It happened on this date in 1955.
Rocky Marciano knocked out former champion Archie Moore in the ninth round at Yankee Stadium, to extend his record to 49-0, with 43 knockouts. And then he walked away. Marciano retired at the age of 32, and remains the only undefeated heavyweight champion in boxing history.
But here’s the thing. The only reason Rocky Marciano was undefeated was that he quit at the age of 32. I’m pretty sure that if he had continued to box into his 80s, he would have eventually lost a fight.
(Yes, I know he died in a plane crash as a young man.)
Everyone who lives long enough will suffer a defeat. And we don’t have to wait until our 30s to get there. Solomon confirmed, “There is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins” (Ecclesiastes 7:20).
If you’ve fallen at some point in your life, give yourself some grace. None of us has an undefeated record against sin.
Recovery Step: Only one man has lived an undefeated life. You should trust him to do for you what you cannot do for yourself.
