They each face off against all lineal champions, not over a time period. All matches Are based on each fighters prime as a one off. Each fight at the same weight etc as in their day. From Sullivan through to Fury Who 'ya got?
I'm purely guessing now ...... without dissecting it down to actually matching those three against the rest (Sullivan to Fury) ...... I believe I'd have Larry Holmes ahead, with Dempsey close second, and Marciano somewhere behind in third. Which is remarkable, since Marciano is the only one who was never defeated, so maybe I'm completely wrong.
When you sit and think it out, it is far from easy to seperate them as each has specific attributes but i can fully agree with your placings
Yeah. Holmes has the most adaptable style so I figure he ranks 1st, but he lacked the 'great equalizer' KO punch, so it's not at all clear cut.
It is a difficult question, because they all have different strengths and weaknesses. Marciano was the most consistent of the three against world class opposition, but it is reasonable to think that he might not have been as versatile as the other two, in tackling a wide range of styles at the level that we are talking about. Dempsey was perhaps the least consistent of the three, but his finishing ability would give him a chance against anybody, and might bail him out in fights that he was losing. Holmes’s more defensive style might be the decisive factor, if it came down to a few guys that the other two couldn’t bulldoze. Perhaps Dempsey is the most versatile of the three here.
P4P: Marciano, Dempsey, Holmes. IRL: Holmes is better than the other two but Jesus splitting Rocky and Dempsey is hard. I'll go for Rocky second based upon nothing more than the fact that he was unbeaten.
Holmes at the top. Better smarts and a better puncher than getting credit for. Toss up between jack and rocky, prob rocky
Obviously Rocky is 3rd on the list, no shame there as it's still a podium finish and a bronze medal. For me Holmes shades Dempsey as he's more multi faceted and more proven against a higher level of opposition.
Holmes and Dempsey are very very close incidentally my 2 favorite HW's btw. Ill give Holmes the first spot followed by Dempsey. Holmes is more careful and could adapt more is why I give him the first spot. And lest be honest here the man had the best jab I ever saw and in his prime controlled every fight he was in. It set the pace and was also a great defensive weapon as well. Even when he started to slip it kept him winning against guys who were in there prime. It was as always his main weapon in his comback when his legs deserted him a long time ago. I cant recall a single fighter who used a single weapon over the course of such a long career with such effectiveness as Holmes and his jab.
