Tokyo Douglas vs Marciano

He wasnt great but he demonstrated that he had exactly the right style to beat a short swarmer. I wouldn't be too sure that Marciano would beat that version of Tyson ,it is by no means a given imo.

 

The Douglas of tokyo would beat most HWs in history imo.a superb display of movement jab rights and hooks text book .it wouldn't be easy as rocky would not tire and would attack in close but buster that night could win .if only he could have maintained it a real shame.

 

1. Marciano isn't getting disrespected.

2. Douglas had more than one good night. He beat a few decent contenders and prospects. He had his share of bad nights too. But he did do enough to be a ranked fighter in a few separate years, outside of his championship-winning night.

3. The case for Douglas certainly does come largely from physical dimensions and the demonstrated ability to use the tools. It's not an obssession, just an observation.

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The idea that the best version of Douglas should never be favoured or given an even chance against ANY great heavyweight simply because Mike Tyson is alleged to have been performing "way" under par, is just nonsense.
And I'm not Tyson-fanatic by any means.

Douglas was nothing special but he was a solid and competent 6'4 heavyweight, an undisputed world champion on his merits, with 83 inch reach, who demonstrated great ability to use his tools against a dangerous-punching short heavyweight.

 

I think Douglas on his best night was a bit better than many of Marciano's opponents were in some of their last.

 

The voice of reason, although RockyJim still chose Rocky

 

The fact that Douglas ended up on the floor at one point in round 8 of the Tyson fight should give plenty of hope to Marciano's backers though.
I mean, Marciano's dangerous until the final bell.

I'd give Douglas a real good chance.
I'd give Marciano a real good chance.

Marciano was way more AWKWARD than Tyson, that's a factor in his advantage.
Douglas has all the tools to beat the smaller man, but Marciano had a weird rhythm to his work so breaking him down might not be the same as establishing dominance over someone more correct and, dare i say, predictable, like Tyson.

 

Size may not account for everything but it counts for a hell of a lot. Especially when the size difference is more than just marginal and the said fighter who is bigger has some world class ability. We're not talking about putting Marciano in with Dave Jaco. Even if we dismiss the Tyson fight as a case of Mike being ill prepared, Douglas still had wins over men like Berbick, Page, Cobb, McCall, etc.. He was a ranked contender for the better part of four years going into Tokyo, and not the second rate "bum" that his detractors often make him out to be.

 

Why is being awkward to his advantage? Tokyo Tyson was 45lbs heavier than Marciano,and even if not at his best he was still a damn sight faster with his punches.

 

Marciano. Rocky was much tougher mentally than Tyson.

 

Tokyo Douglas.. that one fight... was 50-50 with any great fighter. And yes,,, I include Marciano.

Douglas fought a great, great fight. It's a real masterclass where he showed everything a great fighter should have. Skill, heart, power and he got off the floor to win! Why can't he beat any fighter with that performance?

 

I mean Douglas established his rhythm against Tyson's, but Marciano fought in a very different rhythm to Tyson.
Tyson was deadly but relatively orthodox. Even at his absolute best he fought to Rooney's numbers, he was running on a rational program so to speak.
Marciano was more awkward, more herky-jerky, more unorthodox, more chaotic. There's a distinct possibility Douglas's tools was take longer to calibrate to Marciano's rhythm.

 

There is also a distinct possibility that Rocky's cut prone facial tissue would let him down against a 6'4" 81inch reach jabber.

 

There are lots of ways Douglas can beat Marciano, I agree.

 

I just can't buy the idea that Douglas went from being an average contender to an all-time great beater overnight, and then back again overnight.

I simply can't justify picking him over another all-time great, based on this one result.

I know where my money would be going.