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It had rained in the afternoon and dark clouds were still
threatening as Marciano entered Yankee Stadium that night to
fight Matthews. He wore an old pair of rubbers into the ring
to prevent the soles of his boxing shoes from getting wet.
Matthews was a year older than Rocky and, at 179 pounds to
Marciano's 187, was one of the few opponents ever to give
Rocky a weight advantage. Rocky was absolutely fearless, but
it was obvious from the tense expression on Matthews face
that the reverse was not true.
Matthews won the first round with effective jabs that kept
the aggressive Marciano at bay. But in the second round
Rocky chased Matthews across the ring toward his corner and,
punching out of a crouch, delivered two sweeping left hooks
that banged off the right side of Harry's skull. His head
jerked violently as each punch landed. His mouthpiece flew
out, and as he sank to the canvas his head struck the lower
rope in his own corner. He struggled to his knees by the
count of eight, and it appeared as if he might try to get
up, but then he fell backward. His head rested against the
ring post, his eyes closed and his arms spread flat over the
canvas.
Marciano danced around the ring, grinning and holding his
arms high overhead. Columbo rushed to Rocky, wiped his face
with a towel, and then hugged and kissed him. Rocky was
unmarked, unhurt, and not even slightly tired. The
heavyweight contender Matthews had been easier to defeat
than most of the mediocre club fighters Rocky had met early
in his career at Providence. |
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EVERETT M. SKEHAN
Rocky Marciano: Biography Of A First Son
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