He went 42-0 before he got a title shot. He was white, undefeated and KOing everyone, why didn't he get a title shot 20 fights earlier?
Cuz he just ran around the New England circuit of ham and eggers... and who could any of those seriously?
In that time you had to fight a lot to get title shot. Look at all champions from that era, all had a lot of fights. 500 or 60 bouts before title shot was not uncommon. Prior to 1960's, it was normal to fight 20 bouts before getting first main event. By time you got to title shot, you were supposed to be experienced, polished, know all aspects of how to box.
He may well have gotten a shot at Ezzard Charles for the title sooner than his bout with Walcott had Charles beaten Walcott in their third meeting. Ezzard was supposed to have a rematch with the comebacking Joe Louis in the fall of '51. With Walcott's upset, there now had to be a Walcott-Charles IV, with Louis and Marciano on the outside. So Marciano defeated Louis, Walcott won a close decision over Charles, then Rocky fought Walcott for the title. Had Charles won in Walcott III, then repeated his victory over Louis, Marciano would have been in line for a title shot in late '51.
42 fights isn't that many. Anyway, Marciano was an unpolished fighter with only about a dozen amateur fights. He needed a good deal of professional practice before fighting for the title.
Sugar Ray Robimson, Jake Lamatta, Rocky Graziano, & Tony Zale had more fights than that before they got there first shots. And keep in mind this is a different era in which you were in even lucky to get a shot a the title no matter who you were, unless you had connections of course as in mafia connections. To get a shot after just 42 fights in that time before the 1950's mean you had it made.
quote from his trainer Charlie Goldman (from Liebling's The Sweet Science): "Most fighters at twenty-seven have been boxing eight, nine years, and they are as good as they ever will be," Goldman told me. "But Rocky has only had about the equivalent of one year's experience. So he's still learning. Every time we made a fight for him up in New England, we would bring him down to New York for a week and get him a room at the C.YO., and then he would work out four or five afternoons at Stillman's," he said. "But he didn't do as much boxing in the three years as one of the boys who's at Stillman's every day would do in a year. So he's just beginning to come along. He'll knock them all out."
He got the title shot in the right time IMO.......well, maybe 3 or 4 fights before would be better....
didn't have much amateur pedigree right? maybe he should have got a shot ahead of jersey joe who had twice been beaten by charles already. not so sure why jersey got the fight ahead of him.
Well, it's because of who he beat. Quality beats out quanity every time. Holyfield beat a Hall of Famer in his 12th pro fight for example.
