Sonny Liston vs Rocky Marciano

That's because Marciano wasn't supposed to be a great fighter. Do you think Marciano was a fighter who they thought had potential when he was coming up? Lol he would have been lucky to be a journeyman. Marciano literally defied the laws of boxing. He swung wildly and did everything he could to land even if that meant taking 3 punches for his 1. You can't look at Marciano like any other fighter because he was NOTHING like any other fighter. All other great fighters have something like speed, ring iq, footwork, etc. when they walk in the gym for the first time, at least in the form of potential. Marciano had none of that.

 

Personally I think this as big a stylistic nightmare for Marciano that Foreman was for Frazier.
I love Marciano and all he was but I just think Liston has too much in his armoury for the Rock to deal with, the biggest problem being arguably the best and most powerful jab of any heavyweight at the end of an 84" reach.

 

Fair enough.

So which full-sized heavyweights of note did he beat ?
Folley and Machen were the same size as Walcott.
Patterson was the same size as Charles.

How highly do you rate Cleveland Williams ?

 

This thread again. While I wouldn't say it's impossible for Marciano to win I do think this is a tall order. Liston had height, reach and weight on Rocky. To a higher degree than the men Rocky defeated plus he was a big puncher. Rocky was a come forward fighter he would have to take an awful lot to win this. Not saying it's impossible because Rocky had incredible stamina and incredible will to win. Plus he was a very good puncher in his own right. I would favor Liston. A solid favorite but not an overwhelming one.
It's funny Rocky is so polarizing. You have some people who believe he could beat anyone and then you have some that despite him being 49-0 with multiple hall of famers on his resume have him lose to every style and champion before and after.

 

Liston cut against Ali. That's one fight.
Marciano cut against
Moore
Charlesx2
Walcott
Louis
Shkor
Simmons
Broke his left hand in the amateurs ,his right in the pros. Marciano had problems with good jabbers even an old Louis marked him up badly and Marciano admitted "I just had to take them." If you have seen Marciano's face after the Louis fight imagine it after running into Liston's telephone pole of a jab.
Liston matches him for power,is bigger ,stronger ,heavier is a better boxer,and has 16 inches reach on him.

Dont tell me," Rocky would find a way to win,"as he did against those old men he fought , four of whom were ex lhvys.atsch

 

No he was retired long before he got to that age!

 

Yes he swallowed fire and sh*t thunder, a God! And what's more A WHITE ONE!:good

 

Hunter
Zech
De John
Valdes
Lincoln
McMurray
King
Clark
Summerlin

 

Folley and Machen were in their primes as was Patterson.Walcott and Charles were past theirs as was Moore and Louis that's Marciano's 4 best scalps . 37/38 Walcott ,33/34Charles ,39? Moore,36 Louis.

Marciano's top opponents came out of God's waiting room.
If Rocky had the opportunity to pick his ideal opponent, a bigger, more powerful ,two fisted puncher, 27lbs heavier with 16 inches more reach and a top class face busting jab to go with it, would not be seriously on his menu.
If Sonny could pick his ideal opponent stylistically, a short ,small, slow,come forward slugger,with defensive limitations ,cut susceptible skin,with a tiny reach would be at the very top of his list!:deal

 

That's cuts. Swelling, broken noses, and broken jaws are far worse. Those things make a fighter quit on his stool and Liston is likely to quit on his stool. Liston was nowhere near the level of a jabber as Louis, Charles, or Walcott was. His Jab was practically just another power punch which is good and bad.

Point is Liston would be right in front of the Rock all night. Absolutely no boxing whatsoever. Liston's track record is so far against him. Quitting on his stool from a shoulder injury and supposedly taking a dive.

 

The point is Liston did NOT quit on his stool with a broken
jaw, nose,or a closed eye.
Prime Liston's jab was better than the versions of those three that fought Marciano and any objective poster would recognize and admit it. Liston was actually a very competent boxer and always prepared to give ground and regroup when the situation indicated it was best to do so. His Achilles heel was his inability to cut off the ring something that would not be necessary against the always coming forward Marciano.
No matter what way you slice it, Marciano is stylistically made for Liston ,whereas the reverse is definitely not the case.

 

Marciano was stylistically made for Liston.

Marciano was the greater fighter, with the better record, versus better opposition, but Liston would still probably have won if they had fought in their primes!

 

I would say that the versions of those great fighters that Marciano faced were not the equal of those fighters that Liston met.

Marciano collected the best names, that is true.

 

It is a complete cop out, I know, but I feel without Ali Liston would have an ATG championship reign.

 

I don’t.

I think that he was heading for a Tyson Douglas moment, sooner rather than later.