By James Slater: His name may not be overly familiar to younger fight fans, but Rick “Rocky” Sekorski, a gutsy heavyweight from Minnesota, was one of the division’s more colourful and spirited practitioners in the 1980s. In no way blessed with an abundance of sheer talent, this real life Rocky made a name for himself by winning fans over with his bravery, heart and hard head.
After a quite promising start to his pro career in 1981, when the 21-year-old weighed-in at around 200-pounds, stood at 5’11” and was no more than a cruiserweight, Rocky soon slipped into the role of journeyman. Sekorski won his first 13 bouts, 7 by KO, but then saw the losses begin to mount. Almost always, however, Rocky lost only to top names.
In 1983, Rocky was beaten and stopped for the very first time. Losing in nine rounds to the former two-time cruiserweight champion Marvin Camel, it would be over four-and-a-half years before he was to suffer a stoppage defeat again. The loss to Camel seemed to seal his fate, though, as, after three wins over modest opposition, Rocky lost a further four bouts – all on points and to good men. The emerging Pierre Coetzer, Argentine Walter Falconi and the still crafty Jimmy Young all out-pointed him in ’85/’86 – Young doing so twice. But Rocky was proving a hard man to stop.
In August of 1986, Sekorski won what was arguably his career-best victory. Stopping former heavyweight king Leon Spinks in six rounds, the 27-year-old made at least a little bit of noise. “Neon Leon” may have been 17-5-2 at the time, but the win did propel Rocky into fights with the upcoming pair that was Italy’s Francesco Damiani and Brazil’s big-punching Adilson Rodrigues. Going to the two men’s home countries, the capable journeyman left with points losses on his record on both occasions. Still, in going ten and twelve rounds, respectively, Rocky showed once again what stern stuff he was fashioned from.
It was seen as some surprise then, that the come-backing former heavyweight champion George Foreman chose to take a fight with Sekorski only two fights later – both of which were wins for the man from Minnesota. No, Rocky was no danger man, but the forty-something Foreman was only four fights into his improbable return, and the fight with Sekorski was to be his most visible yet – taking place in Las Vegas. Big George stopped the 20-7 Sekorski in just three rounds – the fastest anyone had ever gotten rid of Sekorski. Rocky never went down, but he was shipping hefty punishment at the time of the ref’s intervention. Foreman had made a statement, Rocky’s role as a trial horse was never more apparent.
Two wins followed, before a 12 rounds points loss to the former WBA champ, Mike Dokes. In going the full route with “Dynamite,” Rocky once again displayed his resilience. Indeed, in hindsight, though the fight was seen as just another sad, handpicked win over a meaningless foe for Foreman at the time, George’s performance against the tough man from Minnesota was a pretty good win.
Unfortunately, after the points loss to Dokes, it all went down hill for Rocky. A worthless points win over Rick Kellar followed (the very same man Sekorski beat in his first pro fight way back in’81), before the 30-year-old was beaten consecutively four times – twice by KO. A four-rounds points loss to Jimmy Lee Smith in November of 1993 convinced Rocky to call it quits and hang ’em up.
Rocky’s final record stands at 23-13(11). In all, the robust heavyweight was only stopped four times. He may never have been a top contender, he may never have even won a minor title, but Rocky Sekorski was a heavyweight who was as fearless, as proud and as hardworking as you could wish to find. Whatever he is doing today, this writer wishes him well.
Minnesota’s Rocky Sekorski – he fought his best!