World Heavyweight Championship
  1952 Fight of the Year - The Ring Magazine 
  Williams, Cleveland vs. McFadden, Joe
  Smith, Oakland Billy vs. Black, Billy
  Jones, Rocky vs. Harrison, Tommy
  Wilson, Calvin vs. NewKirk, Gil
  Whitehurst, Bert vs. Parker, Walter
  DeCarlo, Vinnie vs. Alexander, Chick
  Shields, Johnny vs. Stamond, Hal  

  Joe Walcott won the world title from Ezzard Charles a year earlier in Walcott’s 5^th shot at the crown, putting Charles flat in the 7^th to secure the honor.   Fighting in his next to the last bout, the man from Camden, Jersey faced the younger challenger from Brockton, Massachusetts, Rocky Marciano, born Rocco Francis Marchegiano, undefeated as a professional, and winner of his last 6 by knockout, including a TKO over the aged Joe Louis in the “Brown Bomber’s” swan song at the Garden in the Big Apple, and deckings of both Lee Savold in Philadelphia and Bernie Reynolds in the title shot eliminator in Providence the previous May.  Back in Philly in the huge stadium for the big wind-up with the world champion, Marciano suffered the 1^st knockdown of his bold career, Jersey Joe using a horrifying left hook to drop him for a 4 count.  The battle back and forth continued for 13 of 15 scheduled rounds before the challenger, behind on points, connected with a furious right to Walcott’s jaw, ending the contest within 10 short beats of the referee’s voice, granting the crown to “The Rock.”  In the rematch, Walcott faced Marciano in what would be his last bout in the professional ring, as he failed again against the solid wall of fist Marciano could muster.  The new king would never surrender it, in 6 defenses, before leaving the ring forever on the high note after defeating Archie Moore in Yankee Stadium in September of 1955.
  YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brprdmdLjhk