If Lastarza did not merit a title shot, then the implication is that Marciano presumably should have given it to somebody else.
The boxing public wanted to see Marciano in the ring with the fighter that nearly beat him. The paying audience desire to see a fight most often is the reason a bout is made. However LaStarzas bout with Rex Layne was considered a title fight eliminator. LaStarzas win pathed the way his second bout with Marciano to occur.
When you combine Lastarza's #1 ranking with the controvesy surrounding the previous bout, you have to conclude that Marciano would deffinitely have drawn criticism for refusing him a title shot.
Can you be serious ? Tua was not the same size, he was a 230 fighter built like a tank and Roland, who was a decent fighter but so much lighter had zero to hold him off .. your talking a solid forty five plus pounds .. in addition, unlike Rocky Tua was both very fast handed and a very fast starter ..
If Marciano didn't fight Lastarza he would be known as a ducker. He did fight him and is known to fight bums. I don't get it. You Marciano haters are just devils advocates.
Tua wasn't "fast handed" and was never known to be "fast handed". Tua is a B level fighter at best in history who came up short when it counted. His best win was over the tomato can Hasim Rahman. Who in turn is only known for his knockout of Lennox Lewis and was immediately knocked out in the rematch.
Take Tua off PEDS and what would you have? Put LaStarza on PEDS and what would you have? Eliminate cheating and lots of physical differences evaporate. LaStarza was a far greater fighter than Tua technically.
LaStarza didn't necessarily have to get a title shot, he was just the leading contender with a controversial loss to the reigning champion, Marciano could have ducked him for some one lower rated who didn't claim to have a win over him.
lastarza does quite a few things better technically for sure. but he routinely backs himself against the ropes vs rocky, and that is begging for disaster v tua. you might be right about the physical thing, but since we never saw tua look any other way that is the version we gotta use for a fantasy fight.
Tua could be a better finisher on the ropes than Marciano, so it's a good thing so many of his opponents avoided him for round after round with basic minimal movement.
what about lastarza? who was happy to not do that and go straight back to the ropes on film vs rocky, that didn't go so well for him, and it would be an even worse idea vs tua.
LaStarza wasn't forced to the ropes by Marciano's proven ability to cut off movers and land punches from awkward angles, he willingly backed into them that night because he had an itch back there he was trying to scratch.