Why did Rocky Marciano have such a short title run?

True, but i think at that age back then, you were seen as past your best for a number of reasons.

 

Maybe with the back problems, he felt he couldn't be at his best? As others have said, that style he fought takes a toll on the body, swarming fighters invariably have shortly shelf life because they have to give so much of themselves to overwhelm their opposition.
I really like Rocky Marciano, and I also like he left when he did. There were no fights for him at that time, he had fought the available fighters for his era, what more can one ask?
As an aside, I also like the idea of retiring and eating pasta, but I have to wait a few more years.

 

Sounds just like Mike Tyson against bones smith..

 

The fights drying up was just the part of it. I think a big reason Rocky retired was just to cut off his "management". He could not bare to make money for Al Weil. To continue to fight had to really make more financial sense than being paid to make appearances as a retired undefeated champion on the dinner circuit. If the fights were only going to get smaller there wasn't going to be enough point. If it was going to pay just as well who wouldn't rather cash in on being an undefeated retired champ?

Al Weil had a lot of partners and I believe all their expenses unofficially came out of the Rocks end of the purse. Officially Weil was in for 50% anyway. The take home money Rocky got from fighting was clearly even less than officially reported. The more he fought the more money he made for Weil and his cronies. Weil even had control of his out of ring earnings. I think things came to a head when Weil was accused of skimming off the top of the COkkell promotion. Rocky was sick of being robbed but there was no way out of it without retiring.

Perhaps Rocky worked out he could match his take home money from fighting if he was getting paid for enough appearances on the dinner circuit?

I believe Rocky became so cheap in his retirement years trying to match his ring earnings. Trying to beat the system. He haggled Free travel, clothes and meals. His contract required him even in part of his retirement to share his earnings on the dinner circuit with his "management" which explains why he insisted on cash in hand payments so that he could shaft Weil.

I think he wanted to shaft Weil more than continue his career. He was lucky he had that alternative. Otherwise Rocky would have continued until he lost just like everybody else.

 

So Rocky's boxing contract with his manager was for life?

 

I never got the argument for Valdes as 50. Valdes lost the eliminator against Baker. And Baker was seen as too poor an opponent to sale or even motivate Rocky, given he was knocked out by Rocky's 49th victim and looked bad in victory.

 

There wasn't a logical standout 50th opponent.

Who from these would have drawn in the $$$$?
1955
Champion Rocky Marciano

1. Archie Moore
2. Bob Baker
3. Tommy (Hurricane) Jackson
4. John Holman
5. Willie Pastrano
6. Nino Valdes
7. Johnny Summerlin
8. Bob Satterfield
9. Young Jack Johnson
10. Ezzard Charles

 

Whilst champion Weil was contracted to get 50% of all ring earnings and out of ring earnings. So any dinner shows Rocky did as champ Weil was entitled to 50%. I'm sure I read that the contract still ran into part the way into his retirement. But The Rocks cheap habits were already forged.

It was rumoured Rocky enquired about a comeback without Weil. But he did not come back because if he did he would still "have to" cut Weil in again. He could not be a free agent so he remained retired.

 

There was talk about The Rock fighting Bob Baker in early 1956 for his 50th fight.....

 

There was talk of him fighting Pastrano, Jackson, and Baker.

It was obviously not clear who the real prospects were.

Lennox Lewis was going to take Kirk Johnson as his last fight, and only took Vitally Klitschko by accident.

Marciano just decided not to bother fighting his Kirk Johnson.