Did Marciano really have mafia ties?

Yes, a lot of boxers had mafia ties in those days.
Some mobsters helped run boxing in America at that time.

Marciano's manager Al Weill was barred from many states for his associated with boxing's biggest racketeer (and one-time mob hitman) Frank Carbo.
Apparently Marciano got on quite well with Carbo, but who wouldn't ?

 

Marciano fought many of his early fights in Providence Rhode Island. I have little doubt he had interactions with New England crime family boss Raymond Patriarca. I doubt he was in bed with any mobsters, though Im sure he was associated with quite a few. Gangsters have always been big sports fans, there is little doubt that they would want to be around the Rock.

 

he only wore them on special mafia office parties.

 

Well played, Herol. Well played! :good

I'd imagine most Boxers had mob-ties back then, OP, as that's when the mob was at it's most powerful. Well, up until the 80's.

 

I don't think he did.

 

Marciano was no more tied to the mob than any other champion. The mob had a piece of every fighter who fought in any significant arena. That means every champion, every contender and any manager with a fighter who wanted a spot on a big show. Winners, losers, managers all paid out to the mob if they wanted to fight on the stadiums or arenas under the control of the mob. Everybody had to take on a partner to move on and the partner was the mob. They did not even need to fix fights because they had a piece of everything that went on in their territory. Boxing belonged to the mob then. And after. Every champion had silent partners before Marciano and after marciano. It's just legitimized now but the same monopoly goes on. That's what modern governing body's are really about.. taking a piece of each promotion.

 

So the answer is YES then.

 

:yep

 

Great find!

No doubt they admired how humble he was, but how savage he could be when needed to.

 

The Godfather movies were based on his life....

 

I don't believe this **** one bit. I don't argue that Italian gangs had their hands in boxing, I highly doubt they would have let Rocky Marciano talk to them like that and get away with it. Doesn't matter if he was the heavyweight champ. They didn't let Jake Lamotta get a shot at the title until he threw the Billy Fox fight so why would Rocky? They weren't scared of his power because that doesn't mean anything with a gun in your face.

 

Fighters, who were sufficiently big draws, were often protected from having to make such deals.

It just made batter financial sense to keep them above board.

 

It would not be surprising.

He was Italian, from Boston, and active at a time when the MOB was involved in boxing.