Rocky Marciano versus Bernard Hopkins?

Marciano's strengths are known -- stamina, pressure, determination, the willingness to connect with anything including elbows and forearms. But Hopkins has made a very long career of making sure the opponent does not get set to punch -- and Marciano did not have the greatest footwork. He is going to struggle to land much of anything early imo, unless he can force his way out of the clinches.

He'll be kept off-balance, and following the twisting, sliding Hopkin in a straight line after a few frustrating rounds.

He's still a stamina-machine and Hopkins is bound to get tired, but how do you guys see the first six rounds going?

 

Agree with your take on it, S. The big question mark is: how long could B-Hop thwart Rocky's relentless paving stones...but I do think (like night follows day) that moment would come, sometime after the 9th.

 

I don't think it's a given he knocks Bernard out. I think he wins but not by stoppage.

 

Marciano would beat the **** out of Hopkins. He'd stop him, no doubt in my mind.

 

:deal

 

atsch:think

 

I dont think it is a good fight for Rocky. Usually Rocky would cash in by forcing the other guy to fight his fight but Hopkins is an out and out neutralising agent.

Could anyone rule out Hopkins playing on some kind of foul if things don't go his way? I admire Hopkins cunning and defiance, his ability to stop the other guy do what he wants I dont think he takes fights lightly. If Hopkins chose an opponent for himself its usually because he is confident he can get into the other guys head. For this reason, providing Hopkins would select Marciano -or any fighter for that matter- it is a tough fight what ever way you look at it.

 

Do you really believe B-Hop could get into Rocky's head, c?

 

Playing headgames with the Rock is a search for fool's gold, imo. A kind of "you do your jedi mind tricks, I'll keep punching" kinda deal.

 

Rocky would annihilate any version of hopkins.

 

Marciano would have beaten Hopkins up very badly before ko'ing him..broken blood vessels, facial contusions, etc.,

 

Dem poor blood vessels. It's a miracle he never ruptured someone's aorta.

 

Old faded middleweight fighter who now consistently gives performances that would have made Gianfranco Rosi or Sven Ottke ashamed, allowing him to beat mediocre footnotes half his age vs one of the great small heavyweights and most brutal stamina laden fighters ever.

=at least five pages on ESB.

 

doubtful. Rocky would get on with the job and most likely win ugly late on but i think Hopkins brand of negative intelligence, looking to win on a foul would make it a very tricky fight. I just dont think Marciano fought anyone quite so negative apart from ted lowry who he struggled with.

Cant see B-Hop winning of course, but it is just not a good match for Marciano. i think B-Hop would be a nightmare for most 190-200lb champions and is best avoided. He can make anyone look bad.

 

aye, a nightmare if the ****ing suck.