Sonny Liston VS Rocky Marciano

Liston was not on Marciano's radar when Rocky retired. Stylistically Rocky is made for Sonny.imo

 

LET’S SETTLE THIS IN THE RING

The size differential is noticeable early as Liston looks mammoth compared to Marciano. Both fighters open up cautiously over the first minute of the fight, each respectful of his adversary’s punching power. Liston begins to work his jab and Rocky’s nose is already bloodied by the close of the first round. Liston controls the second round as well as Rocky has no answers for the powerful and long Liston jab. With 30 seconds remaining in the round, Liston finds Marciano with a crushing left hook which sends him to the canvas. Rocky rises at the count of 7. Marciano is seriously hurt but manages to survive the round.

By the third round, barely a whisper can be heard from the Fenway crowd as their hometown hero is absorbing a savage beating. Rocky is now suffering from a nasty cut over the left eye as he continues to eat a steady diet of jabs and power shots from Sonny. A Liston right rocks Marciano again as the round comes to a close. Liston continues to dominate in round four but now has a bewildered look on his face which seems to say: “I’ve hit this guy with everything but the ring post, how is he still standing?” Rocky is nothing if not courageous as he keeps coming forward in the face of severe punishment. Marciano lands his first telling blow late in the round, a terrific right which stuns Liston and backs him up.Liston looks tired and frustrated as he comes out for the 5th round. Marciano just continues to come forward and is starting to find the range with his power shots. Marciano lands a wicked left to Sonny’s ribcage which causes him to visibly wince as the round comes to a close. Marciano continues to gain momentum over the first two minutes of round 6. However, Liston catches him coming in with a thunderous right late in the round. Marciano’s legs quiver. Sonny pursues him to the ropes, however, Marciano fires back catching Liston with a big left hook which backs him off as the round comes to a close.By the start of round 7, Marciano is fully recovered and continues to effectively pressure a tiring Liston. However, by the end of the round, his face is becoming a bloody mask from the cut over his left eye. By the middle of the 8th, Marciano can barely see. Liston tries to finish him landing brutal power shots but Marciano refuses to fall. Liston shakes his head in disbelief as he returns to the corner.Rocky’s corner is unable to stem the tide of blood between rounds. His manager, Al Weill, tells Marciano he has only one more round and better get it done! With Weill’s edict ringing in his ears, a determined Marciano comes out for round 9. Liston lands a number of power shots early in the round, however, they lack the steam they had early in the fight. Rocky is simply walking through them. With 1:00 remaining Marciano lands a tremendous overhand right which sends Liston to the canvas. An ecstatic Fenway crowd screams wildly! Liston rises at the count of 7 but looks defeated and exhausted. One final left hook closes the show dropping Sonny to the canvas again. Liston doesn’t even try to get up. Marciano has pulled off an improbable knockout victory!

Marciano wins KO 9!

 

Marciano would come right at him, he’d die trying (that’s a metaphor, BTW), but he would not leave the ring vertically or without assistance. Horrible H2H for Marciano.

 

Liston did not enter the ratings until 3 years after Marciano retired.

 

Remember Liston went back to prison in 1956, interrupting his career. I know he got the press about his amateur days plus in 1954 he fought on national TV, so Marciano might have heard his name, but I doubt he ever thought of him as a threat to his title. Now later on when he might have been considering a comeback and saw how Sonny was climbing the ladder and how much he’d developed and improved …

 

This fight reminds me so much of Holyfield v Tyson for all the same reasons. Liston/Tyson the big scary puncher but weak mentally Rocky/Holy the come forward fighter who doesn’t quit. It’s the same damn fight w the same damn result imo. Rocky fought and beat several boxer puncher types in Moore and Walcott Louis although they didn’t have the power of Liston we know Marciano can fight that type the reach means nothing as literally every Marciano opponent had a massive reach advantages didn’t do them any good.

also in no way shape or form was Liston even a thing when Marciano retired. Marciano feared no man in the ring and I’d reckon he’d believe he would KO Liston.

 

5 kg isn't much difference, Bowe was so much bigger than Holyfield and Douglas was too, I don't want even to mention Lewis and Valuev.
Holyfield gave them biggest troubles of their lifes.

 

At the risk of being labeled a hater I think some of you Marciano acolytes would pick him over Godzilla, if not Goliath of Gath.

I understand why this man is so beloved and revered. I actually created a thread last year asking people to explain why, and it didn’t turn out to be the caca show I feared, there was some good and productive discussion and again, I get it now why Marciano fans are so intense in their fandom. And I legitimately respect that.

But he ain’t beating Liston. I would bet all the gold in Fort Knox on that. Or Mike Tyson. Or Holyfield for that matter. That is why the example doesn’t apply.