Dempsey - A Harder Hitter Then Marciano?

I think Dempsey was the better puncher. Faster, more accurate, better combinations and a smarter puncher in general, but I might give Marciano an edge in pure one-punch power. There's not much separating them in that department one way or the other, though.

I also think that the Mathews KO is Marciano's most impressive.

 

I don't know. I'd be more frightened of fighting Marciano by far, I'd be more concerned of dying or facing disfigurement. With Dempsey I'd hope to just be put to sleep. In a way I think Dempsey at his best is a more dangerous puncher and perhaps more powerful, at least with his combinations, but Marciano could drop bombs.

 

How can opinions vary on that?? Of something like 10 filmed Marciano fights, 4 fights are ended by either one punch or a short series of punches. All against rated opposition. How many does Dempsey have?

There is no question whether Marciano was a true one punch KO artist. He simply was.

First of all, it was a natural 225lb'er who was fat the the 240lbs degree. Not the natural 250lbs giant you're talking about. Second, i'm not so sure about the iron chin. Very good durability, sure. But he went down after one series and got stopped by the only other puncher he faced as well, Firpo. Sure, he was old, but he never proved he could go the distance with a puncher. On top of that, he was 37 years old. Knocking out an illusive guy like Walcott, Charles, Moore or LaStarza is more impressive in my book.

You are aware that the man was terminally ill when this happened, hence him being a 7:1 underdog despite basically going even in their previous two bouts?

 

Marciano, one of the best ever!

 

This is hard to say, Dempsey stated that Marciano had a harder punch than himself ,but he was usually generous to other fighters and was a good pal of Marciano's.
Walcott stated on the TV Show "How It WAs"[ a re- living of the Louis Walcott fights with both men present for comments], that Marciano had better "one shot" power than Louis.
Dempsey had a 7' 2" sparring partner for a time, one morning, in an especially nasty mood, he broke the guy's jaw in 2 places with a single left hook.Take your pick.

 

Willard was not stopped by Gunboat Smith ,who was a big hitter and wearing loaded gloves,Smith stated that Willard had a terrific chin.Willard was in front until his legs gave out on him in the Firpo fight ,and he was over 40 years old.

 

Really? Story, please.

 

Willard was also not stopped (or dropped) by McCarty, Morris or Johnson. He had an all-time chin in my opinion.

 

Dempsey to me had the harder punch. Rocky carried his punch a bit better into the later rounds. I think the difference here Dempsey tended to hurt his men a bit quicker when his best stuff landed. Rocky was more of an attrition based slugger.

Would Dempsey really fail to Ko Charles in a toe to toe type of fight, or carry a guy like Cockell for 9 rounds?

 

dempsey's destruction of willard was brutal. his book on boxing shows he knew the secrets of hard hitting. his punches were very quick, economical, his left hook was devastating.

 

Dempsey was the more explosive puncher, Marciano maybe stronger puncher. Marciano keeps punching hard throughout the fight and brings more pressure while Dempsey fades in the later rounds.

 

Dempsey was lifting Willard off his feet in round three. Jess was moving away from Jack when that first knockdown hook connected, knew it was coming, and it broke his face anyway. Bill Brennan weighed almost 200 rock hard pounds, yet Dempsey dropped him for the count with bodyshots. His knockdown of Tunney was the result of just two solid punches.

Walcott did stand up to a number of heavy hits from Marciano in their first get-go, as did Charles. Carmine Vingo also was able to trade with Rocky for a few rounds. To me, the most impressive right hand clearly filmed of Marciano's was the haymaker he coldcocked Layne with. (Like many, I agree that Matthews was his best knockout.)

Certainly, Marciano's power was more consistently sustained, but I tend to favor Dempsey's impact for a single punch.

 

Dempsey was faster, so he was going to get to you first. Marciano, though a fast starter in his own right, had to work extra hard to get inside. Dempsey could hit you half dozen times before you would know what hit you, with Marciano, it was like seeing a wall about to collapse right on top of you and all you could do is try to move away or brace yourself for the impact.