Would Marciano’s legacy have benefited from losing?

I think it would have harmed his historical standing more than it enhanced it.

It would have made him a less divisive figure though.

 

Definitely not Marciano stands alone as the only undefeated heavyweight champion.

 

No, winning all the fights and taking on all comers is the best a boxer can do. Marciano literally did better then any heavyweight boxer all time.

 

The Rock beat everyone they put him front of him...that's all a fighter can do...
...49-0 43 KO's...'nuff said...

 

Losing would never have improved his image or legacy. When he retired at age 32 some felt there as still some fight in him and that he should have taken on Tommy Hurricane Jackson or Floyd Patterson. I believe he would have won either fight had they taken place thereby enhancing his legacy.

 

Forty nine and zero is what defines him.
He had the wisdom to get out at the right time, it's just a tragedy fate wasn't kinder to him.

 

Marciano lives on through his undefeated record, despite his level of competition being comparatively weak compared to other heavyweight greats.

If he were to lose to one of them, then it would be even easier to dismiss him.

 

I think his unbeaten record is more of a burden, even outside of this forum. It makes people view him with suspicion.

Marciano was before my time but I read about him as soon as I got interested in boxing, and just about as soon as I read about his unbeaten record, I also read how his record was built on old and over-the-hill fighters, and that really he got out at the right time before having to face a younger or bigger opponent.

For an example: I once had someone who knows f--k all about boxing tell me, "Marciano was unbeaten, but all his fights took place in his hometown ... and of course the mafia would never let him lose."

 

The guy fought most of what was about ,some were past prime but they were rated men,it wasn't a great era ,but that isn't his fault. .
He retired because he was having more and more difficulty with his back and Weill was robbing him. There were no big paydays on the horizon and maybe he just wanted to have a life.No one sacrificed more than he did to reach the top, but you know all this.

 

It depends how he lost and how he did in the rematch.

Champions who scored revenge wins after being actually knocked out are thought of rather well. It certainly enhanced Lennox, Dempsey and Joe Louis.

Therefore, If it was a case of not getting the benefit of the doubt with a close decision and still knocking the guy out in a rematch it would not hurt Marciano so much in my eyes. He's still the same guy whatever and because of the rematches he still winds up beating all the guys he fought like Lewis did.

I think his unbeaten record is historically relevent because it makes him appear like an exception to the rule. He retired before it could happen. That's all it is.

All champions have close calls. They usually win, some don't. Rocky had fewer close calls but still won. It does not make Marciano a better fighter just because every close call went his way anymore than Rocky is any worse or weaker as a champion if you could somehow make a loss out of a fight he had in real life because after any dispute he always knocked them out the next time.

However, if Rocky continued he would have eventually lost. Once he declined it would have been harder and therefore also unlikely he could have won a rematch after a loss. whilst he would be remembered as a strong champion in his prime it is also true he would no longer have the unbeaten tag to fall back on. So in that case being unbeaten counts for some of his prestige. Just not all of it.

Again this is where the "how he loses" becomes important. If he only loses because he declined and he went out on his shield he would still be remembered as a great champion who just got old.

If Rocky was stopped or quit in a rematch to a guy who gave him a close call it would effect his resume terribly. Even if it happened beyond the point of his actual retirement It could erase much of the earlier things he established in his prime.

 

It would depend on how he lost and to who. I think the Charles he fought was great and pumped from the 2 electric KO wins he had before the Marciano fight. I think the Walcott he fought in fight 1 was confident and fit and powerful. Archie was on a 50 fight streak (marred by a DQ and a disputed decision that he avenged by KO over an ATG) Lastarza was 53-3 and beat everyone who beat him except Marciano

The fact is even in LaStarza 1, my uncles were rooting for Roland who was a NY guy against the Marciano who beat and crippled local star Vingo but they told me Marciano landed the stronger shots and dropped Roland and they felt the Boston kid won and clearly but close. They were Yankee fans and the Boston red socks were the enemy as well as Marciano but they recognized his greatness and did not root against him until the 2nd LaStarza fight

If Ali was KO'd by Henry Cooper would it alter his legacy?

If Foreman was stopped by Lyle?

If Holmes did not get up vs Shavers or Snipes?

Marciano passed all his tests and the fact that he may have had a few close fights should not hurt him at the stages of his career and there are many in fact most people felt he beat LaStarza both times.

If Marciano was Ko'd by Walcott or Moore or beaten by Charles it would affect his legacy but it did not happen.

If Marciano was on the short end of a close fight it, there would be many people talking about how he got robbed but avenged his loss and got better like Joe Louis and Lennox Lewis did,What if Floyd had the Castillo fight marked as a loss, there would be plenty of people that felt the decision was just. If Marciano was on the short end of a close fight people would have to take into consideration that he fought 5 # 1 contenders out of 6 defenses and beat the best of his day and got out of the game while he still had fights left in him and 48-1-0 or 50-1-0 is not a bad record but IMO 49-0-0 43KO's was deserving and just.

 

No dominance is the best thing he has going for him, he would have improved his legacy by fighting at the top level for longer than the 4 years or there abouts he actually did though.