Rocky Marciano vs Jersey Joe Walcott I & II

[elmersalsa]

The first fight between the two in Philadelphia, on September 23, 1952, was a fantastic slugfest for 13 rounds. Both trade punches at terrific pace. The great Jersey Joe Walcott dropped the Brockton Blockbuster in round one after a series of hard shots. For a thirty-eight year old man, Walcott looked great and terrific. What a fighter. They went at it for the next 12 rounds. In round 11th, it seemed that Jersey Joe had Rocky Marciano in trouble. But, Marciano was game, and didn't go down. I think this fight was the great Rocky Marciano's greatest fight. At least his most gutsiest fight of his career. Both fighters weigh in less than 200lbs. They would have been too small for the behemoths of today's heavyweights.
Walcott was a cutesie or cutie. He had style. Marciano was a relentless warrior with short arms. It was the night of his boxing life. All or nothing for him. A crushing right at Walcott's jaw in round 13th was the end. You could have counted until 1,000, Walcott was not going to get up.

In the rematch, in Chicago on May 21, 1953, was a total different fight. In the first fight, Marciano had black trunks with white stripes. In the rematch he had white trunks and black stripes. He was the champion this time. Jersey Joe came with black trunks with white stripes and is the challenger now. (He was champion and had white trunks with black stripes in the first fight). In the first fight, Jersey dropped Rocky in the first round but Rocky got up and win. He had his opportunity of a fair count. The contrast was that he got up quickly. ON THIS OCASSION, Walcott gets decked by left hook and a right cross and the referee counted as fast as you can read this. Like if he had somewhere else to go or get to bed early. Maybe he wanted his cash right away and flee home. I have never seen a count so fast in my lifetime watching boxing from any era. In my opinion, he didn't give Walcott the proper respect nor count as a real count should. Even at that fast count, Walcott got up at nine. I counted Walcott's knockdown and he got up at six! I rewinded the tape twice. He got up at six, not nine, in my count.

After that, Jersey Joe said "the hell with it" and retired for good. He never came back. He was very disgusted with the referee's count. By the way, did that referee worked in another Championship bout? I believe that he was terrible! Walcott was 39 years old. Did the ref did him wrong or did he did him a favor?

[jas80s]

Seemed like the count was kind of fast, but I don't know if it just seems that way based on how old it is. It's not like the 4 million HD we have now.

It was a pretty big shot and Walcott was still sitting flat on his butt at the count of nine. Moreover, he was staring at his corner for the whole count and never appeared to pick up the referee. Overall I would say he handled the whole count pretty poorly, nothing especially controversial. But, it's just an opinion.

If you are right, however, it's a damn shame, the first fight was pretty spectacular. It was kind of like a heavyweight Taylor-Chavez (without the controversy).

[Ambling Alp II]

Always thought Walcott took a dive. There are several signs that point to it:
He barely threw a punch.
He goes down on one knee, could have got up earlier.
He wasn't hurt, so there was no reason to take a long count.
A smart fighter like him would know not to cut it so close and get up at 9 anyway.
If you notice, he doesn't complain right away after being counted out. It's like all of a sudden, he remembered he should be complaining.

[Paci]

If you just count he did get up at like 9.5 or something like that. So he beat the count sort of, but didn't get up in time and it wasn't a fast count really. And yeah, it figures Walcott was pissed. The Ref countined counting when he was getting up.

[Ambling Alp II]

But why wasn't he pissed right off the bat? He was walking around the ring calmly for a while after the fight was over, then all of sudden goes into a rage.

[elmersalsa]

Rage or not, to me that count was too fast. Way too fast. I have seen slower counts than that. When Rocky went down in the first fight, he got up real quick before the count of 3.

[Paci]

Anyhow, it was an anticlimax to what could be another classic.

[elmersalsa]

Anyhow, it was an anticlimax to what could be another classic.

Yes. It's just that Jersey Joe never got the chance when the count went as fast as you can read this.

[Paci]

Yes. It's just that Jersey Joe never got the chance when the count went as fast as you can read this.

That is just plain petty. Im not goin' there.

It is what it is. If you gonna yell robbery about a fight from 1953... Why bother, dude?

[elmersalsa]

That is just plain petty. Im not goin' there.

It is what it is. If you gonna yell robbery about a fight from 1953... Why bother, dude?

We gotta be fair at all times.