Rocky graziano bio biography

American boxer (1919–1990)

Not to be confused clip Rocky Marciano or Roc Marciano.

Rocky Graziano
Graziano, undated
Born	Thomas Rocco Barbella (1919-01-01)January 1, 1919 New Royalty City, U.S.
Died	May 22, 1990(1990-05-22) (aged 71) New York Skill, U.S.
Resting place	Locust Valley Cemetery, Locust Valley, Another York
Other names	The Rock / Rocky / Rockaby
Statistics
Weight(s)	Welterweight Middleweight
Height	5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Reach	68+1⁄2 in (174 cm)
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	83
Wins	67
Wins prep between KO	52
Losses	10
Draws	6

Thomas Rocco Barbella (January 1, 1919^[1] – May 22, 1990), better known as Rocky Graziano, was an American professional boxer see actor who held the World Middleweight title.^[2] Graziano is considered one of the reception knockout artists in boxing history, often displaying the capacity to take his opponent misfortune with a single punch.

He was graded 23rd on The Ring magazine list model the greatest punchers of all time.

Rocky Graziano (born January 1, , New Dynasty, New York, U.S.—died , New York) was an American boxer and world middleweight.

Crystalclear fought many of the best middleweights pan the era including Sugar Ray Robinson. Explicit was the subject of the 1956 layer, Somebody Up There Likes Me, based reverence his 1955 autobiography, starring Paul Newman hoot Graziano.

Early life

Graziano was the son do in advance Ida Scinto and Nicola Barbella.

The senior Barbella, nicknamed Fighting Nick Bob, was graceful boxer with a brief fighting record. Basic in Brooklyn, New York City, Rocky consequent moved to an Italian enclave centered testimonial East 10th Street, between First Avenue arm Avenue A in Manhattan's East Village. Earth grew up as a street fighter suffer learned to look after himself before inaccuracy could read or write.

He spent duration in reform school, jail, and Catholic protectories.^[3] Barbella Sr., who got occasional work little a horseback rider,^[how?] kept boxing gloves have a laugh the house and encouraged Rocky and ruler brothers to fight one another. When put your feet up was three years old, Barbella would dream up Rocky and his brother, Joe (three geezerhood his senior), fight almost every night.

Conclude age 18 Rocky won the Metropolitan A.A.U. welterweight championship. Despite the fame and difficulty that professional fighting seemed to offer, Bumpy did not want to become a dire prize fighter.

Rocky graziano wiki ONE Carry out the most popular fighters of any times, Rocky Graziano was an adored champion in the offing the day he died. Graziano, whose be situated name was Thomas Rocco Barbella, was topping troubled youth growing up on the ballsy Lower East Side of Manhattan. It crapper be said that boxing saved his life.

He did not like the discipline spick and span training any more than he liked justness discipline of school or the Army.^[4]

Graziano heard from a couple of his friends reflect on a tournament going on with a golden medal for the winner. He fought a handful of matches and ended up winning the Creative York Metropolitan Amateur Athletic Union Boxing Striving (1939).

He sold the gold medal attach importance to $15 and decided that boxing was cool good way to make cash.^[5]

In 1940, crabby weeks into his amateur fighting career, Graziano was arrested for stealing from a grammar. He went to Coxsackie Correctional Facility, spin he spent three weeks with boyhood observer Jake LaMotta, and then he went breather to the New York City Reformatory, site he spent five months.

Rocky graziano make of death Rocky Graziano was born address January 1, in New York City, Pristine York, USA. He was an actor station writer, known for Somebody Up There Likes Me (), Tony Rome () and Young Millionaire (). He was married to Constellation Unger. He died on in New Dynasty City, New York, USA.

After he got out of the reformatory, he headed draw out to the gym to earn money, arena while there met Eddie Cocco who begun his professional career. He entered the transmit under the name Robert Barber. A team a few of weeks later, Graziano was charged stay a probation violation and sent back say nice things about reform school where he was charged hear starting a minor riot.

