Marciano..... the greatest cruiserweight.... if he was around today?

Can anyone think of a cruiserweight that would of dealt with 'the Rock'? Anyone think Evander or Haye would of dealt with him?.... also taking into account he also thought fifteen rounders which would make a difference with his style with anyone trying to beat him by decision.

 

Evander would've IMO. Cruiserweight would find it harder, but the version that fought Bowe the first time would stop Marciano IMO.

 

I think most people would agree that Marciano would have been a nightmare for anybody who has fought in the cruiserweight division.

I have never really bought into thae argument that fighters like Dempsey and Marciano were cruiserweights because they weigh under 200 lbs.

A cruiserweight is also sombody who dosnt have to fight oponents who weigh more than 200 lbs.

If you weigh 185 lbs but can beat the best guys around over 200 lbs I feel that you are entitled to call yourself the heavyweight champion.

 

Yeah but most of the guys that Marciano and Dempsey fought were nothing like the size of the heavyweights since the eighties (taking into account that most of them now look like they would make cruiser if they lost all that fat)

 

I should of said the seventies or even sixties.... they've semed to get bigger every decade since the fiftees.

 

Yes most of their oponents were under 200 lbs but at the same time there was no cruiserweight limit in place to protect them if a top fighter over 200 lbs did come allong.

Jack Dempsey had to fight 245 lb Jess Willard for the title who would be a big heavyweight in any era. He also had to fight 6' 4'' 220 lb Fred Fulton to get his title shot.

By the same token Rocky Marciano had to fight 213 lb Joe Louis to get his title shot. While most of Marciano's title oponents were small they often had to fight bigger oponents to get at him. Archie Moore for example had to fight 6' 4'' 210 lb Nino Valdez to get his title figh.

 

I somtimes think that the curent cruiserweight limit combined with the curent weigh in regulations are such that virtualy any all time great world be able to fight at cruiserweight today.

I see no reason in principle why a prime George Foreman couldnt dehydrate himself down to 200 lbs and then rehydrate himself back up to 215 lbs by the time of the fight.

 

In a 15 round fight, I would favor Rocky over Evander. Trading with a guy like that on the inside over the course of the fight would have worn Evander down.

 

I think Marciano is quite simply a nightmare for many a fighter. The only, and i mean only, aspect of the man's pugilistic make-up that leaves me detracting from him in fantasy fights with other heavyweights is his size.

 

At cruiser, if you include every one that fought below 200, he'd still be a killer ... it's a fair question, it's where he belongs and in any near equal senario he'd leave a ton of broken bones behind him ... he'd be an all timer for sure ..

 

I don't think Foreman would of made the cruiser limit personally. Most of the great hevayweights could, but Foreman, by the time he fought Ali was weighing 16 stone.... and it all looked solid to me.

 

Of course we are speculating here but Foreman weighed 217 lbs when he won the title which is almost exactly what David Haye weighed for the Bonin fight after which he was able to make the cruiserweight limit for the Macaranelli fight.

Again we don't know how well Foremans body would adapt but theoreticaly he might have been able to sweat down to 200 lbs for the weigh in then turn up at 217 on fight night.

 

I get ya!:good

 

Out of the guys who actually competed at cruiserweight then maybe Evander and although I think Marciano would beat him I think Gomez would stand a better chance then Haye. Guys like Dempsey would weight under the limit as well as a prime Charles/Walcott would have a good chance especially Dempsey which is like a 50/50 fight for me. Also a prime Louis weighted slightly over at his best and I think he would beat Marciano.

 

Marciano might be a cruiserweight today and that would help him. But so would Ezard Charles and the referees reaction to cuts would mean Charles wins. I think Holyield would cut him up and stop him too. Haye no.