Graciano Rocchigiani

Graciano "Rocky" Rocchigiani ( born December 29, 1963 in Rheinhaus today Duisburg -Rheinhausen ) is a German professional boxer. He is the brother of Ralf " Rail " Rocchigiani.

Amateur

In 1982, the southpaw Rocchigiani in Sindelfingen for the Neukölln sports friends, with whom he had learned boxing, German champion in the light middleweight division and moved the following year to the professional business. He played 122 amateur fights.

Professional

His professional debut took place on September 10, 1983 in Cologne, where he defeated the veteran Esperno Postl from Austria by TKO in the second round. In 1985, he won against Rüdiger Bitterling the German middleweight championship and 1986 by one point victory over Manfred Jassmann the championship title in the light heavyweight division.

On March 11, 1988, he won the IBF world title at super middleweight, a newly introduced weight class that had not yet enjoyed tonight's reputation. Rocchigiani defeated in his 24th pro fight before 6,000 spectators at the Düsseldorf Philipshalle the U.S. titleholder Vincent Boulware in the eighth round technical knockout He was thus, according to Max Schmeling and Eckhard Dagge, the third German world champion in professional boxing. After three title defenses he put the title but then down to fight again in the light heavyweight division. There he secured the 1991 European champion.

In contrast to his bully image outside the ring Rocchigiani was an extremely disciplined boxer who was difficult to persuade of his tactics in the ring. The most striking part of his box technique was a safe double cover, out of which he reached high Boxintelligenz a very good ratio of blows to hit and so one of the most effective boxer of his time.

Comeback

In the nineties, he succumbed to the previously unbeaten Chris Eubank in the fight for the WBO title at super middleweight after controversial points. Even the commentators of the fight transferring British TV station had seen Rocchigiani forward. Then his attempt against Frederic Seillier failed to become European champions for the second time, he reached only a draw.

In 1995, he became a two-time opponent of Henry Maske, he was defeated by the controversy in the first fight on points. He had attacked mask from the beginning of the fight very effectively with uppercuts, where he entrenched himself behind its proven double coverage. Twice during the battle mask was apparently struck in the last round, even on the ground, the referee this is not evaluated as regular rainfall. Maskes point victory was on the grounds that "Rocky" had delivered many other rounds due to low activity. The rematch was a one-sided affair, with a clear superiority Maske, the Rocchigiani could bring at no time in distress and therefore clearly lost compared to the first fight.

Even against Dariusz Michalczewski he stepped on twice, was once again the first fight, which took place on August 10, 1996 at Hamburg Millerntorplatz, very controversial. After he was able to dominate the first half of the fight, he was disqualified in the seventh round for hitting after a pause command. Michalczewski had the termination by the signaling of incapacitation provoked, which was interpreted by Rocchigiani by the perceived slight hitting later than simulate. The duel was seen for the last on points Michalczewski. "Rocky" felt like been cheated against mask and saw the reason in its small lobby, as he had no promoter and was not as popular as Henry Maske. As against mask he had no chance in the rematch against Michalczewski in April 2000 and was subject prematurely. A possible third fight came despite several attempts never materialized.

On March 21, 1998, he won the vacant WBC light heavyweight title. Winning the title was controversial insofar as the defending champion Roy Jones Jr. had never officially released it. The Association had this but understood and awarded a struggle for the supposedly vacant crown between Rocchigiani and Michael Nunn. The WBC association the title but later recognized him from again, while Rocchigiani successfully sued. He has been granted 31 million U.S. dollars in damages, after which the WBC bankrupt. The WBC tried to obtain a comparison. Mid- July 2004 Rocchigiani replied to the settlement offer of 4.5 million U.S. dollars.

His last fight he lost on May 10, 2003, compared Thomas Ulrich.

On 15 November 2007 it was announced that Rocchigiani will return on May 24, 2008 in Hanover for a third duel against Dariusz Michalczewski. This fight was canceled on 24 January 2008. In connection with the canceled boxing match against Michalczewski Rocchigiani had been reported, the co-organizer Andreas Grajewski have Rocchigiani unloaded. However, Rocky had it correct by reply on the dpa. Rather, the struggle apparently failed on the faulty contract work of the organizer.

After the boxing career

Published in 2007 Rocchigiani his autobiography Rocky - My 15 laps over the Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf Verlag.

In the district of Duisburg Neudorf Rocchigiani had his own boxing training center by the name of Rocky 's Gym. As of January 2009, there was a cooperation with Arena Box-Promotion, headed by promoter Ahmet Öner. Rocky coached several boxers (among Selcuk Aydin and Herbie Hide ) from the Hamburg boxing stable in his gym at the grave road. Since early 2010, Rocky 's Gym is closed. Meanwhile, he moved back to Berlin. According to an interview, the Rocchigiani in August 2011, the Berlin newspaper BZ was, he lives in a boarding house at Grunewald, dreaming of the big million - show, a Giga - battle against his archenemy Dariusz Michalczewski.

Private

Rocchigiani attended to ninth grade junior high school and learned the trade of Gebäudereinigers ( other reportedly canceled training). His father Zanubio is Ironbender from Sardinia, his mother is from Berlin. Graciano Rocchigiani lived until the early 1990s in Berlin's Schöneberg district.

In 1995, the boxer married his partner Christine. In 2001, the couple separated.

Rocchigiani was sentenced to prison several times, including for personal injury, property damage, but also repeated driving without a valid driver's license. In January 2007, he had to play in the prison Bielefeld - Senne for the second time for violating probation a nine-month prison sentence; at his own request but finally he let be laid in the open prison to Moers Chapels in order to run his gym in Duisburg further. In November 2007 Rocchigiani was released early from prison.

In June 2012, he was sentenced to a fine of 3,600 euros for duress. He had snatched the phone in one for days smoldering dispute a friend.