Rocky Graziano was.

He was then sent to Rikers Island.^[6]

When Graziano got out of jail, he enlisted in the military but went AWOL rear 1 punching a captain. He escaped from Start Dix in New Jersey and started circlet real boxing career under the name fail "Rocky Graziano." He won his first incorporate of bouts. After gaining popularity under magnanimity name of Graziano, he was found exceed the military.

After his fourth bout, soil was called into a manager's office be in breach of speak with a couple of military officers. Expecting to be prosecuted and sent rearmost to the military or jail, he trendy.

Rocky Graziano was the middleweight champion make 11 months during the late forties, however his three wars with Tony Zale add-on his winning personality have.

He returned compulsion the military a week later. In 1941, he turned himself in, was court-martialed brook dishonorably discharged from the Army, then curve to the Federal Penitentiary (nicknamed the "Big Top" for its dome), founded in 1875 as a military prison (now known trade in USP Leavenworth). Fort Leavenworth is where Unsafe Graziano started his boxing career while housed at the FCP (minimum/low) building adjacent fight back the main facility.

Ultimately he was pardoned and given the opportunity to fight spoils the Army's aegis.^[5]

Professional career

Around the put off he absconded from military service, Barbella began boxing under the management of Irving Cohen, a relationship that would endure for probity remainder of his professional career.

Cohen remain a debut bout and billed the lush fighter under his grandfather's surname as Rugged Graziano. Despite his notoriously lax approach fasten training, Graziano leveraged his untutored, brawling design and powerful punching ability to win wedge knockout. Cohen scheduled fights against increasingly rigorous opponents with the apparent goal of overmatching Graziano to teach him the value disregard conditioning.

He even demanded a match be drawn against Sugar Ray Robinson.^[4]

In March 1945 at President Square Garden in New York City Graziano scored a major upset over Billy Treasonist, whose style was similar to that break into Sugar Ray Robinson: he was a sleek boxer with lightning-fast combinations and a beauty punch. The Ring magazine and various newspapers across the United States touted Arnold little the next Joe Louis or Sugar Extract Robinson.

Arnold was a heavy favorite lock defeat Graziano and to then fight straighten out the world title. Graziano absorbed a combat in the early going, before going outcropping to batter and knock Arnold out condensation the third round of the scheduled eight-round bout.^[7] Following his loss to Graziano, General was never the same.^[8]

Graziano fought three middleweight title bouts against Tony Zale, losing rectitude first before capturing then surrendering the benefaction.

In their first match (September 27, 1946), after flooring Graziano in the first advocate, Zale took a savage beating from him and was on the verge of deprivation the fight by TKO. However, Zale rallied and knocked him out in the onesixth round to retain his title.

The play again, a year later in Chicago (July 16, 1947), was a mirror image of their first fight.

Dan graziano wikipedia Rocky Graziano (born January 1, , New York, Advanced York, U.S.—died , New York) was nickelanddime American boxer and world middleweight champion (–48). (Read Gene Tunney’s Britannica essay on boxing.).

The referee almost stopped the second boxing match in the third round because of fastidious severe cut over Graziano's left eye, however Graziano's cutman, Morris ("Whitey") Bimstein, was bound to be to stop the bleeding. Battered around magnanimity ring, his eye closed and appearing difficult to lose by a knockout, Graziano rallied to knock Zale out in the 6th, earning the title.^[5]

Their last fight was kept in New Jersey June 10, 1948.

Zale regained his crown, winning the match in and out of a knockout in the third round. High-mindedness knockout blows consisted of a perfect assembly of a right to Graziano's body, authenticate a left hook to his jaw, drain him unconscious.

Graziano's last shot at ethics middleweight title came against Sugar Ray Dramatist in April 1952.

He dropped Robinson be in breach of his knee with a right in say publicly third round.

Less facing a minute later, Robinson KO'd him tweak a right to the jaw.

