Ali vs Marciano: How would it go?

I don't know what films you watch mcvey. Rocky was good at slipping the jab in his crouch. He made Louis Walcott and Moore miss alot with their terrific jabs.

Ali 15 unanimous Marciano. 9 rounds to 6

 

Marciano cut a few times, a minority of his fights. so did bonavena. Oscar had heavy scar tissue around his eyebrows. Rocky cut his nose one time in 49 fights. A freak incidence. Marciano was not Henry Cooper. Rocky was no more an out and out bleeder than anyone else. No champion ever lost a title on a cut anyway.

You do think Bonnavena would be awkward for Ali because you already said a 1966 Ali goes the full 15 rounds with Oscar to win a unanimous decision.

If Ali did not find bonavena awkward he would easily land the jab and cut up Oscar. ALI cut up and bruised fighters he found easy to hit. He did not cut or bust up bonavena and you don't think he would because Oscar was so awkward for Ali. Hence picking him to last the full 15 against a 1966 version of Ali.

 

Try as I might I just don't see Marciano beating Ali, especially Ali at his best and I'm a big Marciano fan. Too much size combined with speed for Rocky too overcome. And by size I'm referring to height and reach , not musclemass that a lot of people put too much emphasisi on these days. Ali at his best could dance all night if he had to. Liston with his 84" reach could'nt get to Ali enough to hurt him so how can a man with a 67" reach hit Ali consistently enough to hurt him and win. Even if Rocky could slip Ali's 81" lightining fast jab, he still has to come back with something and something fast because Ali would be on the move constantly. talk about frustrating. Rocky may have his moments at times during the match but they would be too few and far between. Like I said...too much height, reach and hand and foot speed to contend with, not to mention a concrete chin that could withstand a lunging shot from Marciano. Ali by decision or late round stoppage over a valiant but overmatched Marciano.

 

Ali was right Marciano would be a tougher fight than Frazier but similar in a lot of ways, the difference being Marciano had power in both hands. I dont thinks cuts would be a problem, Marciano cut and would cut but other than the elbowed nose accident he was never in danger, he also went to the head and body well and slipped a lot more punches than given credit for. I think this match-up may be one of the best of all-time in contrasting styles. I can not say who would win prime for prime but in a series Marciano is the kind of guy you really do not want to fight again after one taste of his relentless pressure.

Ali noted that even as an old man his arms were sore, this is not the type of power that can be noted from watching only feeling it

Hard to really say who would win Ali-Louis-Marciano, we can only guess but IMO these are the 3 greatest Heavyweights and very competitive, throw Dempsey & prime Frazier in the mix and some serious hard muscled and conditioned action from 188lbs to 215

 

Look at Ali prime vs. Chuvalo if you want to extrapolate vs. Marciano. Then consider anything else Rocky might bring to the table.

Rocky had more 2 handed power & a wider punch arsenal than Frazier. But much less speed, smaller, & less accurate.

I cannot see Marciano winning more than 6 rounds of 15 or maybe 5 of 12 vs. Ali.

 

I have all Marciano's filmed defenses.

" I couldnt avoid Louis's jabs, I just had to take them". Marciano.


You might want to take a look at the photo of Marciano in his dressing room after the Louis fight.

 

Marciano was in danger of being stopped by Keene Simmons.There was always the likelyhood of a cuts stoppage for Marciano and today he would be in even greater peril from it. Marciano never faced a boxer with the speed of hand and foot of Ali nor one with such an overwhelming
advantage in reach and accuracy.
Marciano was too slow afoot and with his punches to beat a prime Ali, he had life and death with an old Walcott and Charles neither of whom were remotely as fast or physically as strong and durable as Ali.

He gets sliced and diced for a cuts tko .If he manages to last the distance he gets clearly outpointed.
Frazier caught Ali with multiple left hooks,the punch he was always susceptible to.Marciano's money punch was his right.

Marciano was superior to Frazier in that he had two handed power and a better chin but his pressure was not as intense and his hand/footspeed was slower than Joe's,add his tendency to cut= he loses this fight.

 

So now you are telling me what I think? Do you have any conception of how wierd your stance is here?
Ali found Chuvalo easy to hit and in no way awkward yet he twice went the distance,

Terrell went 15rds with Ali, how many did he win?
You are talking gobbledegook.

Marciano was cut against
Johnny Shkor
Keene Simmons,[the referee Sharkey Buannano said he could have stopped the fight anytime after the 2nd, but wanted to give Marciano every chance]
Joe Louis
Walcott1
Charles 1 [ After this fight Marciano's bloody face featured on the front page of the Police Gazette in an article entitled "When To Stop A Fight?"]

This content is protected

Charles 2 [ In grave danger of being stopped, nose split in two]
Moore
That's in four of his seven title defences.atsch

 

In some ways you're right Rocky would be harder but in other ways he'd be much easier.

With Rocky being slower on his feet than Frazier, Ali wouldn't be forced to go on the ropes as much so wouldn't be caught as much, plus Frazier's hands were quicker.

 

I think the chance of Rocky cutting would be very high. I once saw an interview with Cooper who said that before the exile, Ali had a very peculiar jab, an outward jab that "dragged your flesh".

Even without the cuts....if it goes late I could normally see Rocky having some good moments, but I think he just ships too much punishment in the first six rounds. It's the quick feet, the height, the jab, the ability to draw a lead and then snap a right hand over it.

I don't think it'd be a good night for Rocky. Sometimes all-time great fighters just don't match up well for a competitive fight.

 

Ali himself said he thought Marciano would give him a very hard fight...something along the lines of either one of them could win...

Ali said (in an interview with Cosell on YouTube) that Frazier gave him tough fights & that Marciano was better than Frazier.

I'm paraphrasing but you get my drift. I don't see why Ali would make this up?

 

When referring to past champions did he ever say." I'd outbox that chump and make him look silly?" Its called being gracious.

 

Marciano could not win 6 rounds out of 12 against a 37 years old Walcott, the scores were 4-7-5-7-5-8. He has zero chance of doing better against Ali.

 

Ali would school Marciano, and thats no dig at Marcianos greatness.

Ali would be in, out and long gone before Marciano even knew what hit him.

Even Liston with his 84" reach could not catch Ali, i really cant see how the smaller Marciano will do it.

Ali's bigger,
faster
faster hands
faster feet
sharper
accurate
longer reach
and a good chin (if/when Marciano does land the odd shot).

It would be like another version of Lewis/Tua.

 

Rocky only got cut with the smaller gloves. Marciano fought with 6oz gloves until the cokell fight.. All title fights coming after that (including the cokell and Moore defences) were fought with 8oz then 10oz gloves. I don't think Ali defended his title wearing 6oz gloves. It is much harder to draw blood with 8oz gloves so I don't see Marciano getting cut any worse than he was against Charles. In fact If Ali couldn't cut Bonavena, I see no reason why he should cut Rocky. I don't think a heavyweight champion ever lost a title on a cut.

I am not saying Ali can't beat Rocky, I just don't understand how marciano would not last as long as Bonavena or mildenburger. Why didn't Ali "slice and dice" them and chuvalo for that matter?

If you put any great fighter against another great in his prime it's never a walk over.