Rocky Marciano vs David Tua

Could you point out any direct stylistic comparison made between Marciano and Byrd in my post and I would be happy to address them.

 

You don’t go your career at HW as champion never getting stopped unless you’re excellent defensively. His stats back up this fact as well. Not sure what Don has to do with anything? Was Marcianos worst fight on film and he didn’t take him seriously even then he was never hit with anything significant.
Id say several people in the 190 area probably hit just as good or better then Tua that argument is extremely subjective anyway and can never be proven. I like Tua man but he was limited. Take away his left you haven’t much to worry about.

 

The way these people talk you would think the most basic of defense was beyond Marciano. He knew how to slip punches and block, he had excellent timing and was awkward out of a leaning crouch. He made some of the best technicians that every laced them up struggle to land clean. Now...he slugged it out too, he was an offensive minded fighter and there were times, he knew that was to his advantage, that he would get the better of an exchange long term and welcomed them...but that's what separated him, a Champion, from a guy like Tua, who never knew when to sell out and go for it. The Rock would have never got bossed by Byrd.

 

Humphrey Jackson outweighed Rocky by 71 pounds at 254, Big Bill Wilson outweighed Rocky by 39 1/4 pounds at 229 1/2, Johnny Shkor outweighed Rocky by 30 pounds at 220 1/2.

I think we ,atleast, can say Rocky didn't have too much trouble against MUCH bigger man.

 

Damn, you mean he does have a resume after all?

 

A guy like Tua...who never won anything....against a guy who was one of the great warriors of all time! Great chin...power in both hands...especially the right hand...great heart...stamina...a "kill or be killed" attitude...best conditioned fighter of all time...threw punches in bunches...hurt you no matter where he hit you...almost killed Carmine Vingo...Vingo was partially paralyzed and never fought again! Knocked down for the first time against Joe Walcott in the title fight in Sept.1952. Cut...blinded for 4 rounds...behind on all scorecards...throws the best right hand ever and KO's Walcott...and wins the title! Beats Roland LaStarza in June 1953 by TKO in the 11th round. LaStarza suffers bone damage and ruptured blood vessels during the fight. He has to have surgery to repair the vessels in his arms because they turned into blood clots!!15 rounds with former champ Ezzard Charles in June 1954...one of THE greatest brawls of all time...The only time The Rock goes 15. They have a rematch 3 months later.....and in the 6th...Charles splits Rocky's nose through the cartilage down to the bone! He's bleeding profusely...and they can't stop the blood! The doctor and the ref confer with Rocky's corner. They beg them not to stop the fight. They give him one more round. He storms out...KO's Charles...and keeps the title! Has plastic surgery to repair his nose. In May 1955...they take a fight with UK Champion Don Cockell to test the nose. Marciano wins by KO. Rocky's thinking about retiring because he's sick of the grind. Lt Heavy Champ Archie Moore becomes the #1 contender by beating 2 top heavyweights and get a fight with Marciano in September 1955. 40,000 fans at Yankee Stadium see a classic brawl. In the 2nd round, Moore hit Marciano with a with a counter right...and Rocky hits the deck! Rocky gets up...and in the 6th..he floors Archie with a clubbing overhand right ...pins Moore along the ropes...and pounds the S**T out of Archie...and stops him in the 9th round in a great fight! Rocky retires in April 1956 at 49-0 with 43 KO's. Recognized as one of the most dedicated fighter to ever lace up a pair of gloves. Red Smith said of Marciano:" PAIN had no meaning...and FEAR wasn't in his vocabulary!" And David Tua couldn't beat Chris Byrd! Marciano KO's this overrated stiff with out much trouble! Tua was lazy...uninspired...you never knew which Tua would show up! Marciano trained himself down to 189lbs folks! He had one of the all time great trainers in Charlie Goldman. Rocky was always in shape...no "spare tire" around the middle...no "man boobs"..no "huffing & puffing" after 3 rounds of so called "action". He was 5'11...189 pounds tops...he started fighting when he was 24 yrs old! He was old when he started!!! He had no business being the champ...short arms...but he came at you with overwhelming confidence that you couldn't beat him!!! Everyone had a plan to beat this guy...until he connected...then you were in a defensive mode for most of the night! He would wear you down! You think that a guy like Tua...who couldn't defeat the "immortal" Chris Byrd...would stand a chance against a tank like Marciano? Good luck to you!!!

 

Just because he was never stopped doesn't mean you have an excellent defense it just means that none of your opponents were able to finish him. Foreman was stopped once does that mean he was excellent defensively? No it doesn't. How about Andy Ruiz he's yet to be stopped?

Name these 190lbs boxer who hit as hard as Tua? Amazing many Rocky fan cannot understand how styles work and just pick fights purely on who they are a fan of. He was an amazing fighter but Tua is a nightmare style for him.

 

Men in the 190 range that likely hit as good
Louis
Marciano
Dempsey
Baer
Satterfield
Hide
Sheppard
Moore
Moorer
Walcott
Holy
Those men probably hit close to as hard some harder. Like I’ve said it’s subjective. I don’t think you know much about styles. Considering Tua is an extremely poor mans Marciano. He lacked Marcianos strength in BOTH hands. Couldn’t crouch and lean to far because he was to heavy making him far more hittable. Lacked Marcianos ability to counter and cut off the ring. Styles mean a lot in a fight they mean less when the skill gap is this wide.

 

A few things here first Max Baer was only 190lbs a handful of times earlier in his career otherwise he was normally over 200. Louis likewise was over 190lbs for vast majority of his career. Hide clearly hit harder when he was in the 210+ region then when he was at 190 very earlier in his career. Additionally no chance Moorer who was only under 190 at light heavy hit harder this is just delusional to even think. Tua clearly hit harder majority of our list Rocky, Dempsey, Holyfield and Walcott included.

Tua is not a poor mans Rocky he has certain attributes which clearly give him an advantage from 40lbs to a better chin and more power. You talk about styles then mention cutting off the ring like that's going to be a deciding factor in this match up? Like Tua's gonna be backing up fighting on the backfoot where Rocky will need to cut off the ring? Also Tua was not soley a one armed puncher sure his left had more power but his right had plenty too, he also likely has faster hands then Rocky. If you understood styles you would realize despite Charles and Walcott losing to Rocky they have a between chance against Tua than he does based on the skillset they have and what caused Tua problems. Rocky is tailored made for him despite David's limitations.

 

I do think Charles and Walcott would beat him easier but that’s not the question being posed. Once again because Tuas chin is slightly more proven doesn’t mean Marcianos chin is bad. There is little chance that Marciano is getting stopped here as there is little chance Tua is. But Tuas gonna eat a lot more shots this fight then Rocky ever will.