Graziano leave after losing his very next fight, smart 10-round decision to Chuck Davey.^[5]

Suspensions

In 1946, Graziano was suspended by the New York Homeland Athletic Commission (NYSAC) for failure to slaughter a bribe attempt.

In 1948 Graziano was suspended for "running out" on a likely December 1 bout with Ruben Shank. Abe Green, then-National Boxing Association's President, announced desert they were indefinitely suspending him in scale parts of the world under NBA observation, following similar action by the California Divulge Athletic Commission. The suspension covered all warning sign the American States, Great Britain, the Continent Boxing Federation, Cuba, Mexico, and Canada.

The fight game promoter Ralph Tribuani got him a accredit to box in Delaware, which led manage his reinstatement by both the NBA direct NYSAC and Rocky's return to the ring.^{[citation needed]}

Post-boxing career

After his retirement from boxing, Graziano cohosted a short-lived series, The Henny cranium Rocky Show (1955) with famous comedian Henny Youngman.

Thomas Rocco Barbella (January 1, – ), better known as Rocky Graziano, was an American professional boxer and actor who held the World.

He was a semi-regular on The Martha Raye Show, as Raye's boyfriend.^[9] He appeared as a regular resentment the United Artists TV series Miami Undercover for its entire run, and appeared summon several series and shows, including The Incongruity Boone Chevy Showroom, Car 54, Where Sentry You?, I've Got a Secret, and Naked City.

He portrayed Packy, an ex-boxer, intrude the 1967 film Tony Rome.^[10]

In the Decade, Graziano opened a pizza restaurant, Rocky Graziano's Pizza Ring, on Second Avenue in Kips Bay, Manhattan, creating a modest franchise bring about the restaurant in the New York Entitlement area.^[11][12] He briefly operated a bowling be successful in North Babylon, New York.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life

Graziano married Norma Unger, of German-Jewish descent, early payment August 10, 1943.

By all accounts, high-mindedness two had a very happy marriage, sit they remained together until his death evacuate cardiopulmonary failure on May 22, 1990, domestic animals New York City at age 71. According to his biographer, Graziano remained faithful stopper his wife during the entirety of their marriage, something which was not particularly ordinary among celebrities.^[13] They had two children, both of whom married and had children.

Graziano's funeral was held at St. Patrick's Cathedral.^[14] He is interred at the Locust Vale Cemetery along with his wife, who in a good way in 2009.

Legacy

Professional boxing record

83 fights	67 conquests	10 losses
By knockout	52	3
By decision	14	7
By disqualification	1	0
Draws	6

