Rocky Mattioli

More of Rocco 'Rocky' Mattioli

May 14, 1978 (Celebrating after defending his WBC Light-Middleweight Title (KO 5) over Jose Luis Duran)
Pescara, Abruzzo, Italy

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Rocco 'Rocky' Mattioli still on the move in the Welterweight Division

After suffering a cut-eye stoppage loss (TKO 12) to Ali Afakasi in February 1975 -

April 11, 1975 - In Festival hall, Melbourne - Rocky blasts out former Welterweight Champion
Billy Backus 39-18-4 (21 KO's) by (KO 5) in a brutally one-sided bout. - '3' years later, after
going undefeated in his next '12' bouts, Billy Backus would get a Title Shot versus
WBA Welterweight Champion, Pipino Cuevas.

May 9, 1975 - In Milan, Italy - Rocky, (in his first bout in Italy), stops 'cutey southpaw' Chris Fernandez 25-10-4 (5 KO's)
from the Dominican Republic (KO 4). - Fernandez had 'two' recent decision wins over future WBC
Light-Welterweight Champion 'Sweet' Saoul Mamby.

Rocco 'Rocky' Mattioli improves to 35-3-1 (26 KO's), and is the #8 WBA and #9 WBC Welterweight.

June 6, 1975 - Again in Milan, Italy - Rocky, handily defeats Spain Welterweight, the 'tough and durable'
Mimoun Mohatar 21-12-3 (11 KO's) by a 10-Round Decision. - Mohatar is 'one durable Spaniard', as he has
never been down in his career and only stopped once (by cuts). - '3' years later, Mimoun Mohatar gets a
Title Shot versus WBC Welterweight Champion, Carlos Palomino.

August 22, 1975 - Back to Fastival Hall, Melbourne - Rocky takes on his 'first Light-Middleweight', 26 year-old,
#12 WBC-ranked Fernand Marcotte 35-4-3 (23 KO's) of Canada. Marcotte, a 'real hard stone' at 151 lbs.,
battles Rocky evenly over '7-Rounds', but Rocky busts open Marcotte's right eye with a wicked left hook in Round 8.
In Round 9, Mattioli pummels the Canadian all over the ring, when Referee Terry O'Reilly stops the bout at 2:40 of the round,
with Rocky declared a winner by TKO 9.

Rocco 'Rocky' Mattioli improves to 37-3-1 (27 KO's), and is the #6 WBA and #7 WBC Welterweight.

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September 19, 1975

On Friday Night, at the Festival Hall in Melbourne, Australia.

Rocky Mattioli, 37-3-1 (27 KO's) - on the night before his 22nd Birthday, takes on New York
Welterweight, 'The Spoiler' Harold Weston.

Mattioli, ranked #6 WBA/#7 WBC has been offered a World Title Fight in the Welterweight Division,
if he can get by the 23 year-old #9 WBA-ranked Welterweight Harold Weston.

At stake, the winner of this bout will be offered a Title Shot of the winner of the WBA Welterweight
Championship bout between WBA Champion Angel Espada and #3-WBA Johnny Gant, to be
held in 3-weeks, on October 11, 1975.

Weston, is a 5' 9" 'pure boxer' and has an 18-6-2 (5 KO's).
Though he has no 'big punch', Weston is a 'well-schooled boxer' and is Managed by Gil Clancy. Weston has been in the ring with several Top-Rated Welterweights; Hedgemon Lewis, Johnny Gant, Bruno Arcari, Fausto Rodriguez, Jose Rodriguez and
Chu Chu Malave - and the New Yorker is going to be 'one tough customer'.

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Rocky with former Featherweight Champion, Lionel Rose before the Harold Weston bout.
Lionel Rose helped Rocky train for his bout with the New York Welterweight.

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September 19, 1975 (Friday Night) at Festival Hall, Melbourne

A 'sell-out crowd of 4600+, turn out to see an important Welterweight Battle.

Harold Weston, utilizing his 5' 9" (2 1/2" height advantage) and 70" (3" reach advantage), as well
as his speed, baffled Rocky Mattioli throughout the early portions of the bout.

By Round 5, Rocky was 'completely frustrated', as he was unable to cope with
Harold's fast hands, and in-and-out style.

Mattioli was only on occassion, able to trap the 'tricky' boxer along the ropes,
to score with his potent left hook. Harold Weston was 'masterful', in landing counter
right hands.

On the inside, it was pretty much even, as Rocky was stronger, but Weston was
busier. In the end, it was Harold Weston who landed the cleaner punches, and scored more often.

New York Daily News scored it 5-2-3 for Harold Weston.

The 'victory' for Harold Weston, improving his record to 19-6-2 (5 KO's) - kept him in the 'thick of things' in the
Welterweight Division, but did not earn him an immediate Welterweight Title Shot.

