Found this interesting article from January 17, 1953: http://www.unz.org/Pub/Colliers-1953jan17-00020 The rest of the article continues on pg. 24-25.
Good article. His description of the fighter who could bet Marciano sounds more like Frazier than anyone else I can think of. However, Ezzard Charles gave Marciano more trouble than anyone else did. Walcott beat him for 13 rounds until Rocky knocked him out. Charles or Walcott, either one could have beaten him on a good day- maybe.
"even though Rocky was so green that he used to try a left jab with the palm of his glove facing upward." Marciano was such a stud
My god that description of what happened against Bernie Reynolds!! "JUst before he knocked out Matthews in New York he belted out Bernie Reynoulds in Providence Rhode Island. Reynoulds actually floated through the air in a horizontal position and his shoulder blades and the back of his heels hit the deck simultaneously."!!! Interesting what Goldman said about Marciano not performing at his best in the first Walcott fight aswell - sure I read somewhere that Goldman called the Rex Layne fight Rocky's masterpeice?
Goldman was a great trainer, a fighter himself the learned from the tough school of hard knocks and reality..... Brilliant trainer of this game and Marciano was a fine marble that he sculptured into perfection...people can say he could have lost on a given night but he never did....Great team and Goldman recognized Marciano's GOD GIVEN ASSETS AND HOW TO IMPROVE ON them if it was not for Weill, Marciano would have had another 3-4 fights and Goldman was right there was no one who could have beaten him in the condition he was in.
Rocky had enough left to steamroll fast young teenager patterson in 56, and a upcoming machen in early 57(in a fight he would struggle but finish late)...but after that he would be done
That would depend on Rocky's health. He hurt his back after the Moore fight, and had problems with his nose and cuts late in his career. When he retired, Rocky told the press he might have had 1 or 2 fights left in him. This to me indicates he knew his best days were gone. Rocky was on the decline at age 32. Forward moving attackers who take a lot of punches tend to have short careers. Rocky did attempt a come back in the gym with thoughts of facing Ingo, but it just wasn't there for him so he wisely decided to stay retired. But I agree, if healthy, I think he would beat stop Patterson in the mid to late rounds. In hindsight, Rocky made the right choice. A loss to Patterson ( which would happen if Rocky wasn't healthy ) would have diminished his legacy a little.
