 "The Rock of our Times?" | 2008-03-28 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2HW2Q565EFWZL |
Every boxing fan should know about The Rock, the only undefeated heavyweight champion of the world in history. So is he really better than Louis, Ali or even big ol' earbiting Mike? No one can ever tell.
What can be told is the sole story about Rocky Marciano. This book covers as much fighting, personal, social and cultural details one could ask for. After a while, some repetitive statements get boring. Sullivan also takes away some of his glamourous stats by stating in great detail how his fights were fixed with lesser opponents. I personally just think he filled the void between Louis and Ali, but nevertheless was a great champion.
You want to relive the 50's and have a good time about reading one of the world's greatest boxers of all time? This is your book. |
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 ""And In This Corner......................................" | 2008-02-12 |
| - Reviewed By divercalamia |
"Rocky Marciano The rock of His Times" by Russell Sullivan is a masterpiece of Sports Biography. Russell Sullivan "dosn't pull any punches " in this explosive story of a simple-man trying to make a "simple-living" in a very complex barbaric industry!
Sullivan knows his subject from all sides of the ring... and out. Not only does he know boxing, he knows the human spirit that envelopes it. This is a real "page-turner" and there is a wallop in every chapter! From Carmine Vingo to Roland LaStanza, and on to Archie Moore, the bell just keeps on ringing!
It's not just a story about boxing; it's a real tale about a contemporary "Lancelot" fighting his dragons from every direction.
"Marciano came to symbolize early-1950's simplicity. He was indeed, the rock of his times." (p.305)
Russell Sullivan does a superb job of bringing back those restless spirits at Madson Square Garden. "And in this corner, from Holyoke, Massachusetts:
R O C K Y ...........M A R C I A N O...........!!!!!!"
If, you haven't found a good book to read in a long time, don't "throw in the towel" just yet! Buy this book, it's a great read. |
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| "Well Researched, Even Handed ....." | 2008-01-27 |
| - Reviewed By User: A2UFEUIODJW04J |
AS a boxing historian I have often seen Marciano placed in one of two groups, either Mt. Olympus or the 20th row ... boxing is a sport often divided by racial and ethnic lines and there is a tremendous Marciano fan base that irrationally places him in the Parthenon of fighters and use his undefeated record to justify it. No rational discussion of physical limitations or quality of opposition matter. Other's dismiss him altogether. What is so good about this book was that the author did a terrific job keeping rational level of perspective. He did not preach one way or the other, he reported as it was covered at the time so the content remains objective. As a result, we get an accurate, detailed account of a legendary champion and his times. In addition, we also enjoy shorter but interesting insights into many Marciano's opponents such as Ezzard Charles, Jersey Joe Walcott and Archie Moore, legends in their own rights....
It is a highly recommended read along the lines of "John L. Sullivan and his America" and "Papa Jack." |
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| "Good bio of a great Champion" | 2007-04-19 |
| - Reviewed By cwn_annwn |
This was a good bio of Rocky Marciano. There really never was a more unlikely guy to become one the great heavyweight champions if you think about it. He had very little in the way of amateur fights and really didn't start boxing till he was in his mid 20's. He was very small for a heavyweight, even for that time. Marciano was the only heavyweight champion to never lose a fight and retire undefeated. He was one of a small handful of boxers that transcended the sport and became American icons that were synonymous with the times in which they were champion. Anybody that disparages his ring accomplishments either has an anti-white agenda or knows NOTHING about boxing. He had victories over fighters who are arguably the three most skilled, ringwise and crafty heavyweights to ever get in the ring, Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles (he beat Walcott and Charles twice) and Archie Moore. I do not consider Marciano to be the greatest heavyweight ever but his ring accomplishments can't be denied.
But besides his big fights which were talked about in depth among other things it also goes into his life growing up in a poor Italian-American family. The very methodical process in which he was brought up through the ranks of the fight game after he turned pro. The likliehood that the main reason he retired was because he was sick of dealing with his over controlling manager. His penchant for being incredibly cheap and frugal. As well as his tragic death in an airplane crash. |
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| "Rocky Marciano is the bomb" | 2007-04-03 |
| - Reviewed By Anonymous |
By:Ryan Lemery
This was a very good book. it was entertaining as well as informational. I especially liked how it talked about racism and the struggles of being a boxer in that era. I liked how Rocky was known as the Great White Hope. But there were a few things that i didn't like. Things such as how a whole chapter would be about one thing that didn't even pertain to Rocky. I also didn't like how Al Weill was taking Rocky's money and using it for his own pleasures.Thank god Rocky found out about it. That was pretty much the only sad part in the book. Besides the part where Rocky died in a plane crash. And on his Birthday! I think that I almost cried. I really liked this book and i think that many people should read it. It would be a good book for people with big dreams, and big hopes.
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 "The Rock of His Times" | 2007-02-16 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3C1HLVDVFTOM1 |
Unfortunately, for this author, Rocky Marciano's life in and out of the ring was very uneventful. The writer touched on subjects that "could have been a dark side" of the Rock, but failed to produce anything jaw dropping. Some of the more interesting parts of the book were descriptions of the corrupt IBC, and short descriptions of former champions like Jack Johnson and Joe Louis.
On the bright side, the writer capitalized on the opportunity to describe the 50's American way of life. Overall though, it did not show me much about the Rock that I didn't already know. |
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