The Quality of Marciano's Opponents

He wouldn’t even be a great cruiser weight sorry. The newer fighters training is far superior and there were many younger very physically gifted and talented athletes he would have to compete against unlike when he fought.

 

Harry Mathew’s was 179 pounds when he fought Marciano. And we’re not talking about some talented ring wizard like a young Ali or Roy Jones here. Imagine what a Larry Holmes or Mike Tyson would have done to this poor guy. Under 1 minute of 1 round would be a total slaughter.

 

Because the war thinned out the alphas to near extinction level. We were left with runts.

 

you're right, because, TODAY, he would have started at MW, levelled out as a S-MW cum L-HW.

that is the diff between then & now.

 

Louis clearing out the division several years before facing Rocky doesn't mean much because he had a retirement and was clearly visibly worse by the time be fought Rocky. Louis wasn't the guy who blasted out Buddy Baer in a round or who KOd Conn when he fought Rocky.

 

Yes, that’s obvious.

But facts are facts, though. Louis was still DECENT (not good, decent) enough to beat other contenders, so if Rocky was a fraud, he’d lose to Louis as well. That’s all I’m saying.

 

So people didn’t move between the weight classes prior to WW2? Hmmm.

 

I never called Rocky a fraud.

I simply said it's an objective fact several of his best opponents had a hell of a lot of mileage on them and his fans try to ignore that. It does add some asterisks* to his resume like it or not.

 

Not you, but a few in this thread.

I disagree with the mileage thing to an extent. Guys in the 40’s, 50’s, they fought ALL the time. Just a different time and less money compared to the following decades.

 

That's what I've thought. A boxer coming up today with Marciano's proportions wouldn't have been pushed to fight any higher than LHW.

 

Okay but 70 fights is 70 fights no matter what era. That takes a lot out of a fighter, especially if you have multiple KO losses.

 

Rocky had 43 fights in his first 5 years. He was HUMPING it like all these guys. Difference was he turned pro at 24, not 17/18.

I get that a lot of fights is a lot of fights, but practically everyone in Marciano’s era did it. The only difference is Marciano retired early due to what I read were back issues.

 

So did WW1 plus the flu made boxing in the 1920 runts as well? Also compared to other nations, America did have a low death rank in the war. So I don't think the boxing pool talent hit America that hard.

 

Charles had just KOd top 10 ranked (Ring) Bob Satterfield who would go on to stop both Cleveland Williams & Nino Valdes & had recently defeated Harold Johnson, who would go on to become LHW champion. Satterfield was a huge puncher.. Lamotta himself said he was the hardest puncher he'd ever faced.

Walcott had just won his trilogy with Ezzard Charles. Who in & among was beating ATGs Maxim, Louis, Bivins etc..

Moore at the time of losing to Rocky was so old & shot he defeated Nino Valdes twice, Maxim 3 times, Durelle twice , Howard King multiple times, Bobo Olson, Howard Johnson & even at 47 beat Olympic gold medalist Pete Radamacher.

Rex Layne was 34-1-2 had wins over Satterfield & Walcott & would go on to beat Ezzard Charles.

Lastarza was undefeated at the time of their first fight. Best career win would be Rex Layne who was coming off a win over Charles.

Harry Kid Matthews was on a 50 fight win streak & had beaten Rex Layne.

ATG Joe Louis, the standard ageing former champion that most new kings face.. 37 but had just beaten Jimmy Bivins & Lee Savold. Admittedly both at the end of their careers like Louis.

Rocky is a legend & will always be seen as such. If anyone is struggling to cope with that then.. just cope harder.