Rocky Marciano's so called punching power

17 th September 1955, Perth Mirror.
BIG FIGHT: I am tipping that Nino Val
des' smashing victory over Don Cockell
this week will achieve him nothing in his
quest for Marclano's scalp. The fight proved to the
American matchmakers that Cockell Is washed up
and not that the Cuban is any better than when he
last fought In the States. Valdes had a tough job get
ting Rocky interested In a fight when he was leading
contender before. Then Archie Moore beat Nino,
Rocky wiped him right off and Nino Is likely to stay
that way.
Tuesday's fiasco was a pure color fight, just like its
supporting prelim, between mountainous Potty Pot
gleter and Simon Templar. It carried no official weight
ln'world boxing whatsoever.

 

MARCIANO
TALKS ON
CONTENDERS
WASHINGTON. — T h e
world heavyweight boxing
champion Rocky Marciano,
said today that Archie
Moore, light heavyweight
title holder, might be the
logical one to have the next
chance to take the heavy-
weight title from him.
Talking with reporters
Marciano said at first he
; thought Nino Valdes, of Cuba
or Don Cockell, of England,
might be next in line for him.

"EITHER ACCEPTABLE"

Either. he said, would be
acceptable.
Someone suggested Moore,
and Marciano replied, "may
be Moore would be the logi
cal one at that. He is pretty
rugged for a light heavy
weight. He knows how to
fight, and he also knows how
to punch."

 

So cockell was washed up when he fought Valdes but Lastarza (cockells best win) wasn’t washed up when he fought Cockell?

Ahh I see whatever suits your agenda

 

Look at the average ranking of Marciano's title challengers, and compare him to pretty much any other champion in history, who managed to hold onto the title for a few defenses.

How many times since the beginning of this century, have we seen a heavyweight champion face off against his most qualified challenger, or even his second most qualified challenger?

Why do we expect a champion of the past to meet his #1 contender in every single title defense, when it has happened so infrequently in recent memory?

People criticizing Marciano for fighting Cockell instead of Valdez, are basically demanding absolute perfection from him!

 

I'm not criticizing Marciano, my problem is with those justifying Cockell's shot by hyping him up,[ he was a gimmeee defence,]pretending he was as good as Valdes because he beat a washed up Lastarza and a never was in Mathews, and both Lastarza and Mathews got their ranking from beating a washed up Layne.

 

Couldn’t have said it better ..


Bravo

 

Yeah, since he faced Moore later that very year, I can't hold it much against him that he started the year with a softer defense. Concerns over the nose could have been a factor. It could also be that he and his team saw Valdes as an unnecessarily dangerous stylistic challenge for an aging Rocky and got lucky when Moore took his place as top contender. We'll probably never know. But Rocky did face a nr 1 ranked contender that year, and what was Cockell ranked, nr 3? If that's the worst you can say about his reign, it was a pretty damn good one.

 

I wish he fought Valdes too. But fighting the #2 or #3 instead is decent enough consolation.

 

Great Post per usual Bokaj and this is pretty much how it went. Cockell was actually rated number 2 but I don't believe his thin resume warranted a spot that highly considering his early KO loss to Jimmy Slade, then a couple decision wins over a washed up Lastarza and fringe contender Matthews. There were other contenders out there in 55 whom deserved the number 2 spot over him.


"Softer defense"

Yes we are on the same page. The only issue here is chokelab trying to convince everyone that Cockell was not a "soft" defense and was as worthy as Valdes despite every major boxing publication rating Valdes # 1, and calling him "The only logical contender"


On another note Bokaj, if I were Valdes I would be pissed. Number 1 contender for 14 months, named "Only Logical Contender" in October 1954. He takes a few tuneups to get ready for his title shot that head of IBC Jim Norris is putting together for Miami in feb of 1955....Then all of a sudden he gets bypassed by Weill for Cockell in 1955. Instead of getting the next title shot (Which he earned in the first place) he gets an obstacle placed in his direct path...he suddenly has to fight hall of famer Archie Moore in a title eliminator in a ghost venue in Nevada with a referee who doesn't like Valdes, and the fight wasn't even filmed! Valdes Manager Bobby Gleason should have turned down that Moore fight and demand Marciano fight his number 1 Mandatory Valdes, especially after being passed up for Cockell! Valdes gave Moore quite the battle, AP had the scorecard even going into round 15. Both Valdes and Moore should have gotten the shots in 55.


"Stylistic"

You are right. Valdes at 6'3 215lb with a big punch and 80" reach was dangerous. Marciano never fought a world class opponent with that much of a height and reach advantage over him.

 

He actually fought bigger people then Valdes that had better KO records (maybe not as good competition). But the idea that Valdes was a character even worth mentioning is a bit of a stretch. I don’t think Rocky would have cared who he fought. Valdes got the short end and never got his shot but thems the breaks when u can’t retain your status

 

Bottom Line is Valdes had the physical tools, dimensions and punching power to give Marciano a much tougher fight than Cockell

Valdes > Cockell

 

“New York fans disappoint against Parker”

Yes but he more than made up for that showing with a 2 round demolition of number 4 rated in the world hurricane Jackson in July. The New York Times was very impressed and immediately demanded Valdes be promoted to number 1 And get a title shot vs Marciano



“Only Jackson”

Really?

That same Jackson had destroyed Dan Bucceroni in 6 rounds just months prior (the guy Lastarza lost too)

Jackson also destroyed Rex Layne in 6 rounds (The guy you make a big deal about Lastarza barely beating)


Doesn’t seem like a guy who had “blown fights”.


You know what’s blowing a fight? Lastarza at his peak losing to tomato can Rocky Jones then on his way to blowing another fight to him before James Amato White told Jones too “cool it” in between rounds.

How about don Cockell getting annihilated in 4 rounds by a man who couldn’t crack an egg

 

Obviously he hit hard, regardless of the quality of his competition. How he'd do against "modern sized" guys we'll never know. Honestly its a pointless conversation as he had approximately "0" opponents who had a combination of size (6 ft+, over 200 lbs, long reach), durable, young, and skilled. Its virtually impossible to find a top 10 heavyweight who doesnt meet that criteria nowadays or even in some of the eras BEFORE Rocky's. That tells you how shallow the talent pool was, but obviously its not Rockys fault.

He carried himself like a dignified and disciplined champion and took every opponent seriously. Lets just leave it at that. I would honestly ban any rocky vs modern sized guy discussions because people seem to be completely incapable of having an objective, honest conversation without becoming emotional or insulting. No one ever budges anyway.

 

If anything I think the hope was that Valdes would beat Moore. Archie was a threat to the title. not Valdes.

Moore had beat Baker, Valdes, johnson and Henry.

 

The bottom line is that he was the #2 ranked heavyweight contender.

That is not a gimme title defense, in any era.

Marciano had defended his title against the #1 rated contender, four consecutive times at this point!

Why the hell shouldn't he give a title shot to Cockell, or even somebody significantly worse than Cockell for that matter?