Rocky Marciano vs Ezzard Charles II - Sept. 17, 1954 - Rounds 1 - 8

Rocky Marciano vs Ezzard Charles II
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Rocky Marciano defends the heavyweight championship of the world against the former champion, Ezzard Charles. They had already fought three months prior to this fight, loosing a close decision Charles wanted a rematch. This was fight of the year for 1954.
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Their records at the time
Rocky Marciano: 46-0
Ezzard Charles: 81-11-1

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• rocky
• marciano
• brockton
• blockbuster
• vs
• versus
• ezzard
• charles
• the
• cincinnati
• cobra
• part
• rounds
• championship
• fight
• heavyweight
• title
• prime
• fighting
• boxing
• wrestling
• defense

[frank47hammer]

Charles was perhaps the fastest fighter Marciano fought. Charles had good foot work and hand speed. Marciano was like a human battering ram, and he punched behind the head quite a bit in this fight. Were Rabbit punches illegal then? The ref never cautioned Rocky even though he rabbit punched 4 or 5 times.

[primeboxers]

@frank47hammer I think rabbit punching was illegal back then aswell, but if you lean forward or turn around or in any other way expose the back of your head. Then it is considered your own fault. This is a part of the "protect yourself at all times" rule.

This happened to Evander Holyfield in his first fight with Riddick Bowe, he turned his head and riddick bowe took a shot at the back of his head, Holyfield went down and he got the count.

This is atleast how I think it is, don't really know.

[Soulblackman]

@primeboxers Seems like some of those were rabbit punches.

[fejkram]

@HarryTheTalkingDude Yeah i think Charlie Goldman liked Rocky to fight in that crouching style to make him even less of a target...

[jintoor]

charles was way past his prime when he fought marciano

[pixelsword]

@frank47hammer:

Let's see:

Marciano being cautioned for rabbit punching against Charles when Charles was a threat to his record in 1950.s America?

;)

[HarryTheTalkingDude]

People said (and continue to say) that Marciano had no defence, but if you watch his head movement closely you can see that it was very difficult to tag him cleanly. Almost every punch is either a glancing blow or avoided completely...

[rayr0683]

@primeboxers Hello, I used to read all of thhe Ring Mags. at the Phila Library, in mid 1980's, and the magazines went back to prior to 1950. I met a guy who sold Fight Films on VHS. I bought alot of Marciano, including the early Bouts that you speak of. I have these, but the copies are just OK, and they are all on VHS Tape. Plenty of Early Marciano, another thing, Rocky Didnt start his Career as a Boxer till Late 20's, which is astounding in itself. Ray from Philly

[rayr0683]

@primeboxers Hello, guys.....Back in the Mid 1980's I used to go to the Philadelphia Library, Public Branch, and they had Copies of Ring Magazine going all the way back to prior to 1950. I used to go an spend a day looking and reading at all of them. I met a guy there who told me he sold Fight Films. He had Plenty of Marciano. So, I bought alot of early Fights, Quality is OK, but they are All on VHS Tapes. Ray