Graciano Rocchigiani

Graciano Rocchigiani
File:Graciano Rocchigiani.jpg Rocchigiani in 2009
Statistics
Nickname(s)	Rocky
Rated at	Middleweight Super-middleweight Light-heavyweight
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Reach	189 cm (74 in)
Nationality	German
Born	(1963-12-29) 29 December 1963 Duisburg, Ruhr Area, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Stance	Southpaw
Boxing record
Total fights	48
Wins	41
Wins by KO	19
Losses	6 (1 KO)
Draws	1

Graciano "Rocky" Rocchigiani (born 29 December 1963) is a German former professional boxer. He held numerous world titles in two weight classes, including the IBF and WBO super-middleweight titles, as well as the IBF, WBO and WBC light-heavyweight titles. He is also a former European light-heavyweight champion.

Professional career

Rocchigiani turned professional in 1983 after a successful amateur career in which he won the 1982 German National Amateur championship in the light-middleweight division. In 1988 he captured the vacant IBF super-middleweight title by stopping Vincent Boulware, and defended the title three times before vacating to step up to the light-heavyweight division. Despite becoming European champion, Rocchigiani failed to secure a world title shot at light-heavyweight and moved back down to super-middleweight in February 1994 to challenge WBO champion Chris Eubank in Berlin, Germany, losing a unanimous decision.

After boxing to a draw with Frederic Seillier for the European super-middleweight title in December 1994, Rocchigiani moved back up to light-heavyweight to challenge the 26-0 Henry Maske IBF title in May 1995 at the Arena Westfalenhalle, Dortmund, Nordrhein-Westfalen. He lost by a disputed unanimous decision despite having Maske reeling numerous times towards the end of the fight, and lost a rematch later in the year, again by unanimous decision. In August 1996 Rocchigiani lost via disqualification to WBO light-heavyweight title holder Dariusz Michalczewski after hitting Michalczewski on the break during round seven. 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.

Three weeks after the Michalczewski bout, it was reported that Rocchigiani had tested positive for traces of ephedrine and methylephedrine. However, the German boxing association did not request a follow up test.

In March 1998, Rocchigiani captured the vacant WBC light-heavyweight title by defeating Michael Nunn by split decision at Max Schmeling Halle, Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, but was demoted to "interim champion" three months later after the WBC inexplicably claimed its references in promotions and contracts to the Rocchigiani-Nunn fight as a championship bout, and to Rocchigiani as the champion in its rankings, had been "typographical errors". A match with WBC title holder Roy Jones was scheduled for November 1999 after Rocchigianni filed a lawsuit against Jones' promotional companies M&M Sports and Square Ring Promotions Inc due to Jones' reluctance to box Rocchigianni. However, the match was canceled by Jones' promoter Murad Muhammad after Rocchigiani missed a press conference. After initially threatening to strip Jones of his title if he didn't arrange another match with Rocchigiani, the WBC stripped Rocchigiani outright and removed him from their rankings due to inactivity, which prompted Rocchigiani to file a lawsuit against the WBC.

Rocchigiani again challenged Michalczewski for the lineal and WBO titles at Preussag Arena, Hannover, Niedersachsen, Germany in April 2000. By this time Rocchigiani was an aging fighter and despite a strong performance he lost via corner retirement after nine rounds. 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 2003 in the lawsuit 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. 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.