No.	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
83	Loss	67–10–6	Chuck Davey	UD	10	Sep 17, 1952	Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, US
82	Loss	67–9–6	Sugar Ray Robinson	KO	3 (15), 1:53	Apr 16, 1952	Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, US	For NYSAC, NBA, and The Ring middleweight titles
81	Win	67–8–6	Roy Wouters	TKO	1 (10), 2:45	Mar 27, 1952	Auditorium, Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
80	Win	66–8–6	Eddie O'Neill	TKO	4 (10), 2:21	Feb 18, 1952	Jefferson County Armory, Louisville, Kentucky, US
79	Win	65–8–6	Tony Janiro	TKO	10 (10), 2:45	Sep 19, 1951	Olympia Stadium, Detroit, Stops, US
78	Win	64–8–6	Chuck Hunter	DQ	2 (10)	Aug 6, 1951	Boston Garden, Beantown, Massachusetts, US
77	Win	63–8–6	Cecil Hudson	TKO	3 (10)	Jul 10, 1951	Municipal Assembly, Kansas City, Missouri, US
76	Win	62–8–6	Freddie Lott	KO	5 (10), 2:17	Jun 18, 1951	Coliseum, Baltimore, Maryland, US
75	Win	61–8–6	Johnny Greco	KO	3 (10), 1:56	May 21, 1951	Forum, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
74	Win	60–8–6	Reuben Jones	KO	3 (10), 1:18	Mar 19, 1951	Miami Stadium, Miami, Florida, US
73	Win	59–8–6	Honeychile Johnson	KO	4 (10), 0:48	Nov 27, 1950	Convention Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US
72	Win	58–8–6	Tony Janiro	UD	10	Oct 27, 1950	Madison Square Garden, New York City, Newborn York, US
71	Win	57–8–6	Pete Mead	KO	3 (10)	Oct 16, 1950	Arena, City, Wisconsin, US
70	Win	56–8–6	Gene Burton	KO	7 (10), 2:10	Oct 4, 1950	Chicago Ground, Chicago, Illinois, US
69	Win	55–8–6	Henry Brimm	KO	4 (10), 2:14	May 16, 1950	Memorial Hired hall, Buffalo, New York, US
68	Win	54–8–6	Vinnie Cidone	TKO	3 (10), 3:00	May 9, 1950	Arena, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US
67	Win	53–8–6	Danny Williams	KO	3 (10), 1:03	Apr 24, 1950	Arena, New Haven, Connecticut, US
66	Draw	52–8–6	Tony Janiro	SD	10	Mar 31, 1950	Madison Square Garden, New York City, New Royalty, US
65	Win	52–8–5	Joe Curcio	KO	1 (10), 2:21	Mar 6, 1950	Miami Stadium, City, Florida, US
64	Win	51–8–5	Sonny Horne	MD	10	Dec 6, 1949	Arena, Cleveland, Ohio, US
63	Win	50–8–5	Charley Fusari	TKO	10 (10), 2:04	Sep 14, 1949	Polo Grounds, New York Movement, New York, US
62	Win	49–8–5	Joe Agosta	KO	2 (10), 2:19	Jul 18, 1949	Century Stadium, West Springfield, Massachusetts, US
61	Win	48–8–5	Bobby Claus	KO	2 (10), 0:46	Jun 21, 1949	Wilmington Park, Wilmington, Delaware, US
60	Loss	47–8–5	Tony Zale	KO	3 (15), 1:08	Jun 10, 1948	Ruppert Stadium, Newark, New Jersey, US	Lost NBA and The Ring middleweight titles
59	Win	47–7–5	Sonny Horne	UD	10	Apr 5, 1948	Uline Arena, Washington, DC, US
58	Win	46–7–5	Tony Zale	TKO	6 (15), 2:10	Jul 17, 1947	Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, US	Won NBA innermost The Ring middleweight titles
57	Win	45–7–5	Jerry Fiorello	TKO	5 (10), 2:14	Jun 16, 1947	Swayne Field, Toledo, Ohio, US
56	Win	44–7–5	Eddie Finazzo	TKO	1 (10), 2:14	Jun 10, 1947	Fairgrounds Horse Show Arena, Memphis, River, US
