La Starza felt he was robbed of victory, and even went on record in the New York Herald Tribune, March 25, 1950, as saying, "The fact is [Rocky’s] manager Al Weill was matchmaker for the Garden.

This set himself up for what would be the most important fight of his career: a world heavyweight championship bout which was also a rematch against Marciano on September 24, 1953.

La Starza beat Goldstein's count, but the bout was stopped shortly thereafter on a TKO as Marciano battered the challenger relentlessly.

[2][3] Following the title bout, La Starza was hospitalized for injuries sustained during the fight, and required surgery to treat the damage done to his arms.

He lost his next match in March 1954 to British champion Don Cockell, and went on to lose half of his subsequent eight fights.

[5] He, his wife (Jane) and two children (Amy and Mark) left California to retire at their family's cattle ranch outside of New Smyrna Beach, Florida, in 1972.