Roland LaStarza

Roland La Starza was an American professional boxer who competed from 1947 to 1961. In the early 1950s, he was a top-rated heavyweight contender and is best known for his two fights against the legendary heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano.

Born on May 12, 1927, in the Van Nest neighbourhood of the Bronx, New York City, La Starza showed early promise in boxing. He had a successful amateur career, winning five Golden Gloves titles in New York in 1944 and 1945. Upon turning professional in 1947, La Starza quickly made a name for himself, amassing an impressive undefeated record of 37 straight victories in less than three years.

La Starza's first encounter with Rocky Marciano occurred on March 24, 1950, at Madison Square Garden. The closely contested bout ended in a split decision loss for La Starza, with many believing that he had come closer to defeating Marciano than any other boxer. La Starza felt that he had been robbed of the victory due to Marciano's manager's influence as the venue's matchmaker.

Over the next three years, La Starza continued to fight and win, losing only twice on points before avenging both losses in 1952. In early 1953, he won a heavyweight title eliminator against Rex Layne, earning a shot at Marciano's world heavyweight title.

The highly anticipated rematch between La Starza and Marciano occurred on September 24, 1953, at the Polo Grounds in New York City. La Starza held his own for the first six rounds but began to fade as the fight progressed. In the eleventh round, Marciano knocked La Starza through the ropes, and although La Starza beat the count, the referee stopped the fight shortly after, awarding Marciano a TKO victory.

Following the title bout, La Starza was hospitalized for injuries sustained during the fight and required surgery on his arms. Although he continued his boxing career, he was never the same, losing half of his subsequent eight fights. La Starza retired after his final fight on May 8, 1961, with a career record of 57 wins (27 by knockout) and 9 losses in 66 professional fights.

After retiring from boxing, La Starza transitioned into acting, appearing in various television shows and movies. He had a regular role as Pvt. Ernie Lucavich on the short-lived World War II series "The Gallant Men" and made guest appearances on shows such as "77 Sunset Strip," "The Wild Wild West," "Perry Mason," and "Batman."

In 1972, La Starza, his wife Jane, and their two children, Amy and Mark, left California to retire at their family's cattle ranch near New Smyrna Beach, Florida. He passed away on September 30, 2009, in Port Orange, Florida, at 82.

Roland La Starza's legacy in boxing is that of a skilled and determined contender who came close to defeating one of the greatest heavyweight champions in history. His two fights with Rocky Marciano, particularly their first encounter, testify to his abilities and competitive spirit.