Graciano Rocchigiani
Encyclopedia
Graciano "Rocky" Rocchigiani (born December 29, 1963 in Duisburg
-Rheinhausen, Germany
), is a former German
professional boxer
who held world titles in the super middleweight and light heavyweight divisions.
super middleweight title by stopping Vincent Boulware, and defended the title three times before vacating to step up to the light heavyweight division. After limited success, he moved back down and in 1994 challenged WBO super middleweight title holder Chris Eubank
in Berlin, Germany, and lost by decision.
Rocchigiani moved back up to light heavyweight, and took on Henry Maske
in 1995 for the IBF title. He lost the fight, and the rematch later in the year, by unanimous decision. In 1996 he lost via disqualification to WBO light heavyweight title holder Dariusz Michalczewski
after hitting Michalczewski on the break. Michalczewski's prolonged, theatrical reaction to the punch was seen by many as way of getting out of a fight he was losing. Initially the result was a technical draw, later changed to a disqualification.
In 1998, Rocchigiani captured the vacant WBC light heavyweight title by defeating Michael Nunn
by split decision, but was later stripped of the title with the WBC claiming it was only the interim title he won in the first place.
Rocchigiani again challenged Michalczewski for the WBO & Linear title in 2000, but lost via a 10th round TKO. After a short lived comeback in 2003 after a two year layoff, he retired from boxing.
Although he was a notable champion, Rocchigiani's most significant achievement was his victory in a lawsuit in 1998 against the WBC
, in which he was awarded a $31 million judgment for damages over the loss of his light heavyweight title. The court ruling also retroactively declared him champion from when he beat Nunn until his rematch defeat to Michalczewski, Though this ruling is ignored by all record keepers. When the WBC announced its intentions to dissolve, he settled for an undisclosed sum.
In 2006, he was sentenced to five months in jail for assaulting a taxi driver.
Graciano is the younger brother of former WBO cruiserweight champion Ralf Rocchigiani
, who also served as Graciano's trainer during the latter stages of his career.
Duisburg
- History :A legend recorded by Johannes Aventinus holds that Duisburg, was built by the eponymous Tuisto, mythical progenitor of Germans, ca. 2395 BC...
-Rheinhausen, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
), is a former German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
professional boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
who held world titles in the super middleweight and light heavyweight divisions.
Professional career
Rocchigiani turned pro in 1983 after a successful amateur career in which he was the 1982 German light middleweight National Amateur champion. In 1988 he captured the vacant IBFInternational Boxing Federation
The International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...
super middleweight title by stopping Vincent Boulware, and defended the title three times before vacating to step up to the light heavyweight division. After limited success, he moved back down and in 1994 challenged WBO super middleweight title holder Chris Eubank
Chris Eubank
Chris Eubank, Lord of the Manor of Brighton is a retired British boxer who held world titles at middleweight and super middleweight...
in Berlin, Germany, and lost by decision.
Rocchigiani moved back up to light heavyweight, and took on Henry Maske
Henry Maske
Henry Maske is a German boxer, one of Germany's most popular sports figures.-Amateur career:Maske was an Olympic Gold Medalist 1988 in Seoul for East Germany...
in 1995 for the IBF title. He lost the fight, and the rematch later in the year, by unanimous decision. In 1996 he lost via disqualification to WBO light heavyweight title holder Dariusz Michalczewski
Dariusz Michalczewski
Dariusz Michalczewski is a retired Polish- German boxer and former Lineal, WBO, WBA, & IBF light heavyweight champion and WBO cruiserweight champion.-Early career:...
after hitting Michalczewski on the break. Michalczewski's prolonged, theatrical reaction to the punch was seen by many as way of getting out of a fight he was losing. Initially the result was a technical draw, later changed to a disqualification.
In 1998, Rocchigiani captured the vacant WBC light heavyweight title by defeating Michael Nunn
Michael Nunn
Michael Nunn is a former American boxer. Nicknamed "Second to Nunn," he was a 6' 2" southpaw with great speed. Nunn was the IBF middleweight champion and the WBA super middleweight champion...
by split decision, but was later stripped of the title with the WBC claiming it was only the interim title he won in the first place.
Rocchigiani again challenged Michalczewski for the WBO & Linear title in 2000, but lost via a 10th round TKO. After a short lived comeback in 2003 after a two year layoff, he retired from boxing.
Although he was a notable champion, Rocchigiani's most significant achievement was his victory in a lawsuit in 1998 against the WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
, in which he was awarded a $31 million judgment for damages over the loss of his light heavyweight title. The court ruling also retroactively declared him champion from when he beat Nunn until his rematch defeat to Michalczewski, Though this ruling is ignored by all record keepers. When the WBC announced its intentions to dissolve, he settled for an undisclosed sum.
In 2006, he was sentenced to five months in jail for assaulting a taxi driver.
Graciano is the younger brother of former WBO cruiserweight champion Ralf Rocchigiani
Ralf Rocchigiani
Ralf Rocchigiani is a boxer from Duisburg-Hamborn in Germany.He was often overlooked due to his more talented and successful younger brother, Graciano Rocchigiani. He became a professional boxer in 1983 and won the German Cruiserweight championship in 1985. He failed in two attempts to win the...
, who also served as Graciano's trainer during the latter stages of his career.