If Marciano had not retired...

Rocky was smart to retire when he did.

 

That was intentional. Rocky worked at bringing his feet closer together, which shortened his punches. He stopped trying for the knock out and instead worked on battering the arms and body into submission, then the KO.

 

They say that Marciano had a title fight penciled in for June 1956...but his back was bothering him...plus his relationship with his manager Al Weill was crumbling...that's the reason he called it quits in April 1956 at 49-0.He quit while he still had his powers.

 

The back trouble, coupled with being fed up with Al Weill were the chief reasons Marciano retired when he did. After KOing Moore, he said on TV "...I'm looking forward to fight #50 ..." which never happened. Had he continued, he probably would have defended against Patterson and possibly later Johansson. But he would have had to have that spark - that focus and dedication, otherwise he would be vulnerable to anyone half-decent. After Johansson defeated Patterson, he did entertain the thought of coming back to challenge Ingo. After about a month of training, he resigned himself to that fact that he was too much out of shape to go for it (according to Skehan's bio of Marciano). In my opinion, had he stayed active and focused, he would have gotten past Floyd and Ingo and if he hadn't retired undefeated by then, would have eventually lost to old age and Sonny Liston.

 

It's better to get out of boxing when you are on top rather than allow boxing to use you up and leave you for dead.

Whatever the real reasons were for his retiring when he did, as long as it was his choice, then so be it.

 

Rocky didn't make a lot of money fighting. His biggest purse was something like $400k when he fought Moore. That was twice anything he ever made before.

He was aware of this and didn't like it. He complained about it frequently.

 

This is perhaps the most plausible scenario.

In summary, he could have beaten anybody who came around in the next couple of years, but after that he would have been in serious trouble.

 

Rocky may have beaten Floyd in '56 but he wouldn't have made "mincemeat'' out of him!

And if Rock had stayed around and fought Sonny in the late 50's Sonny would have made ''mincemeat'' out of him....

 

I contend that he would still be unbeaten and be 311-0, and having just obliterated the Klits (for the 3rd time no less) & SRV he is eying up David Haye. Untill someone proves he can be beaten I just will not believe it!

 

Along these lines, in a Ring Magazine article from 1971, Gene Tunney tells of a meeting with Marciano just before the latter retired. He said Rocky was contemplating retirement. Tunney asked if he had read The Game, a book by Jack London. In it, a man stays in a sport too long, until he is used up and beaten down. Tunney told him that he was determined that the game would not beat him. Marciano replied "Gene, I know exactly what you mean. The game will never beat me." Tunney wondered if Rocky had read the book and if it influenced his decision to retire. In any event, like Tunney before him, he retired while still on top and stayed retired.

 

He'd have ran into a young fighter by the name of Charles "Sonny" Liston, perhaps around 1957/58, & Liston would have KO'd him early doors.

 

Rocky wouldn't have spent 3 years dodging Liston.

I know a "champion" who did.

 

Nino Valdes might have given Marciano problems for a few rounds, but he really didn't use his physical advantages particularly well and Rocky would have put him out early.

Patterson is a winnable fight by all means, he seemed to crumble when faced with strong pressure fighting of the highest quality.

 

He still had some good fights left and would have been all wrong for Patterson and Cus knew this. There really was no one on the horizon and as long as ROCKY COULD MAINTAIN THE CONDITIONING he would have beaten all comers but Rocky was smart to get out while on top. He beat the best fighting the # 1 contender 5 out of 6 defenses (unheard of) I would have liked to see him stop Valdes but Valdes got battered by Satterfield, smart time to get out no money fight,getting robbed by Weil and back problems. He could have won a few more but the style eventually wears you down IMO

Rocky had the chin to sustain INGO but INGO did not have the chin for Rocky and neither did Floyd

 

:good I wasn't sure on the Johansson thing. His overhand right was his money punch but the way Marciano crouched, I don't think he would be so open for it, and even if so, could Johansson do the damage to stop Marciano? I don't think so and the longer the fight goes the harder it would be for Johansson to resist.