The 'loss' for Rocky Mattioli, dropped him to 37-4-1 (27 KO's) sent him to Milan, Italy - and to be managed
by reknowned Boxing Promoter/Manager, Umberto Branchini.

 

Moving to Milan, Italy in October 1975 -

New Manager, Umberto Branchini had 'plans' for the Italian-born/Australian-boxing
Rocky, now that he was back in Italy.

In the WBC Welterweight Divsion;
* Jose Napoles was scheduled to take on #1 WBC John H. Stracey on December 6, 1975.

In the WBA Welterweight Division;
* Angel Espada (who won the 'vacant' title in June 1975 over #1 WBA Clyde Gray) had a
scheduled bout with #3 WBA Johnny Gant in October 1975.

Rounding out the Top 10;
1 - John H. Stracey
2 - Hedgemon Lewis
3 - Clyde Gray
4 - Armando Muniz
5 - Johnny Gant
6 - Bruno Arcari
7 - Harold Weston
8 - Fausto Rodriguez
9 - Rocky Mattioli
10- Pete Ranzany

In the 154 lb. Light-Middleweight Division

* WBC Champion, Miguel De Oliviera was scheduled to take on #1 WBC Elisha Obed in November 1975.

* WBA Champion, Jae-Doo Yuh who had 'upset' (KO'd) Champion Koichi Wajima in June 1975, was
scheduled to take on #9 WBA Masahiro Misako on November 11, 1975.

 

Rocky Mattioli's 'first bout' under Manager Umberto Branchini

Friday Night - October 24, 1975

On the undercard of the Dante Cane vs Lorenzo Zanon for the 'Italian Heavyweight Championship'

Palazzo Dello Sport Arena - Milan, Lombardia, Italy

Attendance; 4600 (Sell-Out)

All bouts were televised.

Rocco 'Rocky' Mattioli 37-4-1 (27 KO's) #9 Welterweight
vs.
Jorgen Hansen (Denmark) 39-7-0 (14 KO's) #29 Welterweight

Rocco 'Rocky' Mattioli after '5' even and competitive rounds, turns it on
in Round 6 and flat out clobbers Scandanavian Welterweight Champion and
#4 European Welterweight, Jorgen Hansen 39-7-0 (14 KO's), eventually halting
the 32 1/2 year-old veteran Dutch fighter by TKO 7.

It was an 'impressive' win, and coming-out party for the 22 year-old
Mattioli, who maintained his #9 Welterweight ranking. As Rocky got his
famed left hook working in Round 6, flooring Hansen for a 5-Count.
Rocky poured it on in the following round, forcing the Referee to stop the
onslaught.

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One of Rocco 'Rocky' Mattioli's early bouts.

Friday Night - December 17, 1971

Festival Hall, Melbourne, Australia

For the Australasian Welterweight Championship (Scheduled for 12-Rounds)

18 year-old, Rocky Mattioli 19-2-1 (14 KO's) takes on Filipino Kolaia Bauli 16-7-0 (9 KO's).

Over 4000 fans turn out to see the 18 year-old 'Wunderkind'

At the opening bell, Rocky flies across the ring to a 'supposedly unsuspecting'
Kolaia, to unload a left-hook 'haymaker', but the sharp Filipino ducks under the wild blow,
and counters with a 'picture perfect' right-hand, which drops Mattioli like 'the proverbial rock'.

Down at 0:03 of the bout, Rocky bounces back up at the '3-Count', and suprisingly
unhurt. From there, the 'two' go at it with a non-stop barrage for the packed
Festival Hall.

Early in Round 6, Rocky unloads a 'double left hook' which staggers the tough Filipino,
and Bauli backs into a 'neutral corner', where Rocky rips shots, opening a severe cut
on the Filipino's nose.

Referee, Terry Reilly deems the cut too severe, and stops the bout before the 7th Round.
It goes down as a TKO 6 for Rocky Mattioli, who improved his record to
20-2-1 (15 KO's) and earned him the Australasian Welterweight Championship.

 

Rocco 'Rocky' Mattioli in Italy,

November 28, 1975 (Palazzo Dello Sport Arena, Milan)

TKO 6 - over #14 WBC Welterweight, Domenico Di Jorio 29-1-5 (6 KO's)
Rocky blasts out the former Italian Welterweight Champion with a non-stop assault.
Rocky dominates from the opening bell, and floors Di Jorio in Rounds 3, 4 and 5.
After battering his opponent throughout Round 6, Di Jorio cannot answer the bell
for Round 7.

Rocky Mattioli weighed 148 lbs. for this bout, his last bout fought at Welterweight.
Rocky Mattioli improves to 39-4-1 (29 KO's) and is ranked the #7 Welterweight.
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February 6, 1976 (Palazzo Dello Sport Arena, Milan)

Rocky Mattioli weighs 154 lbs. - his first Light-Middleweight bout.