Professional boxing record

48 fights, 41 wins (19 knockouts), 6 losses (1 knockout), 1 draw
Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round	Date	Location	Notes
Loss	41-6-1	Thomas Ulrich	UD	12	2003-05-10	Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle, Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany	For vacant WBC International light-heavyweight title
Win	41-5-1	Willard Lewis	UD	8	2001-02-10	Estrel Convention Center, Neukoelln, Berlin, Germany
Loss	40-5-1	Dariusz Michalczewski	TKO	10	2000-04-15	Preussag Arena, Hannover, Niedersachsen, Germany	For lineal and WBO light-heavyweight titles
Win	40-4-1	Michael Nunn	SD	12	1998-03-21	Max Schmeling Halle, Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, Germany	Won vacant WBC light-heavyweight title
Win	39-4-1	John Scully	UD	10	1997-03-22	Max Schmeling Halle, Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, Germany
Loss	38-4-1	Dariusz Michalczewski	DQ	7	1996-08-10	Wilhelm-Koch-Stadion, St. Pauli, Hamburg, Germany	For WBO light-heavyweight title
Win	38-3-1	Pietro Pellizzaro	PTS	10	1996-04-06	Stadionsporthalle, Hannover, Niedersachsen, Germany
Loss	37-3-1	Henry Maske	UD	12	1995-10-14	Olympiahalle, Munich, Bayern, Germany	For IBF light-heavyweight title
Loss	37-2-1	Henry Maske	UD	12	1995-05-27	Arena Westfalenhalle, Dortmund, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Draw	37-1-1	Frederic Seillier	PTS	12	1994-12-10	Sportforum, Lichtenberg, Berlin, Germany	For European super-middleweight title
Win	37-1	Willie Kemp	KO	2	1994-10-22	Hansehalle, Luebeck, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
Win	36-1	Charles Oliver	TKO	6	1994-05-28	Tivoli Eissporthalle, Aachen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Loss	35-1	Chris Eubank	UD	12	1994-02-05	Deutschlandhalle, Charlottenburg, Berlin, Germany	For WBO super-middleweight title
Win	35-0	Ricky Thomas	PTS	8	1993-10-15	Sporthalle, Schoeneberg, Berlin, Germany
Win	34-0	Kevin Whaley-El	TKO	6	1993-09-11	Tivoli Eissporthalle, Aachen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Win	33-0	Lester Yarbrough	PTS	8	1993-06-26	Sporthalle, Alsterdorf, Hamburg, Germany
Win	32-0	Alex Blanchard	TKO	9	1991-09-13	Düsseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany	Retained European light-heavyweight title
Win	31-0	Crawford Ashley	SD	12	1991-02-28	Philips Halle, Düsseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany	Won vacant European light-heavyweight title
Win	30-0	Mike Sedillo	PTS	8	1990-12-07	Berlin, Germany
Win	29-0	Rodrigo Benech	KO	3	1990-09-07	Sporthalle Charlottenburg, Charlottenburg, Berlin, Germany
Win	28-0	John Keys	KO	2	1989-12-01	Inter-Continental Hotel, Mitte, Berlin, Germany
Win	27-0	Thulani Malinga	UD	12	1989-01-27	Deutschlandhalle, Charlottenburg, Berlin, Germany	Retained IBF super-middleweight title
Win	26-0	Chris Reid	TKO	11	1988-10-07	Deutschlandhalle, Charlottenburg, Berlin, Germany
Win	25-0	Nicky Walker	UD	15	1988-06-03	Deutschlandhalle, Charlottenburg, Berlin, Germany
Win	24-0	Vincent Boulware	TKO	8	1988-03-11	Philips Halle, Düsseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany	Won vacant IBF super-middleweight title
Win	23-0	Mustafa Hamsho	TKO	1	1987-12-05	Philips Halle, Düsseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Win	22-0	John Held	PTS	8	1987-10-30	Kurfurstliches, Mainz, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany
Win	21-0	Lahcen M'Hamdi	TKO	3	1987-10-17	Sporthalle, Gifhorn, Niedersachsen, Germany
Win	20-0	Tommy Taylor	PTS	8	1987-10-03	Schloss Holte-Stukenbrock, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Win	19-0	Ahmed Laghlali	TKO	2	1987-09-14	Tennis Stab Verein, Bad Homburg, Hessen, Germany
Win	18-0	Manfred Jassmann	PTS	12	1986-10-03	Berlin, Germany	Won BDB German light-heavyweight title
Win	17-0	Ian Lazarus	KO	8	1986-05-12	Hamburg, Germany
Win	16-0	James Cook	PTS	8	1986-03-01	Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Win	15-0	Antoine Alcantara	KO	2	1985-11-29	Frankfurt, Hessen, Germany
Win	14-0	Rudiger Bitterling	TKO	3	1985-11-08	Düsseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany	Won vacant BDB German middleweight title
Win	13-0	Moussa Kassongo Mukandjo	UD	10	1985-08-31	Charlottenburg, Berlin, Germany
Win	12-0	Steve Johnson	PTS	6	1985-04-26	Festhalle, Frankfurt, Hessen, Germany
Win	11-0	Tony Jenkins	TKO	6	1985-03-09	Düsseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Win	10-0	Philippe Seys	PTS	8	1984-12-01	Düsseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Win	9-0	Tony Britton	PTS	8	1984-10-05	Frankfurt, Hessen, Germany
Win	8-0	Butangi Nzolameso	PTS	6	1984-09-15	Dortmund, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Win	7-0	Franz Dorfer	TKO	2	1984-04-27	Berlin, Germany
Win	6-0	Mick Morris	UD	4	1984-02-24	Sporthalle, Alsterdorf, Hamburg, Germany
Win	5-0	Mauro Hernandez da Cruz	PTS	6	1984-02-10	Sporthalle Süd, Frankfurt, Hessen, Germany
Win	4-0	Chaed Ringo	TKO	2	1984-01-14	Düsseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Win	3-0	Jan Lefeber	PTS	4	1983-11-05	Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Win	2-0	Marnix Heytens	TKO	1	1983-10-07	Frankfurt, Hessen, Germany
Win	1-0	Esperno Postl	TKO	2 (6)	1983-09-10	Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany	Professional debut

See also

• List of WBC world champions
• Notable boxing families

External links

• Professional boxing record for Graciano Rocchigiani from BoxRec

Preceded by Chong-Pal Park Vacated	IBF super-middleweight champion 11 March 1988 – 1989 Vacated	Succeeded by Lindell Holmes
Vacant Title last held by Roy Jones, Jr.	WBC light-heavyweight champion 21 March 1998 – April 15, 2000	Vacant Title next held by Roy Jones, Jr.