Did Nino Valadez ever deserve a shot at Rocky?

What are your talking about? He beat Valdez x2, Bob Baker, Clarence Henry, Jimmy Bivins, Bob Satterfield, Jimmy Slade, Curtis Sheppard, Phil Muscato. The list goes on. He never stopped beating top contenders.

 

As I said. No top 10 heavyweights since 1952.

 

Not sure I get you. In that time span he beat Valdez x2 (53,55)Bob Baker (in 54), Henry (52). Not sure what you’re talking about. These are top Hw contenders. Not to mention also beating Harold Johnson who should have been ranked at hW as well and Maxim, Bivins and Slade between 52-55.

correction last fight w Bivins was 51.

 

Your statement was that when Valdes was overlooked in favour of Cockell in 1955 it was actually Archie Moore who deserved to be #1 contender at heavyweight. I'm pointing out that Moore had no recent wins against ranked heavyweights - the last being against Clarence Henry back in 1952.

Bob Baker was unranked, having been soundly beaten in two of his last three fights. Valdes in 1953 was also unranked and on a losing streak. Beating Harold Johnson and Joey Maxim in light-heavyweight title fights were certainly fine wins, but not relevant to Moore's standing as a heavyweight.

 

Common sense would dictate he should have been ranked long before that. As well as Baker and Valdez were both highly ranked within a short few months Baker being ranked in 53 and 55 highly. He didn’t forget how to fight in the interim. Although I don’t even know the monthly rankings as they both could have been ranked in those times reasonably so. I do see your point if they weren’t in the monthly’s but he should have been ahead of them even before that and never had lost his ranking.

 

I don't dispute that Moore - if such a thing had been the norm - could easily have been ranked at heavyweight at the start of 1955. After an impressive win against Henry in 1952, dominant wins against unranked but capable heavyweights like Baker, Valdes and Whitehurst would likely have been enough to keep him in the top 10. I just think it's a stretch to imagine that he could have been ranked ahead of Valdes, with his wins against #1 Ezzard Charles, #5 Heinz Neuhaus and #5 Tommy Jackson.

 

Whole thing is kind wacky for sure. It’s nice looking at an era where everyone went up against each other. Moore did beat Valdez and almost all the men who beat him before (Harold Johnson and Bob Baker) and after (Bob Satterfield). You make an extremely solid argument though. Valdez did go on a nice streak after losing to Moore.

 

The verified heavyweight ranked fighters Moore beat during his auspicious career are:
Valdes[55]
Henry[54]
Lavorante [62]
Sys [51] may have been ranked but I'm not certain.

 

Valdes was unranked in March 53 when Moore 1st fought him.
Baker was unranked in May54 when Moore fought him.

 

Moore was the number 1 Ring ranked contender at the end of 54 and 55.

 

Valdes beat Charles and would have beaten Lastarza imo.

 

Marciano would not duck anyone ,but I believe Al Weill his manager ducked Valdes.

 

Marciano defeated Cockell no 2 before Moore beat Valdes no 1 .The Moore became the number 1.

 

In his 6 title defences Marciano was the heavier man in3 of them.
17 of his opponents were under 185lbs.