Ezzard's Respect

"Ezzard's Respect," track number 9 from ... UNDEFEATED: THE STORY OF ROCKY MARCIANO Rocky Marciano: The only undefeated heavyweight champion in boxing history (49-0) and his journey from working-class Brockton to boxing immortality. 01. Brockton Boy 02. Almost Wasn't 03. Suzie's Eyes 04. The Rock 05. Forty-Three to Nothing 06. Jersey Joe 07. The Brockton Blockbuster 08. Don't Lean on the Ropes 09. Ezzard's Respect 10. September '55 11. The Crash (August 31, 1969) 12. Still Undefeated ⁨‪‪@F.HarryStowe‬ Lyrics: June seventeen, fifty-three, Yankee Stadium night Ezzard Charles, the Cincinnati Cobra, came to fight Not just fight—he came to box, to move, to make me miss Former champion with nothing left to lose but this Fifteen rounds of hell, maybe the hardest night I knew My nose split open, bleeding like a broken faucet, true Cut above my eye, they said I should’ve stopped But champions don’t quit when the damage won’t stop Ezzard’s respect, earned in blood and sweat Ezzard’s respect, a fight I can’t forget He took my best and gave it back in kind Ezzard’s respect, left scars upon my mind This is what it costs to stay undefeated This is what it costs when you can’t be beaten Round six, my legs felt like somebody else’s Round eight, my face looked like it came from hell’s grip Round ten, the crowd was screaming “Stop the fight!” But Ezzard wouldn’t quit and neither would I that night He hit me clean, he hit me hard, he hit me where it hurt Every punch was calculated, every move was expert work They called him the greatest boxer never to get his due September seventeen, we did it all again, round two Ezzard’s respect, earned in blood and sweat Ezzard’s respect, a fight I can’t forget He took my best and gave it back in kind Ezzard’s respect, left scars upon my mind This is what it costs to stay undefeated This is what it costs when you can’t be beaten People see the record, forty-nine and oh They don’t see the price you pay, the things you’ll never show My hands hurt every morning, can’t make a proper fist My face ain’t what it was, there’s damage on the list But Ezzard taught me something both times we stood and warred Sometimes winning feels like losing when you’re battered, broken, scored He never got the credit that a fighter like him earned But in those thirty rounds together, mutual respect was learned He was faster He was smoother He was technical perfection But I was tougher I kept coming I wouldn’t break And that’s the difference winning makes Knocked him down in round eight of our second war But I knew what I was holding, knew what we were fighting for Not just the belt, not just the fame, not just the perfect streak But proving that two warriors can take you to the peak Ezzard’s respect, earned in blood and sweat Ezzard’s respect, a fight I can’t forget He took my best and gave it back in kind Ezzard’s respect, left scars upon my mind This is what it costs to stay undefeated This is what it costs, and I paid it Ezzard Charles "One of the greatest" Ezzard Charles "Made you earn it" Some fights you win But both men leave bleeding Ezzard’s respect… "Respect"