I think he was legitimately hurt but decided to stay down on purpose and collect the cash. Walcott is one of my favorite fighters so it hurts to admit, but he was old and didnt need to go through that again. He mustve made bank cause Marciano and Walcott were both very popular champions coming off a superbrawl. At least to say, if he had elected to get up, I don't see Marciano taking longer than 3 rounds to finish it.
Coming in he didn't look the same guy, no confidence, his body did not look ripped,he just backed away.Marciano said," I think he could have gotten up ,I know I would have". Marciano was robbed of his triumph.
I like Walcott, too. If it's a choice between being told to take a dive by gangsters and doing it, or being greedy and quitting, I'll go with taking a dive. Walcott never came off to me as a quitter or greedy. But there were plenty of fixes, and guys were battered if they didn't go along with it. It's one reason Ray Arcel, arguably one of the top trainers in the game at that point, left boxing for 20 years. Arcel was beaten half to death in 1953 (same year as Marciano-Walcott II) with a lead pipe when he tried to put together fights that weren't mob/IBC controlled. I think you guys are being naive.
It's possible but I think he quit of his own accord.So did A J Leibling who was there.He said Walcott only started protesting after he heard the boos.Ray Robinson thought he quit.You think he quit, I think he quit ,we just have differing opinions as to why.
As you know Walcott got 40% of the gate for both fights, Marciano 20% ,though Marciano was the defending champion in the 2nd fight.
I do. That was not the norm for the time. The heavyweight champs didn't take the short end. There's your payoff.
So many apparently think Walcott was a quitter and wasn't pressured by outside forces. Interesting. Yeah, I'm sure the mob didn't want the Italian guy to retain the world heavyweight title.
I wouldn't rule it out completely but I'm hesitant to assume it was a fix because it's an extreme scenario and I don't think it's necessary to explain what went down. But I need to read up on the evidence more. BTW, what's your theory for why Walcott never fought again after that fight?
Actually, that' s not true. The contract called for them to split the pot if Walcott lost. Walcott got a raise for the rematch. (Wonder why?) And the National Boxing Association said Marciano didn't have to fight Walcott. The IBC was actually looking at Layne, LaStarza, Charles, Brion and Moore as alternates. I don't know if you can read this, but here's a link from the NY Times saying they were supposed to split the pot if the rematch occurred and other possible opponents. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1953/01/17/84386129.pdf
He could have got up, but it's pretty obvious he didn't have a hope of winning at this point. Rocky was always going to be better late, and he lost even with a terrific start the first time, no way with a start like that was he going to win.
Just as a fighter has a physical prime, they also have a mental prime. It is the same in any physically and psychologically difficult sport. There comes a day when you think "what the f*** am I doing here?" The line between a hero and a coward is often a fine one at the best of times, and a persons willingness to take another beating gradually gets eroded.