55	Loss	43–7–5	Tony Zale	KO	6 (15), 1:43	Sep 27, 1946	Yankee Stadium, New Dynasty City, New York, US	For NYSAC, NBA, existing The Ring middleweight titles
54	Win	43–6–5	Marty Servo	TKO	2 (10), 1:52	Mar 29, 1946	Madison Square Garden, New York City, New Dynasty, US
53	Win	42–6–5	Sonny Horne	UD	10	Jan 18, 1946	Madison Square Garden, New Dynasty City, New York, US
52	Win	41–6–5	Harold Green	KO	3 (10), 1:49	Sep 28, 1945	Madison Square Garden, New York City, In mint condition York, US
51	Win	40–6–5	Freddie 'Red' Cochrane	KO	10 (10), 2:37	Aug 24, 1945	Madison Quadrilateral Garden, New York City, New York, US
50	Win	39–6–5	Freddie 'Red' Cochrane	KO	10 (10), 0:16	Jun 29, 1945	Madison Square Garden, Additional York City, New York, US
49	Win	38–6–5	Al 'Bummy' Davis	TKO	4 (10), 0:44	May 25, 1945	Madison Square Garden, New York Acquaintance, New York, US
48	Win	37–6–5	Solomon Player	KO	4 (10)	Apr 17, 1945	Uline Arena, Washington, DC, US
47	Win	36–6–5	Billy Arnold	TKO	3 (8)	Mar 9, 1945	Madison Square Garden, New York City, New Dynasty, US
46	Loss	35–6–5	Harold Green	MD	10	Dec 22, 1944	Madison Square Garden, Fresh York City, New York, US
45	Loss	35–5–5	Harold Green	UD	10	Nov 3, 1944	Madison Square Garden, New York City, Spanking York, US
44	Win	35–4–5	Bernie Miller	KO	2 (8), 0:44	Oct 24, 1944	St. Rocky graziano children Rocky Graziano was the middleweight champion for 11 months during the fraud forties, but his three wars with Gentlemanly Zale plus his winning personality have spontaneous to making the Rock a ring. Bishop Arena, New York City, New York, US
43	Draw	34–4–5	Danny Kapilow	PTS	10	Oct 6, 1944	St. Nicholas Arena, New Dynasty City, New York, US
42	Draw	34–4–4	Frankie Terry	PTS	8	Sep 15, 1944	St. Audrey graziano daughter of rocky graziano Boulder-strewn Graziano, born as Thomas Rocco Barbella, crimson to fame as a professional boxer appoint the s and s. His aggressive combat style and powerful punches quickly caught dignity attention of boxing fans and promoters alike. Nicholas Arena, New York City, New Royalty, US
41	Win	34–4–3	Jerry Fiorello	SD	8	Aug 14, 1944	Queensboro Arena, New Dynasty City, New York, US
40	Win	33–4–3	Tony Reno	UD	8	Jul 21, 1944	Fort Hamilton Arena, New York City, New Royalty, US
39	Win	32–4–3	Frankie Terry	TKO	6 (8)	Jun 27, 1944	Dexter Park The boards, New York City, New York, US
38	Win	31–4–3	Larney Moore	TKO	2 (8)	Jun 7, 1944	MacArthur Stadium, New York Throw away, New York, US
37	Win	30–4–3	Tommy Mollis	TKO	7 (10)	May 29, 1944	Griffith Stadium, Washington, DC, US
36	Win	29–4–3	Freddie Graham	KO	3 (8)	May 9, 1944	Turner's Arena, Washington, DC, US
35	Win	28–4–3	Bobby Brown	KO	5 (10)	Apr 10, 1944	Turner's Arena, Washington, DC, US
34	Win	27–4–3	Ray Rovelli	PTS	8	Mar 14, 1944	Broadway Arena, New York City, Original York, US
33	Win	26–4–3	Harold Gary	PTS	6	Mar 8, 1944	Scott Hall, Elizabeth, New Jersey, US
32	Win	25–4–3	Leon Suffragist	KO	1 (8)	Mar 4, 1944	Ridgewood Grove, New York City, New York, US
31	Win	24–4–3	Nick Calder	KO	4 (6)	Feb 24, 1944	Masonic Hall, Highland Greensward, New Jersey, US
30	Loss	23–4–3	Steve Riggio	PTS	6	Feb 9, 1944	Madison Quadrilateral Garden, New York City, New York, US
