When the never-ending debate about the greatest boxers in history gets discussed, Rocky Marciano is rarely near the top of the list.
Not that he is totally ignored, he just is not talked about in the same regard as the likes of Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Joe Louis, or Sugar Ray Robinson.
Even if the debate was narrowed down just to the greatest heavyweights, Marciano would, instinctively, be mentioned by many after Ali, Louis, Jack Dempsey, Jack Johnson, and possibly even Mike Tyson by the younger generation.
Yet, Marciano, whose knockout punch packed "more explosive energy than an armour-piercing bullet" according to a study, deservedly earned his place in the annals of boxing history.
The only heavyweight world champion to end his career undefeated, Marciano decided, after 49 fights and 49 wins (with 43 knockouts), to retire at the age of 32 on this day - April 27, 1956.
The first 16 of those professional fights ended in knockout wins for Marciano, all before the end of the fifth round and nine inside the opening round.
It was not until his 26th fight did the Brockton, Massachusetts native get truly challenged when, in March 1950, he earned a split decision win over Roland La Starza. It was the closest any fighter would get to beating Marciano.
Marciano's first major high-profile fight came in October 1951 when he fought the great Joe Louis and stopped the former world champion in the eighth round in what would be Louis' final fight.
Four more wins would follow before Marciano earned his first world title shot, where he would face Jersey Joe Walcott in September 1952. Walcott dropped Marciano in the first round and began to build a points lead, only for the challenger to produce a devastating right hook in the 13th round to claim the title.
An immediate rematch was granted but this time the outcome was far more emphatic, Marciano delivering a first-round KO to send Walcott into retirement.
Marciano defended the world title five more times, defeating La Starza again - this time by 11th-round KO - twice beating Ezzard Charles - first on points then by eighth-round stoppage - taking out Don Cockell in the ninth round, and completing his career with another ninth round stoppage of Archie Moore.
Around six months later, Marciano decided to call it quits and walked away from boxing as the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.
Just over 13 years later, on August 31, 1969 - the day before his 46th birthday - Marciano was killed in a plane crash.
A member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame, Marciano holds a number of records and accolades that have earned him his place among the sport's greatest.
He was named The Ring fighter of the year three times, holds the highest knockout percentage (87.76%) of any heavyweight champion in history over the course of a completed career, and his 1952 KO of Walcott has been named in a poll as the greatest knockout in boxing history.
All or Nothing
Amazon Prime
Four stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 374hp at 5,500-6,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm from 1,900-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.5L/100km
Price: from Dh285,000
On sale: from January 2022
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The biog
Date of birth: 27 May, 1995
Place of birth: Dubai, UAE
Status: Single
School: Al Ittihad private school in Al Mamzar
University: University of Sharjah
Degree: Renewable and Sustainable Energy
Hobby: I enjoy travelling a lot, not just for fun, but I like to cross things off my bucket list and the map and do something there like a 'green project'.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Financial considerations before buying a property
Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.
“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says.
Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.
Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier.
more from Janine di Giovanni
RACE CARD
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,200m
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 (PA) Listed Dh230,000 1,600m
6.30pm: HH The President’s Cup (PA) Group 1 Dh2.5million 2,200m
7pm: HH The President’s Cup (TB) Listed Dh380,000 1,400m
7.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap Dh70,000 1,200m.
The Specs
Price, base Dh379,000
Engine 2.9-litre, twin-turbo V6
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 503bhp
Torque 443Nm
On sale now
Mercedes V250 Avantgarde specs
Engine: 2.0-litre in-line four-cylinder turbo
Gearbox: 7-speed automatic
Power: 211hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 350Nm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.0 l/100 km
Price: Dh235,000
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
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Violence%20
%3Cp%3EInstances%20of%20violence%20against%20Syrian%20refugees%20are%20not%20uncommon.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EJust%20last%20month%2C%20security%20camera%20footage%20of%20men%20violently%20attacking%20and%20stabbing%20an%20employee%20at%20a%20mini-market%20went%20viral.%20The%20store%E2%80%99s%20employees%20had%20engaged%20in%20a%20verbal%20altercation%20with%20the%20men%20who%20had%20come%20to%20enforce%20an%20order%20to%20shutter%20shops%2C%20following%20the%20announcement%20of%20a%20municipal%20curfew%20for%20Syrian%20refugees.%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CThey%20thought%20they%20were%20Syrian%2C%E2%80%9D%20said%20the%20mayor%20of%20the%20Nahr%20el%20Bared%20municipality%2C%20Charbel%20Bou%20Raad%2C%20of%20the%20attackers.%3Cbr%3EIt%20later%20emerged%20the%20beaten%20employees%20were%20Lebanese.%20But%20the%20video%20was%20an%20exemplary%20instance%20of%20violence%20at%20a%20time%20when%20anti-Syrian%20rhetoric%20is%20particularly%20heated%20as%20Lebanese%20politicians%20call%20for%20the%20return%20of%20Syrian%20refugees%20to%20Syria.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
