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Fame Again - Fame
Time, Part 2
By Kid Kalin and Mike C Ryan
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JEFF HARDING and ROCKY
MATTIOLI
join the Hall of Fame |
Guests of honour, FIGHTING
HARADA (Japan) and ALAN RUDKIN (England)
greet homeland hero, JOHN FAMECHON. |
Rocky Mattioli |
The
glittering glove in the hands of Rocky Mattioli
weighs about eight kilograms. "I will carry
it in my hand on to the plane back," he
said Monday at his family's retreat in Gippsland.
"I wouldn't risk it being damaged if the
suitcase got roughly handled."
The bronze glove was sculpted
for Australian Hall of Fame modern heroes. Rocky
is only the fifth inducted.
Mattioli wore eight ounce
gloves (about 30 times lighter than the bronze
mitten) when he put away Eckhard Dagge in Berlin
in 1977 to become WBC light-middleweight champion.
The one-time Graziano
of Melbourne is spending a restful fortnight
in his homeland Australia before flying back
to Milan, Italy where his present family live.
British guest of honour, Alan
Rudkin (centre), and Paul Ferreri fought for
the world bantamweight championship in different
decades. Rudkin took Lionel Rose to the edge
in 1969. Ferreri gave Carlos Zarate big trouble
in Inglewood, California in 1976.
Zarate had knocked out all but one of his previous
40 opponents. A cut brow on the Aussie southpaw
in the 12th round saved Zarate from an embarrassment
of having to go to the cards.
Super-Z won his next 11 defences by KO!
Ferreri was bantamweight champion of Australia
an amazing 18 years.
He's bound to join his paisano, Mattioli
in the Hall of Fame in coming years.
# The bantams shape
up with Manny Benson, rugged lightweight in
Brizzi stable, 1967-1980.
The Glittering Glove
in the hand of the man whom Fighter
Lady titled "Iron Arm." Philosopher
Rocky wears the Yin/Yang opposites tattoo;
and on one knuckle "Love"
and the other "Hate." Mattioli
believes in balance.
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