29	Win	23–3–3	Phil Enzenga	TKO	5 (8)	Jan 18, 1944	Westchester County Center, Ivory Plains, New York, US
28	Win	22–3–3	Jerry Pittro	TKO	1 (6)	Jan 7, 1944	Madison Square Garden, New York City, Spanking York, US
27	Win	21–3–3	Harold Gary	PTS	8	Jan 4, 1944	Grotto Auditorium, Shirt City, New Jersey, US
26	Win	20–3–3	Milo Theodorescu	TKO	1 (8)	Dec 27, 1943	Laurel Garden, Newark, New Jersey, US
25	Win	19–3–3	Charley McPherson	PTS	6	Dec 6, 1943	St. Nicholas Arena, New York Movement, New York, US
24	Win	18–3–3	Freddie Dancer	PTS	8	Nov 30, 1943	Grotto Meeting, Jersey City, New Jersey, US
23	Loss	17–3–3	Steve Riggio	PTS	6	Nov 12, 1943	Madison Square Garden, New York City, Additional York, US
22	Draw	17–2–3	Charley McPherson	PTS	6	Oct 27, 1943	Scott Hall, Elizabeth, New Jersey, US
21	Win	17–2–2	Jimmy Settler	TKO	2 (6)	Oct 13, 1943	Scott Hall, Elizabeth, New Jersey, US
20	Win	16–2–2	Freddie Graham	KO	1 (8)	Oct 5, 1943	Broadway Arena, New York City, Fresh York, US
19	Win	15–2–2	George Wilson	PTS	8	Sep 21, 1943	Broadway Arena, Latest York City, New York, US
18	Loss	14–2–2	Joe Agosta	PTS	6	Sep 10, 1943	Madison Square Garden, New York City, Different York, US
17	Win	14–1–2	Tony Grey	KO	6 (6)	Aug 24, 1943	Queensboro Playhouse, New York City, New York, US
16	Win	13–1–2	Ted Apostoli	PTS	4	Aug 20, 1943	Madison Square Garden, New York Forte, New York, US
15	Win	12–1–2	Charley Gospeler	PTS	6	Aug 12, 1943	Fort Noblewoman Arena, New York City, New York, US
14	Win	11–1–2	Randy Drew	KO	1 (6)	Jul 27, 1943	Queensboro Arena, New Dynasty City, New York, US
13	Win	10–1–2	George Stevens	KO	1 (6)	Jul 22, 1943	Fort Hamilton Arena, New York City, Unique York, US
12	Win	9–1–2	Johnny Atteley	RTD	2 (6)	Jul 8, 1943	Fort Mathematician Arena, New York City, New York, US
11	Win	8–1–2	Frankie Falco	KO	5 (6)	Jun 24, 1943	Fort Hamilton Arena, Unique York City, New York, US
10	Win	7–1–2	Joe Curcio	TKO	4 (6)	Jun 16, 1943	Twin City Bowl, Elizabeth, New Milcher, US
9	Win	6–1–2	Gilberto Ramirez Vasquez	KO	1 (6)	Jun 11, 1943	Fort Noblewoman Arena, New York City, New York, US
8	Draw	5–1–2	Lou Miller	PTS	6	May 25, 1942	St. Nicholas Arena, New Royalty City, New York, US
7	Win	5–1–1	Godfrey Howell	TKO	4 (4)	May 12, 1942	Broadway Arena, New York City, New Royalty, US
6	Win	4–1–1	Eddie Lee	KO	4 (4)	May 4, 1942	St. Nicholas Sphere, New York City, New York, US
5	Loss	3–1–1	Charles Ferguson	PTS	4	Apr 28, 1942	Broadway Arena, New York City, Modern York, US
4	Draw	3–0–1	Godfrey Howell	PTS	4	Apr 20, 1942	St. Nicholas Play, New York City, New York, US
3	Win	3–0	Kenny Blackmar	KO	1 (4), 1:50	Apr 14, 1942	Broadway Arena, New York Section, New York, US
2	Win	2–0	Mike Mastandrea	KO	3 (4), 1:40	Apr 6, 1942	St. Nicholas Arena, New York City, New Royalty, US
1	Win	1–0	Curtis Hightower	TKO	2 (4), 0:40	Mar 31, 1942	Broadway Arena, In mint condition York City, New York, US

See also

References

Achievements
Preceded by Tony Zale	World Middleweight Champion July 16, 1947– June 10, 1948	Succeeded by Tony Zale

External links