Lennox Lewis v Rocky Marciano

I don't think so. Lennox was Koed by 2 Journeyman, taken the distance and probably lost to a limited Ray Mercer.

Undersized and ring worn Holyfield drew with him and fought him pretty even.

Marciano fought fighters almost the same size as Lewis and destroyed them.

He might not be favored but, he could take Lewis or at least fight him well. Lennox would not be favored against a prime Tyson, and could not KO Tua, Both fighters at around the same height as Marciano.

 

I want to see more proof than that on Vingo. Many have said he was under 200, if he was he was painfully light for that weight.

Johnny Shkor won his last fight, and was indeed a solid fighter. So yeah, he counts as a Big man, with skills.

Marciano would give Lennox much more than you think.

 

You just gave Vingo 30 pounds to help your argument? Who does that??

 

Because, I have not seen the proof, I have heard conflicting reports in his weight.

In his photos he looks filled out. 6' 4' and under 200 is light. He looks heavier than that.

 

The delusion has gone so far as to compare Johnny Skhor, a circuit fighter who was never ranked, to a Top 5 great in the division who fought all over the world, all through the upper echelons of the division, in one of its greatest eras and beat every man he faced.

The mental gymnastics required for someone with even a passing knowledge of the sport to make such an assertion are monumental. If nothing else, I think some applause is due.

 

And you made Johnny Shkor a skilled big man because...he won a fight??

 

This is starting to get sad. It's like telling a little kid there's no Santa Claus.

 

Carmine Vingo was 19 years of age, 189 lbs with 16 wins over nobody. The only thing that he and Lewis had in common were that they were both taller than Marciano but the similarities end there. One has to be pretty desperate to even mention his name. Johnny Shkor was a decent sized man at 6'4, 220 lbs.. Fair enough.. But the only fly in the ointment there is that he had only won 5 of his last 15 fights... Would Marciano fair well against modern day skilled big men? We'll never know. But to try and make a case based on the above two examples is laughable at best and pathetic at worst.

 

Johnny was a solid Journeyman, At about the same height as Lennox, Lennox had more weight, and was better skilled.

But, Marciano destroyed Johny, It is foolish to assume Marcaino could not Ko Lennox, Lennox had moments of sloppiness, That is a no no against Marciano. I think Rocky has a good chance vs Lennox and it has nothing to do with mental gymnastics, But with styles.

Lennox did not destroy Tua, and he would have lost to a prime Tyson. All around the same Height as Marciano.

So, that said, Lennox is favored, but not a lock to win.

 

This is a horrible match up for Rocky. Much much worse for him than Liston and Foreman because Lewis really used his range, control of pace as well as his strength. And the size just gets even more rediculous.

However, don't anybody think it could ever be easy for Lewis. It really is not impossible for a tiny guy to cone forward and land a lot of punches on a much bigger and taller guy.

Orlin Norris did this to Tony Tucker. Now people will answer me by saying yes but Norris was over 200lb ...but if you watch that fight it was not the weight of the guy that kept Norris in that fight and landing more punches. It was the use of distance, dipping low and the closing of the gap. Using the right kinds of punches and dictating the distance and space that suited the little man.

A small man only gets trapped in a no man's land where he can't reach the bigger fellow if he stands up tall. By bending at the knees and keeping low he can come up and under. Presenting a more difficult target and making it much harder to predict what hand he uses. There's no sequence to follow like there is against the stranded man stuck at range.

Marciano would be an awkward and busy customer for Lewis even if Rocky is losing. Lewis will be punching down at a twisting and turning jumble of shoulders and elbows. He will be grabbing at Rocky. Neutralizing much of his obvious assets. Lewis still might have an edge because he was clever but his caution would make it a much closer fight.

 

No its foolish to think that Marciano could pull this off on the basis that he "destroyed" a man who lost over a third of his professional fights, many of which to journeyman and all because both he and Lewis were of comparable height. Brian Minto and Mike Tyson were of comparable height too. Does that mean Chris Arreola destroys Tyson? And to use make the comparison of Lewis being taken the distance by Tua as though it means anything is laughable. Tua was never down in a fight prior to the last bout of his career, weighed some 230 lbs and fought nothing like Rocky yet he lost nearly ever round of that match..

 

118-108, 119-109, 117-111 is a pretty comprehensive a sskicking. Lennox did a number on Tua who went into a complete shell and when in danger relied on his chin which was quite a bit better than Marciano's.

It is certainly no given that Tyson beats Lewis. A near prime or prime Tyson went life and death with a Ruddock that Lewis dispatched quickly. Lewis put down twice a Tucker that Tyson mauled a way to a decision.

I am just seeing a lot of reaching and really flimsy support for the argument that Marciano had any of the tools to deal with a legit, elite Superheavy.