Gerry Cooney vs Rocky Marciano in their primes

Probably better.

 

This logic would work if Cooney and Marciano had fought the same men, or if either had fought an opponent who closely resembled the other. But Marciano's career achievements--as impressive as they were--don't offer many insights into how he would succeed against a prime world-class heavyweight with Cooney's size and power. Question marks abound.

 

Cooney KO1. Blasts out the lilliputian Son of Abruzzi.

If geriatric, bonebrittle Walcott can left hook him on to the canvas in the 1st. Left hook phenom and physical freak Cooney will sow a seed of dago in that canvas.

 

Lmao Cooney a physical freak.

 

Some said the same for Cooney ( AARP wins over Lyle, Norton, and Young ) , who at his best was competitive taking 4-5 rounds from a prime Larry Holmes and hurting him in round four to the body.

So in a way we know Cooney's best, as it was measured vs Holmes.

The questions here is how tough is Marciano vs a puncher on Cooney's level, and is Cooney's somewhat under rated boxing skills enough to get Rocky's respect.

If this one goes past six rounds, Rocky wins is. But will it go past six rounds? I dunno.

 

Cooney liked to blitz his opponents. He was at his best when he went for broke at the first bell, hurting guy and being a relentless finisher. He even said that was his preferred strategy against Holmes but was instructed to not go that route. Perhaps he was correct. Winning a decision against Holmes was a mighty tall order.

Meanwhile Marciano was a guy who got decked early by two geriatric, smaller opponents who didn't hit on Cooney's level.

 

I would say Walcott and Moore were two very skilled men. Would Walcott or Moore beat the Spinks who defeated Cooney? Maybe.

Cooney was chinny, Marciano was not.

 

Hard to tell. Cooney had booze and coke problems. Marciano did not.

Holmes had him on the canvas for a second. Foreman put him there for real but did Marciano ever face a heavyweight puncher of Foreman's status? And again, Gerrie had issues that could have exacerbated his resistance at that point.

 

Cooney was a gifted guy, but not really a gritty fighter. His father I heard was the real tough guy. Gerry was sensitive, and IMO did not like getting hit, nor could he take it well.

I think Rocky hit hard enough to take Cooney out, the question is how many rounds does Cooney have before the tide turns? I don't know.

 

Do they though?

Cooney wasn't exactly beating the best and brightest contenders of his era, so you are hanging a lot on the size card here.

225 lbs is a big guy for Marciano's era, but its still only about 10lbs heavier than Joe Louis when Marciano fought him.

To pick Cooney based on size, you would have to either think that size was pretty much everything, or that Cooney was a lot better than his record suggested.

 

I think we have thoroughly destroyed the notion that Louis was a viable 215 pound prime heavyweight. He was prime at the 200-203 range. And he could throw a right hand at that weight, too.

 

Even that Louis looked more like a physical freak than Cooney ever did.

 

Gentleman Gerry sprouted from the finest seed of Hibernia!

 

I think Gerry takes it. He had power, height and was even faster than Rocky, who'd look like a midget for heavens sake.

 

That little island? Well, that would explain his booze problem. Regardless, one good pop to the liver and its over.