Marciano floored in LaStarza I?

It was probably a slip or one of Marciano's off balance attacks causing him to fall. I dont think he was knocked down. Ive read several first hand reports that dont mention. They do however mention that Marciano's KD of LaStarza in the fourth was the difference in the decision which would lend one to believe that LaStarza did not score a KD (which would have cancelled out Marciano's on the cards (presumably).

 

In those days, a fighter didn't get an extra point for a knockdown. If that fight were scored by today's standards, Marciano would have won by MD, because he would have got an extra point for the knockdown.

 

It shows strange positioning, with LaStarza facing the corner Rocky's down in. It also indicates how Marciano would have fallen if a right was the culprit. Not sure if the darkness on the floor is slippery water where one of their corners is located [and they would have been wearing leather soled shoes], or simply Rocky's shadow.

 

It's impossible. We know Rocky was never hurt in his entire career ...

 

If you read the fight reports they make it clear that the knockdown resulted in Marciano winning more points. This is clearly spelled out suggesting some kind of supplemental points system was being used.

 

What was the judge's name that gave the first fight to LaStarza?
Always thought that was interesting as he could walk around the rest of his days saying that in his book Rock was 48-1.
I saw the second Rock-Roland fight with the training that led up to it.
LaStarza looked damn good to me. A quick, slick boxer/puncher. Looked to have that 'modern' style and movement even then. I'd label him a tough out in any era.
My $0.02

 

This photo is of the second fight when Rocky slipped.

Both fights Rocky wore white shorts and lastarza black but both wore recognisably different boots in fight two than in fight one. It is a fight two photo since both are wearing boots from fight two in this photo.

A quick look at photos shows that in the first fight lastarza wore black laces in his boots compared to the white laces he wore in the second fight. Also in the first fight Rocky wore plain black boots with his socks rolled over the knot on the laces and in the second fight he did not do this with the socks, wore longer boots with a white patch on the ankle.

It is a good photo but the caption is wrong.




.'.......Had me going until I put on my raincoat, hat and investigated!

 

Good work ....:good

 

LaStarza was highly underrated and my uncles told me Roland was a favorite to be Champ in NY and thought he would beat the carmine Vingo NY beater ...Roland had a 53-3 record going into the 2nd Marciano fight and he beat everyman to beat him except for Rocky going into fight 2 but that 2nd fight ruined him as did most of Rocky's opponents, hard to survive Marciano once never mind the 2nd time around...I think Joe Louis and Marciano were always better the 2nd time around but Marciano ruined you

 

I just watched the entire second bout.... this photo was taken at the end of round 10 when Rocky misses a right hand and slips to the canvas.

 

Rocky prevented Lastarza from being the fighter he could have been. I have an old sports illustrated article from 1949 where unbeaten Roland was getting the whole "American dream" treatment. The talk was he could be the "best scientific heavyweight since Gene Tunney". Ray Arcel was reserving judgment but was keen on Roland being a good future talent. There was a lot of new heavyweights doing the rounds at the time but at that point Roland was the one who stood out.

I have seen footage of Dan Bucceroni v Jimmy Slade and was quite impressed with the standard of both fighters. Lastarza wiped the floor with Bucceroni in their rematch. Roland was a quality fighter.

 

fantastic work . choklab efectivly ended de arguments in dis tred .

 

LaStarza was in the lead in the re-match until Rocky hit him with a mean hook on a break, and went low on another occasion that cost him a point. Those where Rocky's most damaging blows up to that point of the fight.

Then the wind left LaStarza's sails and Rocky took over.