Wonderful Wednesday Match -Joe Frazier V Rocky Marciano For The Whole Ball Of Wax

Frazier late TKO. Peak Frazier often weighed between 203-205, giving him a solid 15-17 pound weight advantage against Marciano. I feel like that will be more important than people think. Although Rocky's grit and power makes it highly competitive, Frazier's size will edge it in his favour.

 

I have to give Rocky the edge in this one. Two pure swarmers going at it. What a fight to watch!

 

I voted for Rocky without much confidence. It could absolutely go either way and it would be interesting to see a fight where someone would die rather than back up.

 

It depends. Who wants the Ball of Wax more?
Apparently the All Powerful Google reveals:

One that's circulated for years cites a 1620 English legal text that involves allocating inherited land amongst siblings by rolling scraps of paper into wax balls. With each scrap of paper designating a portion of land, each heir drew his lot and then unwrapped his whole ball of wax—or his entire inheritance.

Now Frazier liked nice things, like getting a fur coat after becoming champion.
But Rocky's reaction to relative poverty was to envision a fighter trying to take his title away, send him back to his father's shoe factory-& after retirement squirrelled away money & guns everywhere, & famously parsomonious.
So he will be motivated more by receiving property, if not actual wax paper...

More soberly, Rocky possibly had MORE advantages-slightly more power (much more in the right hand) & endurance (since Frazier's style demanded more energy), slightly better chin, better punch variation, did not tend to swell, more unpredictable...

But I think Frazier had the most important one.
He was a little bigger, superb left hook, did not tend to cut...But most importantly he had greater handspeed & especially accuracy.

 

Marciano had great power in both hands. He can do more damage over the course of the fight imo. They are both going to be easy to find it and would be a war, no doubt.

 

Prime Joe beats a prime Rocky. Even though I believe both fighters would have their moments... I think that Rocky may even put Joe on his rump but Joe's bobbing and weaving style would likely frustrate Rocky and potentially wear him down. Love both fighters though.

 

Well, this is my in-depth analysis, please try to hang in until the finish: -

Joe Frazier.

 

I used to (twenty-to-fifteen years ago) definitely favor Rocky. Then I somewhat favored Rocky. Then I slightly favored Rocky. Now I'm agdoxic.

 

I tentatively pick Rocky because he was a two handed puncher ,whereas Frazier's power was essentially in his left hook.

 

I like Joe here. It's true that Rocky had power in both hands. Joe had better footwork was faster had superb head movement vicious body attack and lastly could get off then reload that hook faster than any other HW befor or since. I believe Joe stops him in a grueling bout.

 

It's a very plausible scenario,Frazier was also naturally the bigger man.
I don't think Joe hit as hard with his left hook as some others,but as you so rightly say, nobody could fire it reload and fire it again as seamlessly as Frazier.
A great fight that I would pay well to see ,but not bet a dime on.

 

I don't think Rock can win a war of attrition against Frazier. Those types of ferocious hooks a man his size just can't be shrugged off.

 

Superbly succinct Pugguy !

 

This would have been an all-time classic.Huge respect for both the Rock and Smokin'Joe
but as quite a few guys have pointed out Smokin Joe was bigger,and he could unload that
great left-hook so efficiently.