Does anyone remember this? I saw this as a kid in the mid-seventies. It was filmed in 1969. It was released on January 20, 1970, and it grossed 5 million dollars in 1,500 theaters across North America and Europe. This is a fun piece of pop culture. In accordance with the conditions laid down by the distributor, bonded guards collected all prints after a single showing and took them to be incinerated. Obviously, that didn’t happen because prints were found in the mid-seventies.
By the time this was filmed…Rocky had been retired for 14 years and he lost around 60lbs to look the part. Ali was in his prime at the time but this wasn’t a real boxing match…it was fought by a computer and the two boxers mimicked what the computer said would happen.
They filmed two different endings with each winning. The one that was released in The United States, Canada, and throughout Europe showed Rocky winning. A small group in Europe showed the version in which Ali won.
Ali was critical of some people in his career but he never said a cross word about Rocky Marciano. Both boxers respected the other.
Marciano became the only heavyweight champion with a perfect professional record, undefeated in 49 fights, who successfully defended his title six times before retiring on April 27, 1956. He won 43 of his pro bouts by knockouts.
He would never see this film released. Marciano died on Aug. 31, 1969, in a small plane crash near Des Moines, Iowa, the day before his 46th birthday. It was only three weeks after he finished this boxing match with Ali.
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I never saw it..
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I remember this being amazed that a computer determined the outcome….a cool idea
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Strange but intriguing story. I’ve heard of both boxers obviously but knew nothing about this film.
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Back in the seventies…it was so odd thinking that a computer decided what would happen…I always remembered this.
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Hi Max, giant English boxer Tyson Fury was heavyweight champ retired with an undefeated record at 32 wins, 1 draw and 0 defeats. He retired recently after his last fight but wants to make a comeback against fellow English boxer Anthony Joshua. His 1st fight resurrection ‘like’ raise against Deontay Wilder is already the stuff of boxing legend. I’ll send it below if you haven’t seen it.
I liked the computer simulation video. I’m surprised they were able to achieve that in that epoch. I wrote an article about how other boxers were just so intimidated by Rocky’s raw power and how he got fit. The video ‘How Rocky Marciano got so fit ‘ on YT is great. I didn’t realise Rocky died so young.
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Matt I never got this video…that was cool. It was in my spam and I just approved it.
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Thanks Matt…I haven’t heard of him…I wish him well on his comeback!
Yea I couldn’t believe he died 3 weeks after this video…it was tragic. He was a really good business man from what I read.
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And tough as nails. Marciano punches had indefinable force according to his opponents.
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I’ve seen some of his old fights…yea he was a brute force.
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Same here seen a few. It’s impressive indeed. My three favourite fights I have seen since I was able to follow boxing are:
1. Rumble in the Jungle – Ali – Foreman (that is ropadope stuff by Ali is amazing)
2. Golovkin – Canelo 2nd Fight
3. Fury – Wilder 1st fight (12th round above)
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I like two of the Ali – Frazier fights also and yes the Rumble in the Jungle is awesome.
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Yeh, I saw those two on YT, one in Manilla, right? There is an amazing quote attributed to Frazier which I love: “What you cheat on in the early light of morning will show up in the ring under the bright lights.”
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Yes that was one….Frazier beat him the first time but Ali took him in Manilla.
That is a great quote.
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I am surprised I never saw or heard of this one. Interesting concept, especially “back then.” Kinda sorta ahead of its time.
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It really was… I’m surprised that Ali went along with it after losing but he respected Rocky a lot. He joked with him through filming it but he liked him.
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What a wild and wacky piece of history.
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I remember this Max. Man are you digging up some rare shit. It really would have been interesting to have seen these two fight each other in their prime. What I’ve gathered over the years was that a lot of Rocky’s fights would have been stopped because of his being cut. Two of the best for sure.
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Thanks man…I love this stuff. I thought more people would have remembered but you are one of the few ones. I watched boxing while growing up…yea I would have loved to see them box in their prime.
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I loved the fights but have lost track. My son Big earl keeps on top of it, says a real good one coming up. Terence Crawford/Errol Spence. Says it is two top guys.
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I would like to see another good fight…I’ll keep that in mind. Man I got confused with fighting when they introduced many other belts.
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Yeah to much bullshit making the good figts. Back when Hearns, Hagler, Duran, Leonard etc fought, they all fought the best and had to fight tough fights all along in their careers.
I have a great photo book ‘The Fights’ photographs by Charles Hoff, essays by Richard Ford. Some really good old time shots of fighters.
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Yea I remember those….and Frazier, Foreman, Ali, Holmes, and Norton.
That book sounds great…a fight back then was an event.
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Yup
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