Could ANYONE Have Outboxed Marciano?

[la-califa]

Jack Johnson had the boxing ability to move around & outbox Marciano plus the power to keep Marciano at bay. This one , two combination would seem like the best bet for success against Marciano.

[ChrisPontius]

In what fights did you see Johnson demonstrating the ability to move around and outbox his opponent from the outside? Nearly everytime he fell in a clinch.

It sounds to me like people imagine Johnson to be a master boxer who used his size and keeps a distance, based on reports. But films shows quite the contrary.
I'm not convinced he's got the power to keep Rocky away from him, either.

[McGrain]

Originally Posted by groove

Ali beat Liston who was undefeated in 10 years and gets nowhere near the same amount of credit. Liston was shit, blah, blah, blah. Well he must've been well shit to be undefeated in 10 years. Go figure.

I think Liston was a wonderful fighter. I also think there was something very strange about both of his fights with Ali. But I don't use it to beat Ali up, Ali was a wonderful fighter, and if he's not in a guys top 2 then that guy has some explaining to do.

[Marciano Frazier]

Originally Posted by McGrain

Or would it always have taken a really big puncher?

Why do you assume a really big puncher would've done the job?

But yes, I'm sure Marciano could have been outboxed. Walcott wasn't too terribly far off in their first fight, afterall. Surely, say, Ali or Johnson or Holmes would at least have respectable chances at building up a lead and holding onto it for the full route.

[JohnThomas1]

Originally Posted by Dempsey1238

I not sure Ali could do it, George a fighter with Marciano's similer style gave Ali a good scrap. I just belive Marciano would do better is all.

I wouldn't compare Foreman and Marciano by a longshot. George was much bigger and IMO fought way differently.

[la-califa]

A heavyweight Jones wouldn't have the speedy reflexes. Marciano would dig in and land punishing shots to the body then move in for the kill in the later rounds. And Marciano hits a heck of a lot harder than Glen Johnson!

[McGrain]

Originally Posted by Marciano Frazier

Why do you assume a really big puncher would've done the job?.

Whilst i'm not suggesting Earnie Shavers would neccesarily get the job done, I think that Rocky was there to be hit to a greater extent than most ATG heavyweights, and was always boring in. He'd be vulnerable to the more massive shots from a Liston or a Lewis.

[McGrain]

Originally Posted by Sweet Pea

Jones didn't get hit on his chin for like 50 fights? If he did get hit(and he did) it was never a clean shot because he had the reflexes to duck the best of it and roll with the punches. I think Marciano is too slow and short armed to catch Jones. I always think relying on one punch is lame, so I think Jones beats him a good 2 of 3.

Was he ever in with someone as heavy handed and bullish as Marciano though? Of course not. I accept that there is an intangible here (As alwyas there are many in fact) but I just don't see Jones ever winning this type of fight. I would go so far as to say it is impossible for Jones to stay out of serious trouble for fifteen rounds, and if he gets into trouble v Rocky, he'd need luck, more heart than he has previously exhibited and all those lovely skills to escape.

And if he manages it, there's still the next round.

[mcvey]

Originally Posted by cross_trainer

I think that, judging from the only film that exists of Corbett in a long fight, he fought at a lower pace--especially considering that the account of the fight I read claimed he was "fighting too fast". Against Jackson, who was a skilled, powerful counterpuncher like Fitz, he would probably have fought at a reasonable but not exceptional pace.




True, but Kilrain was not put away, and Sullivan took a 20+ round beating before going down from exhaustion. Corbett did knock Fitz down, but it wasn't a 10-count and Fitz was a middleweight...as were Choynski and Mitchell, who were his other best knockouts. He may have hit hard enough to sting you when he wanted to, but I get the feeling that Rocky won't have much trouble taking his punches.



Yes, he was good at hitting you as he was coming in. I just see Rocky's physicality and unexpectedly high workrate taking its toll. Corbett's skills may be good in the clinches, but it was never his "best strategy". Much of his energy would have to go into controlling Rocky, who I believe to be the physically stronger, more active man as well as the harder hitter.

Corbett was dropped and stopped by a body shot from a middleweight,abeit a hard hitting one ,what do you think Rockys punches would do to him?

[McGrain]

Originally Posted by mcvey

Corbett was dropped and stopped by a body shot from a middleweight,abeit a hard hitting one ,what do you think Rockys punches would do to him?

And Cooper dropped Ali and Braddock dropped Louis and Rocky was to small...Corbett has proven his ability to take punches from one of the hardest hitters who ever boxed in Sullivan, whilst I don't think anybody would enjoy a night with Rocky a first round stoppage is also pretty unlikey.

[Dempsey1238]

Sullivan was OLD, been wore out for getting drunk, and had not fought in years. I would hardly use this fight to determind Corbett's toughtness. But most reports, it would seem Sullivan hardly landed anything worth wild.