Bigger Puncher: 1951 Rocky Marciano or 1919 Jack Dempsey?

[SuzieQ49]

Marciano vs Tunney. I'd like to have seen that. Movement vs Pressure, which is better here?

I just don't think Tunney is battle tested enough at heavyweight to pick him over prime ATG heavyweights. He had, what, 4 fights at the heavyweight limit? It would have been interesting to have seen Gene stick around and fight guys like Schmeling, Sharkey, Godfrey

[Bummy Davis]

Originally Posted by SuzieQ49

I just don't think Tunney is battle tested enough at heavyweight to pick him over prime ATG heavyweights. He had, what, 4 fights at the heavyweight limit? It would have been interesting to have seen Gene stick around and fight guys like Schmeling, Sharkey, Godfrey

I dont think Gene was battle as tested in the heavyweight but he did do well vs the Greb everyone wanted Dempsey to fight. I would have loved to see Gene vs Schmeling and Sharkey and the gang he left. I do understand that Gene married a very rich and powerful lady and went on to greener pastures and high levels of society....can't blame him but I think we would have seen some great fights had he stayed around....I think there was a lot more of Gene that we didn't see and IMO it was good stuff.

I don't think Dempsey can fight an attrition fight like Marciano, different styles, Dempsey had to slay you with a punch to the jaw,collar bone,heart,or stomach....while Marciano set the torrid pace and hit the arms,neck,shoulders, and forced you to fight back to his awkward lean and walk into something you never thought you would get hit with and then he would bring the pace up a notch and so on and so forth and then you find yourself in a middle of a war and running out of ammo

[MrBumboclart]

Originally Posted by SuzieQ49

At least Marciano didn't get knocked out cold in 1 round by a 37 year old fireman with no skill

Are you kidding? The fix was in on that fight. Dempsey hasn't eaten in a week and was dying hungry so he flopped in the first for a bet he had made. Turned out he made more money losing than if he had won.

[MrBumboclart]

Originally Posted by SuzieQ49

I just don't think Tunney is battle tested enough at heavyweight to pick him over prime ATG heavyweights. He had, what, 4 fights at the heavyweight limit? It would have been interesting to have seen Gene stick around and fight guys like Schmeling, Sharkey, Godfrey

Well he was a lot better than LaStarza and Cockell, all of whom dragged Rocky into hard fights.

The toughest of his career was the first Walcott fight - a good mover and boxer. I think Tunney would have given Marciano all he could handle.

[TheSouthpaw]

Originally Posted by MrBumboclart

Well he was a lot better than LaStarza and Cockell, all of whom dragged Rocky into hard fights.

The toughest of his career was the first Walcott fight - a good mover and boxer. I think Tunney would have given Marciano all he could handle.

Tunney was the man....but lets be realistic!..Marciano would have had his way with him, a glorified sparring match at best...Rocky would have just been too much for Gene to handle

[Seamus]

Originally Posted by TheSouthpaw

Tunney was the man....but lets be realistic!..Marciano would have had his way with him, a glorified sparring match at best...Rocky would have just been too much for Gene to handle

Tunney would have done very well against the Rock... probably winning every round until he gets caught.