Main issue here for Holmes is his propensity to drop his jab leaving himself open for Marciano’s best punch..his right hand. A jab is not beating Marciano. He had that low crouch and parried well. It will take much more. My thought is that Rocky will land his right over that jab full power at some point. It’s Holmes early, becoming a war between rounds 5-10 leading to a KO win for Marciano in 12. At a high level Holmes defensive hole becomes his nemesis as right hands continue to land. Holmes is tough but he can take just so much.
Firstly, Rocky needs to reach a prime Holmes with his speed, reflexes and 81" reach. That's a much taller order than a decrepit Walcott or any of the other ancients that Marciano faced. Speaking of jabs, the mummified Louis, who had nothing but a remnant of his formerly great jab, put a heap of damage on Rocky's face. It gives me the night terrors to imagine what a prime Holmes' jab would accomplish in dismembering that tiny Abruzzian's face flesh. Holmes KO9
Walcott is faster and has better footwork than Holmes so no. Many lesser fighters have gotten into the inside of Holmes, only to be at a loss of what to do. Marciano wouldn't be. He'd hammer the body, slow Holmes down, take him to the deep end. Suzie Q was great for countering jabs. Louis' jab was pretty much all that remained of his prime. His right hand had diminished but his jab was just as commanding and versatile as ever. It's what carried him to wins over Bivins and Brion, and won him rounds against prime Ezzard Charles. Also Louis' jab is comparable in quality to Holmes', if that has any bearing on pre prime Marciano. Do you honest to God think Holmes could put Marciano down for a 10 count. I don't mind a tko on cuts verdict but that's ridiculous and irrational
A 100 year old Walcott on his last two fights after a long and damaging career is Faster and had Better Footwork than Prime Holmes? You do know that superfluous, time-wasting dance moves don't exactly equal good footwork right? And I ask you to check out Joe's footwork, done while backstepping in post holes during the final rounds of the first right. You obviously have no idea how to watch a fight, or at least one with Marciano involved. A 142 year old Joe Louis did not have near the jab that prime Holmes possessed. Please. Holmes is in the argument of best heavy jab ever, prime for prime. And you want to compare a mummified Louis? That is so incredibly dishonest of a proposal that I will allow you a 24 hour term to rescind on that stance. Such is my magnanimity.. Absolutely. Holmes had better power and timing than the ancient journeyman Walcott or LightHeavy Moore. And... ANd AND... Holmes had more heart, more toughness and trained harder than Marciano. Which really adds the trump card when he was possessed 10x the talent.
I have a feeling that many expectations would be subverted in this fight - Holmes would outwrestle Marciano and Marciano would outbox Holmes. Dont really know who would win tho. A 16 inch difference in reach makes for a very strange fight for both men involved.
Would Marciano have ever risen from that Shavers' right hand? Never. Holmes is about the toughest fighter who ever lived. All man. A true fighter. And he wasn't running the NE club circuit. He was fed much tougher meat and had a career about 5 times that of Marciano, never once giving into the silent agreement over all those decades. And Holmes grooming grounds were as sparring partner for the greatest heavyweight who ever lived. You think that wasn't spartan? That wasn't a tough, daily litmus test? I've laid out the written record of Marciano's regimen on this board repeatedly... And honestly, it sounds like something you could do while holding down a full time job. A middling amount of running, some remedial exercises and sparring against no-hopers. Now, who is irrational?
I suspect that Marciano's pressure would win the day, and that Holmes wouldn't quite be elusive enough.
