...for overcoming a very rocky start against Walcott. https://streamable.com/m8wj Probably a good thing that he wasn't in there with a Tyson or a Tua though.
After being floored in the first he had to contend with cuts and liniment in his eyes, but nothing got in the way of his determination to win the title. I think he is the poster boy for getting the most mileage out of what you have.
No doubt. What bothers me about everyone humping his leg all the time about how ungodly tough he is, is the tacit suggestion that his brand of toughness was somehow different or on a higher plane than many other tough guys not given an ounce of Marciano's credit. Typical heavyweight love that goes around here like a plague, but still........
I don't see how any heavyweight's toughness can exceed that of Evander Holyfield's. Who do we know that traded at point blank with that many punchers and produced such good results?
I actually think Rocky gets slightly underrated on this forum. Its not uncommon for people on here to have him at the bottom of their top 10, even though he beat several ATG's, has the highest ko percentage of all time, and is the only hw champ to retire undefeated. In particular, he's generally not taken very seriously H2H, but Ali, who turned pro about 5 years after Rocky retired, is strangely thought to be almost unbeatable H2H. Even though Ali's style is really less suited to the modern game than harder hitting HW's like Rocky or Louis.
He did get the most of what he had. He was short...short arms...thick legs...started fighting as a pro at what?...24? Didn't have natural speed or grace... ...but it was round after round of pressure...a steady two fisted attack...never taking a backward step...and having a "kill or be killed" attitude that seems so out of place in today's world of "safety first" boxing. Maybe The Rock isn't your idea of what a heavyweight champion should be...but as has been said of Rocky, ..."He cannot be measured merely by what we can see!"
Tua and Tyson went down against guys with way less power. Tua: https://streamable.com/930d Tyson: https://streamable.com/r0h1 Another 0/10 thread keep it up!
Which ATG heavyweights did he beat? A 37 years old past it Louis? People will place Marciano where they will. If he makes my top ten it would be no higher than no 10. No man is unbeatable, but I see nothing strange about posters ranking Ali the number one all time heavyweight,I do myself. No less an authority than Emmanuel Steward stated that Marciano made his rep on old men and that he would be far too small for todays heavyweights.
People forget that Walcott was a beast when at his best and accomplish boxer that could punch, he started out well but Rocky was determined and the finish was a thing of art and force