'Mike Stanton has done phenomenal work. Rocky Marciano was a legendary champion whose path to glory was so much more complicated than his undefeated record suggests. And his story transcends sports; it's a window into a changing America in the middle of the twentieth century.' Nicholas Pileggi, author of Wiseguy and Casino
Rocky Marciano accomplished a feat that eluded legendary champions like Joe Louis, Jack Dempsey, Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson: he never lost a professional fight. When he retired in 1956, his record was a perfect 49-0. But perfection came at a price. Pulitzer Prize-winner Mike Stanton tells the story of Marciano's pursuit of greatness through the era of guys and dolls, hustlers and gamblers, glamorous celebrities and notorious mobsters. But boxing had its dark side, particularly at a time when Mafia mob bosses like Blinky Palermo and Frankie Carbo wielded immense power behind the scenes. Unbeaten is the story of a remarkable champion, a sport that was rotten to its core and a country that may have expected too much from its heroes. 'Mike Stanton brings back Marciano, and with him, a whole era in American social, industrial and athletic history.' Wall Street Journal