can be a good thing, to help thing more about them. I find people who keep talking about fighters they don't like just a bit weird TBH, if it's not just bait, it honestly comes across like the actions of someone with issues. And I say that as someone with issues.

 

At best there has been a monumental misunderstanding, and they assume that we are as obsessed with promoting Rocky, as they are with tearing him down!

It couldn't possibly be that we just value results, or respect work ethic of course!

In the worst cases the attacks are basically racially motivated!