Team Sauerland statement: Former boxing champion Graciano “Rocky” Rocchigiani has sadly passed away. The 54 year-old from Berlin died in a car accident in Italy yesterday. The Sauerland family, coaches, boxers and employees are mourning their former world champion.
Rocchigiani, born on December 29, 1963 in Rheinhausen, celebrated his professional debut on September 10, 1983 in Cologne with a victory over Esperno Postl. In 1985, he became German Middleweight Champion, and a year later German Light Heavyweight Champion with a victory over Manfred Jassmann. In 1988, he was crowned IBF World Super Middleweight Champion with a victory over the American Vincent Boulware.
Rocchigiani became just the third German to win a professional world title following Max Schmeling and Eckhard Dagge and, as the youngest German World Champion, also wrote sports history. There followed many more legendary fights, including bouts with Henry Maske and Dariusz Michalczewski.
Overall, “Rocky” completed 48 fights (41 wins). Following his successful boxing career, Rocchigiani became the crowd favorite coach and later also an expert and commentator on the TV channel SPORT1.
Wilfried Sauerland: “We are dismayed and stunned. We mourn for Graciano and our thoughts are with his family, his children and his friends. Rocky not only help shape our boxing stable with his fights, but also thrilled large audiences with his fights “. The Hall of Fame promoter adds: “We will miss him very much!”