In the first round of this heavyweight championship fight On September 23, 1952, challenger Rocky Marciano, a 3-1 underdog, had been knocked down by then-champ "Jersey" Joe Walcott. In the sixth round Marciano suffered blurred vision from a severe cut over his right eye. Indeed, during the entire bout Marciano seemed willing to absorb head shots from Walcott in order to administer what became his trademark strategy: "kill the body and the head will die." This strategy paid off at 2:05 of the thirteenth round, when, arms low to protect his now pulverized body, the dead-tired Walcott walked forward hoping to clinch and survive the round. This was the first title fight and after this win, Marciano would never look back as champ.