W Dec 10 - over (Not Ranked) Cubby 'Top Cat' Jackson 16-8-2 (10 KO's)
Rocky using his boxing skills, as oppossed to his 'vaunted punching power', scores
with solid jabs, and quick 1-2's to win a 'Solid Decision' over the American 'Detroit Destroyer'
in a Light-Middleweight bout.
Scorecards;
* 6-0-4 in Rounds (Rocky Mattioli)
* 6-0-4 in Rounds (Rocky Mattioli)
* 8-2-0 in Rounds (Rocky Mattioli)

Mattioli now 40-4-1 (29 KO's)

 

Saturday - April 3, 1976 (Palazzo Dello Sport, Milan, Lombardia, Italy)

150 lb. (Over the Weight+ Welterweight Bout)

#4 Welterweight - Bruno Arcari 67-2-0 (38 KO's)
vs.
#6 Welterweight - Rocky Mattioli 40-4-1 (29 KO's)

In one of Italy's most anticipated bouts, former WBC Light-Welterweight
Champion - 34 year-old Bruno Arcari takes on 22 1/2 year-old Rocky Mattioli at the
Palazzo Dello Sport Arena, in front of 12,000 'frenzied' spectators.

BRUBO ARCARI (Southpaw)

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In the bout, the 5' 5" former Champion (who relinquished his WBC Championship to move up
to the Welterweight Division) uses his superior 'southpaw' boxing skills to hold off the
'ever-pressing bulldog' Mattioli, through the early portions of the bout, as Arcari scores
with right jabs and counter lefts to the head.

Rocky Mattioli, showing superior strength, starts to drive home hard left hooks to
the head and body, to slow the 'fast and slick' Arcari down in Rounds 5, 6 and 7.
Mattioli has a strong 8th Round, as he pins the former Champion and crowd favorite
into the corner and bangs him with hard shots.

Behind on points, the 'cagey' veteran, 'jabs and spins' Mattioli over the last '2' Rounds
to rally, and hold Rocky Mattioli to a 10-Round Draw.

Scorecards;
* Referee; Romolo Calvori---97-96 (4-3-3 in Rounds) Rocky Mattioli
* Judge Ballordo -----------96-96 (4-4-2 in Rounds) Even
* Judge Silvamani ----------97-97 (3-3-4 in Rounds) Even

Referee Romolo Calvori's Scorecard;
A-A-A-E-M --- M-M-M-E-E == 4-3-3 in Rounds (Rocky Mattioli)

Both boxers exhibited excellent skills in a 'well-fought' bout, and the Draw
Decison was correctly logged, and well received by the fans and boxing press.

Bruno Arcari;,,,,,,, Fight Purse $28,000 (U.S. Dollars)
Rocky Mattioli;,,,,, Fight Purse $14,000 (U.S. Dollars)

Bruno Arcari goes to 67-2-1
Rocky Mattioli goes to 40-4-2

Note; Bruno Arcari 'semi-retired' for 14-Months after this bout. He returned to the ring in June 1977.

 

Great thread, enjoyed that Glenn Grinsted-Rocky Mattioli footage. I'm friends with Glenn on facebook after spending an evening with brother Terry in Melbourne back in February. Terry knew Rocky well, they did a lot of sparring together. Maybe I can get a bit of insight from them for this thread.

 

Mr. Al Francis,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Hello Sir

Friday Night - May 21, 1976

Palazzo Dello Sport, Milan, Italy

Attendance; 4000

22 1/2 year-old, Rocco 'Rocky' Mattioli 40-4-2 (29 KO's), is now a fully-certified 154 lb. Light-Middleweight,
Ranked #8 WBC / #8 WBA.

Rocky Mattioli takes on 5' 11" tall 157 lb. Mexican-American, Jesus 'Chucho' Garcia fighting out
of San Diego, California. Garcia is an 'experienced veteran' with a record of 96-40-7 (62 KO's).
The 33 year-old Jesus 'Chucho' Garcia has been fighting as a professional since 1961.

It takes awhile for Rocky to break through the tall journeyman's defense, as Garcia is able to land
straight right-hands at the shorter and straight-forward marching Mattioli. In Round 3, Mattioli
drops 'Chucho' for a 6-Count with a right-hand.

By Round 5, Garcia is bleeding from the nose, and is having trouble breathing, as well as
holding off a charging Mattioli. In Round 6, Mattioli swarms all-over a battered Garcia,
forcing the Referee to call a stoppage at 1:26 of the Round (TKO 6).

Another impressive win by stoppage.

Note: Rocco 'Rocky' Mattioli breaks his right hand in the bout, and will be out of action for 4-Months.

On the undercard; Light-Heavyweights - Matthew Franklin 10-1-1,,, {W Dec 8},,, Mate Parlov 12-0-0

Jesus 'Chucho' Garcia

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