210,809 profiles ranked

Rocky Marciano

American heavyweight boxing champion (1923-1969) · United States · Athletes · Died at 45

Rocky Marciano is read about 2,469 times a day, in 54 languages.

A typical day, 30 days to 21 October 2026

The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 396 days, one point a day.

Something wrong?
Compare

The only heavyweight champion in history to retire undefeated, and the only one to stop every opponent he faced for the title. Forty-nine fights, forty-nine wins, forty-three by knockout.

AthletesAthleteBoxingUnited StatesAmericas20th Century

A life in dates

1990International Boxing Hall of FameAward1969Died31 August 19691955The Ring magazine Fighter of the YearAward1954The Ring magazine Fight of the YearAwardThe Ring magazine Fighter of the YearAward1953The Ring magazine Fight of the YearAward1952Sugar Ray Robinson AwardAwardThe Ring magazine Fight of the YearAwardThe Ring magazine Fighter of the YearAward1923Born1 September 1923

Also in Deutsch

Photos 10

The Main Street of Brockton, Massachusetts, Rocky's hometownThe Main Street of Brockton, Massachusetts, Rocky's hometownMarciano's professional training routine was notable for being extremely strict and physically exhausting[27]Marciano's professional training routine was notable for being extremely strict and physically exhausting[27]Marciano landing a right hook in the 13th round to knockout Walcott and win the world heavyweight title, 1952Marciano landing a right hook in the 13th round to knockout Walcott and win the world heavyweight title, 1952Marciano sends La Starza through the ropes during their 1953 title fightMarciano sends La Starza through the ropes during their 1953 title fightMarciano in 1955Marciano in 1955Marciano sparring with Tommy Harrison in 1953Marciano sparring with Tommy Harrison in 1953Marciano with Boston Mayor John F. Collins (center-right) and singer Jimmy Durante (right), 1968Marciano with Boston Mayor John F. Collins (center-right) and singer Jimmy Durante (right), 1968

In their own words 4

,
Rocky Marciano
,
4 statements, newest first

  1. What could be better than walking down any street in any city and knowing you're the heavyweight champion of the world?

    After knocking out Jersey Joe Walcott to capture the heavyweight crown, as quoted in "Remembering the Brockton Blockbuster", by Thomas, Own words

  2. Why waltz with a guy for 10 rounds if you can knock him out in one?

    As quoted in, "Remembering the Brockton Blockbuster", by Thomas Hauser, in The New York Sun (14 September 2005), Own words

  3. I don't want to be remembered as a beaten champion.

    Explaining why he wouldn't come out of retirement for a big payday against heavyweight champion Ingemar Johansson, as quoted in,, Own words

Wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0

Awards

International Boxing Hall of Fame1990
The Ring magazine Fighter of the Year1955
The Ring magazine Fighter of the Year1954
The Ring magazine Fight of the Year1954
The Ring magazine Fight of the Year1953
The Ring magazine Fighter of the Year1952
The Ring magazine Fight of the Year1952
Sugar Ray Robinson Award1952
WBA World Heavyweight Champion
The Ring World Heavyweight Champion

About this person

Rocco Francis Marchegiano fought as a professional from 1947 to 1955, a span that ended with a record no one has matched. He took the world heavyweight championship from Jersey Joe Walcott in 1952 and defended it six times - Walcott again, Roland La Starza, Ezzard Charles twice, Don Cockell, Archie Moore - stopping all of them. His style was relentless, his chin famously durable, his power formidable enough to rank him #14 on The Ring's list of the greatest punchers ever. He walked away in 1956 with an 85.71% knockout rate in title fights and a career mark of 87.8%, among the highest in heavyweight history. He died in a plane crash the day before his 46th birthday.

Country
United States
Category
Athletes
Type
Athlete
Status
deceased
Dates
Lived 1923 to 1969 · aged 45

In common with Rocky

Mamie Van DorenAlso in College Confidential (1960)Conway TwittyAlso in College Confidential (1960)Steve AllenAlso in College Confidential (1960)Tyson FuryBoth received The Ring World Heavyweight ChampionEvander HolyfieldBoth received The Ring magazine Fighter of the YearLennox LewisBoth received The Ring World Heavyweight Champion

Fame.am measures public visibility signals. It does not measure human value, talent, morality, or credibility.