Acting with Burt Lancaster who was a tough guy, it would have been interesting to see who would have come out on top if they fought on set. My money would have been on Rod who was about 17 years younger.

Rod became proficient at boxing in the late 1940s, as one of his athletic pursuits at that time, which would make him in his late teens at the time (18-19 yrs.). He was attending an art school at the time and was involved in other sports. This info is from a biography by Stephen Vagg. Based on the stories about him beating Jim Brown in a fight, it's a safe bet that he kept up with his boxing skills, but he never went pro as far as I know.

On one notable occasion he flattened Jim Brown when they were making a movie together, so he can handle himself pretty well probably still can.

Possibly as an amateur. He grew up in Lidcombe which is a working class suburb where it hel16d0ped to be able to fight.