BoxRec

Coley Wallace, who beat Rocky Marciano in an amateur bout and played Joe Louis in two movies has died. He was 77.

Wallace died in a Manhattan hospital Sunday of heart failure, his attorney and friend Raymond Sussman said Sunday.

Wallace had a record of 20-7-0 in six years as a professional, but his most memorable moment came as an amateur in 1948, when he defeated Marciano in the New York Golden Gloves tournament. IMarciano, went on to win the heavyweight championship and was unbeaten in 49 fights.

As a pro Wallace lost to some good fighters like Ezzard Charles, Jimmy Bivins and Bob Baker.

http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=010361

R.I.P.

John Exshaw in Boxing Monthly was only mentioning Wallace this month while reviewing the Joe Louis movie...sad news

Cop on, winning in amateurs means nothing.

boxingdvduk wrote:Cop on, winning in amateurs means nothing.

Particularly against Marciano who had an unremarkable amateur record.

boxingdvduk wrote:Cop on, winning in amateurs means nothing.

pure bullshit.....

tell felix savon that winning in amateurs means nothing

Regardless of his win over Marciano i think it is sad news all the same and Wallace seemed to be a bit of a character out of the ring as well.

knockout wrote:

boxingdvduk wrote:Cop on, winning in amateurs means nothing.

pure bullshit.....

tell felix savon that winning in amateurs means nothing

It doesn't mean nothing, but there are plenty of fighters who were average as amateurs who went on to be fantastic fighters.

jimbob wrote:Was this the guy Marciano got disqualified against? For using his knee... I think

That was a bout during Marcianos army days. Rocky was losing so comitted the foul to get disqualified instead. the fight was promoted by a pal of Marcianos Uncle Kike called Gene Caggiano. the opponent was a guy called Henry Lester.

Coley wallace beat him by an apparent controversial decision during a Golden Gloves tourney in March 1948 in Brooklyn

boxingdvduk wrote:Cop on, winning in amateurs means nothing.

I diagree, completely.

If anything it gives a psychological advantage but it doesn't mean that a fighter is a legend because he does something in the amateurs. You have to remember that a lot of fighters are only learning how to fight in the amateurs. A young fighter with loads of talent losing against a highly experienced amateur doesn't make the experienced guy a legend in amateur boxing. For me, it's only impressive if he beats the guy when he's in his prime.

boxingdvduk wrote:If anything it gives a psychological advantage but it doesn't mean that a fighter is a legend because he does something in the amateurs.

Nobody is claiming Coley Wallace was a legendary fighter but he obviously had some ability just by looking at his professional record.

Also as an amateur he beat the then professional Rocky Marciano in a amateur fight. I think that is an acheivement worth mentioning anyway.

I found some info on Marcianos amateur career.

1946
Apr 15 Ted Lester Brockton LDQ 3
Aug 22 Frederic L. Ross Portland, OR KO 1 (Oregonian)
Aug 23 Richard Jarvis Portland, OR KO 1 (Oregonian)
(Semi-final)
Aug 23 Joe D'Angelis Portland, OR L 3 (Oregonian)
(Final - National Junior AAU Heavyweight Final)

1947
Jan 17 Jim Connolly Boston KO 1 (NE Ring Review)
Jan 17 Bob Girard Boston L 3 (NE Ring Review)
(Massachusetts State Amateur Heavyweight Championship)

1948
Jan 26 Joe Sidlaskis Lowell, MA KO 1* (Lowell Sun)
Feb 9 Charles Mortimer Lowell, MA KO 3 (Lowell Sun)
(Wins MA-RI Golden Glove Tournament)
Feb 17 Bye (Opponent didn't show)
Feb 18 George McInnis Lowell, MA TKO 1 (Lowell Sun)
(Wins New England Tournament of Champions)

Mar 1 Coley Wallace Brooklyn, NY L 3 (Lowell Sun)
(First Round of All-Eastern Finals Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions The decision was highly controversial - most writers as well as the fans had Marciano winning 2 of the 3 rounds contested)

Mar Fred Fischera Boston, MA KO -
Mar George McInnis Boston, MA W 3 Final
(NE AAU Tournament)

If this is the fight arciano got DQ'ed in, he didn't really train that uch for it. He was very tired and knee'd the guy to get out of it. He said something like, "I'll never be tired in the ring again" after that fight.

Obviously he kept his word.