Heavyweight challengers who never got their shot

[HomicideHenry]

1953-54: Earl (The Hooded Terror) Walls. Marciano flat-out ducked him.

Who did he beat to get a shot at Rocky?

Nah. Walls retired, and 6-15-1955 was his last fight. Marciano retired on 4-27-1956. If my memory serves me right they were supposed to fight in December of 1955, but Walls retired. He wanted to focus on his family instead of a ring career. Marciano didn't duck him.

[Caractacus]

British HW Bruce Woodcock
( if he could get by Joe Baski )

[Caractacus]

Jack O'Halloran
( who was once scheduled to fight Muhammad Ali -but not for the title )

[Caractacus]

Lee Savold.
He had fought both Joe Louis and Rocky Marciano
but neither was HW Champion at the time.
( although I seem to remember that at one time the British Boxing board absurdly calimed Savold to be HW Champion of the World)

[Ambling Alp II]

They did after Louis retired with the title. Then Louis came out of retirement, lost to Charles and later beat Savold. It seemed silly to recognize Louis as champion again and they didn't.

[Caractacus]

Yvonne Durelle
Willie Pastrano

[Ambling Alp II]

Don't think Durelle was ever a heavyweight contender.

[Caractacus]

He had to starve himself to get down to the LHW division when he fought Archie Moore
and was weak as a result of it.
he later fought George Chuvalo for the Canadian HW title..