Marciano the Ultimate Homeboy?

Yes, but he fought 300 fights. To be that active and travel any more, his career would still be going to reach that number. The fact is he fought internationally and all over the US... Wisconsin, Illinois, Tennessee, California, Louisiana, Nebraska.. if you think all those crowds were friendly to Greb, you are a bit naive. Marciano only fought for friendly crowds (tho, being white, any crowds in front of him against a black fighter were probably "friendly").

And, you are absolutely wrong about plane travel from '15 to '50. There were these things called "airlines" that developed over that time... which is why Marciano flew to his fight against Cockell in San Francisco. When Dempsey fought in Montana he took a choo choo.

So, again, can anyone name a fighter of the championship level who was more coddled in terms of audience than Marciano? And if a home crowd does not matter, why are so many negotiations caught up over this issue? Why are guaranteed rematches so often granted for the opposing fighters' hometown?

 

That still means Greb fought 90 fights elsewhere, in places like Florida, Tennessee, California, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Ontario, Toronto... I think we can say these were not uniformly friendly crowds. So, twice the length of Marciano's entire career Greb spent on the road wading into crowds that were at best indifferent.

Meanwhile Marciano's greatest excursions were traveling to Chicago to watch Methusaleh Walcott look for a trap door after the first punch or winging out to the Bay to chase a lightheavy with a glandular condition around the ring in a Keystone Cops re-enactment, demonstrating some of the worst and least effective form the division had seen since Tommy Burns.

 

Buona! Perché mio padre è italiano. Mi sono chiesto da dove proviene questo maiale..

 

I still haven't seen anyone name the elite championship level fighter who was less peripatetic than Marciano. Ottke, tho levels lower in calibre, may be one.