What was the deal with Marciano and Allie Colombo?

Allie wrote letters to managers and things for Rocky. He seems to have devoted his life to Rocky becoming a great fighter. But I don't really understand why he was initially so committed. He was a bit older than Rocky as well. It is unusual for somebody to be so sold on any novice becoming a champion, who had no boxing background. Perhaps Rocky had Allie around to negotiate for him?

I think it was old pro boxer joe monte (Arthur mercantes uncle) who gave them the tip or introduction to meet Al Weill. I think they were fortunate to hook up with Weill just as he became really influential in the business.

But even Weill wasn't too keen on Rocky initially. He had wanted to take on Marciano only if he came to New York "full time" but when Rocky would not agree to this an unusual compromise was agreed upon whereby Marciano would commute to NewYork for training (courtesy of a lift with a truck driver) part of the week then fight at Providence. The other unlikely thing was that Rocky was trained "one on one" with Goldman at a YMCA gym in newyork rather than at Stillmans with the rest of Weills stable. I don't buy that Rocky was so special that early on.

Unbelievably under this arrangement Weill would barely manage Rocky. He had Sam Solomon put on fights that he was making for Rocky. He was sending the opponents over to Providence. Allie was kind of shadowing Weill as a manager in Al wiell's absence.

I wonder if Allie Colombo was instrumental in bargaining this whole set up. If he did I don't understand how he had such clout to do so as just a mere pal of Rocky? And like you say Allie Colombos wages came out of Rockys end. Not Weills.

No wonder Weill wanted to get Rocky beat up after a couple of fights just so he could terminate the contract. I cannot see what was in it for Weill as a New York manager in the beginning to persevere with a novice who refused to leave New England.

After Rocky beat the two guys that were supposed to beat him Weill decided to send Charlie Goldman down to work the corner with Colombo for the remainder of Rockys career. Until then they had this kid "Allie" traveling around with their fighter, overseeing the training, working their fighters corner for them. I don't know if this happened before?

 

Charlie Goldman died in Nov 1968,Allie Colombo Jan1969,Marciano Aug 1969,Al Weill Oct1969.
All that history gone in the space of a year.

 

Colombo was only 50.

 

There was a few times Weill expected Rocky to lose, most notably against Rex Layne and Joe Louis. Weill was a matchmaker really and he saw Rocky as nothing more than a sideline. a guy he could build up a bit of a record for then cash him in.

Weill knew managers with boxers like that, guys being groomed who had not fought anyone yet that were a bit further on into the process than Rocky was. The managers of Eddie Ross and bobby Quin were like that.

Weill had matched Rocky soft for his first two fights. But Weill obviously wasn't convinced with this out of town Rocky kid and this long distance arrangement. What was the point of him? When the managers of Quin and Ross asked for a easy match for their boys weill offered them Rocky. having only met two guys with losing records it was either ambitious or suicide for Rocky to take on a 8-0 guy then a 15-0-1 guy.

But Rocky won both fights so Weill was forced to continue grooming him. it was back to the drawing board.

 

I think it's not unreasonable to assume somebody from Brockton was financing Rocky in the beginning because he was not costing Weill anything. They needed Weill because he could deliver a route to the title. That is for sure.

I read that Weill had his stable of fighters lodge at a boarding house and gave them food vouchers to spend at a diner he had an arrangement with. This meant he kept the kids training, eating and sleeping with no money to spend. This was taken out of the purses the fighters made. They literally would not have seen much profit. but Rocky was fighting for just $40 a time hundreds of miles away. What was in it for Weill?

Perhaps Colombo was sub letting his asset to Weill? Or he was representing somebody from Brockton. It's not unusual for fighters of that era to own a lot less of themselves than people realise. Unofficial tax free mangers and such like. The fighter gets hit with the tax for the larger official percentage of himself than he might have. And this could explain Rockys thriftiness.

 

I've read that
1.Colombo was his next door neighbour
2,Combo's $1,500 Army severance pay financed Rocky's early career.
I don't know if either are true.

 

Based on what I have read, Allie Columbo was a devoted friend of Rocky Marciano, one who went out of his way to help Rocky in just about every way, notably in terms of companionship, during the latter's boxing career. Once Al Weill became fully interested in Rocky's career, I believe Columbo didn't have any financial interest or power afterwards. But Rocky seemed determined to have Columbo around.

- Chuck Johnston

 

Yes, that seems to add up. I don't know how far $1,500 went in those days.

 

1947 US prices.
Car: $1,500
Gasoline: 23 cents/gal
House: $13,000
Bread: 12 cents/loaf
Milk: 80 cents/gal
Postage Stamp: 3 cents
Average Annual Salary: $3,500
Minimum Wage: 40 cents per hour

 

This should all be noted, when acknowledging that Marciano was carefully matched, on his way to the title.

It wasn't all plain sailing!