Talk about fate. A nasty, unkind, cruel twist of fate. And you can talk about, indeed fascinate over, what could have happened had things worked out differently in the boxing universe. Today marks the 55th anniversary of the sad passing of the legendary Rocky Marciano, “The Rock,” an uncommonly formidable warrior who never stayed down in the ring but went down in a nasty plane crash.
Rocky was just a day shy of hitting 46. And the former heavyweight king – who will be forever celebrated for his perfect 49-0 record, among plenty of other things – had plans in place to go into business with two boxing brothers who would eventually carve out a middleweight great named Marvin Nathaniel Hagler – better know of course as Marvelous.
Rocky was good friends with the Petronelli brothers, Goody and Pat. Rocky had agreed to team up with the two siblings, who aimed to set up a construction business and a boxing gym in Brockton, Mass. Goody, just discharged from the Navy, was driving his car when news of his friend’s death came over the radio. Goody was, as he recalled years later in speaking with The Enterprise, so stunned he had to park the car and sit in a coffee shop to take in the horrible news.
The entire world was shocked and saddened when Marciano was so senselessly taken. Of course, life went on, and the Petronelli brothers, both of them having boxed themselves, remained steadfast; they would open that gym. And they did. And in time, a considerable number of years after a young and raw yet also immensely determined Hagler first walked into the gym on Centre Street, the two finally deservedly hit it big.
As Hagler fans know, it was a heck of a tough climb the shaven-headed southpaw had to make. Bad decisions, small paydays, the years rolling by, and the number of fights before a title shot presented itself. Hagler was borderline paranoid at some points in his fighting career, sure that the powers that be were against him. It wasn’t until his 50th fight that Hagler finally got a chance at the middleweight title. After 15 rounds that most felt Hagler largely dominated, champ Vito Antuofermo retained via a controversial draw.
Hagler eventually ripped the crown from Antuofermo’s successor, Alan Minter; Hagler ravaged Minter’s face and stopped him in three rounds in London. Famously, the mostly drunk fans pelted the new champ with bottles as he attempted to celebrate in the middle of the ring.
Nothing ever came easy to Marvin Hagler. But might things have been different had Rocky Marciano been assisting the fighter’s rise through the ranks and, after so much hard work, through the big fights?
Goody was asked this question by writer Jim Fenton back in 2007.
“I thought about that a lot,” Goody said. “It would have made things so much easier. Marvin wouldn’t have had to climb a mountain like he did. With Rocky’s contacts, it would have been so much easier. I really would have liked working with him in a gym.”
Had Rocky lived, he would have been 57 when Hagler finally became champ. Imagine Marciano co-guiding Hagler, teaching him, helping him avoid the pitfalls, and making his path to greatness much smoother. Everyone would have nothing but respect for Rocky, and the respect and admiration would have slid over onto Hagler.
The bad decisions may still have come – Hagler, in his “Philly Wars,” dropping debatable decision defeat at the collective and skilled hands of Bobby Watts and Willie Monroe (Marv later avenging both setbacks) – but with Marciano’s presence, it’s entirely possible Hagler would have felt more secure, more protected. And maybe Marciano would have advised Hagler to take some different fights. It’s a fantastic thing to think about.
How would Marciano have enjoyed the epic war Hagler had with Thomas Hearns? Imagine Rocky walking Hagler into the ring, working his corner. How would Rocky have viewed the ever-so-debated split decision Hagler lost to Sugar Ray Leonard? Might Marciano have been able to encourage Hagler to carry on and not retire in bitterness?
Then we see how Marciano may have added to Hagler’s fighting style, his all-round, no-nonsense approach. How might Rocky have tweaked Marvin’s skills, if at all?
In short, the superb addition of the man who rates, according to some, as the toughest, hardest-training heavyweight ever to the camp of, some say, the toughest, hardest-training middleweight ever……..would have been, pardon the pun, simply Marvelous!
Rocky was taken at age 46 (bar a day), and Marvelous Marvin was gone at age 66. Together, along with the two Petronellis, they would have made quite a team.
Interestingly, when Hagler was presented with his belts after having had to escape those London thugs, Marciano’s former rival (and perhaps his most testing) Jersey Joe Walcott was on hand to strap them around Marvin’s waist. Rocky, for sure, was looking down with approval.
