Unbeaten

From the bestselling author of The Prince of Providence, a revelatory biography of Rocky Marciano, the greatest heavyweight champion of all time.
Undersized for a heavyweight, with short arms and stubby legs, Rocky Marciano accomplished a feat that eluded legendary champions like Joe Louis, Jack Dempsey, Muhammad Ali, and Mike Tyson: he never lost a professional fight. When he retired in 1956, his record was a perfect 49-0.

An Italian immigrant son who feared a life in the factory, Marciano came off the canvas to win the title in a bloody and epic battle, and overcame injury and doubt to rule boxing when it was one of America's most popular and corrupt sports. He packed a devastating punch with an innocent nickname, "Suzie Q," and knew presidents, movie stars, and Mafia bosses. He also grew disillusioned by the way organized crime dominated the sport. He "stood out in boxing like a rose in a garbage dump," one sportswriter said. But he...