fair enough just funny him kicking it out actually i was speakng to Emile Griffith on Facebook and hes going over to visit Benvenuti in Italy in the next few months right bck to topic
I won't deny that Marciano deserves credit for KO'ing Walcott in one round. But saying he was "coming off" two wins over an ATG and a great performance against another ATG is rather misleading. The previous KO loss to Marciano was frightening, and as many have suggested, surely must have been on Walcott's mind when he fought Marciano the second time. The two had gone to a 13 round war in their previous bout, and in the rematch Walcott could not even go a full round against Marciano. Closing in on 40 years of age he retired. That is basically the story of the fight for me, a credible KO over a credible opponent, but not the one Rocky had fought against in their first fight. You may disagree with it.
It's as accurate as saying that Walcott was coming off a devastating knockout loss. Obviously not the full story.
Well no contained statement is going to tell the full story of three epic fights. But Walcott was 3/2 going into Rocky two and against ATG heavies only, and he boxed beautifully in the loss.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yElVvd1_BdQ[/ame] Rocky's best performance. No way is Walcott going down. But it's said the first fight messed with his physique a bit. It's rumored he said before the II fight, "I did everything I could the first time and I still couldn't win." This of course, is probably speculation but it comes from Atlas on Marciano's Ringside. It looks like Walcott blacked out. To me Walcott is serious for the rematch. Cautious, serious, and not faded nor shot. Was he better than the Walcott of the 1st fight? Probably not. Not sure how you can be with the effects you would get physically and most important mentally after a destructive KO like that. Still, nevertheless an underrated win. Look at the footwork of Walcott at 1:55. Does that look like a shot, faded, or old man in that shot? Hell no. That sneaky right uppercut was a big punch, and Walcott didn't see it. Great KO over a great HOF fighter.
This is basically how I see it, despite arguments to the contrary. However, I can see McGrain's point too...Jersey Joe fought a magnificent fight the first time round and hardly looked his years. The rematch was over so quickly it was hard to day if he was actually washed up. Going on his previous performance not too long before, there can be reasonable doubt as to whether he was. A big punch was landed. Jersey Joe did protest vehemently afterward. There is doubt as to whether he knew exactly what the count was... ...so I can see the counterpoint, and there is a case for it.
Thanks for the film of that fight. Does it not seem that Walcott is very tentative when he finally stands up? He doesn't take a step, except for what appears to be a tiny baby step, and seems to be trying to find his equilibrium. His feet seem unnaturally close together and he wobbles a little. Would it be fair to say he seems dazed although he does manage to get up? I would say he was probably lucky the fight was ended. Yet, being the great fighter he was, I am sure he was unhappy with his performance. Though he did look a little gun shy during the first round. But who wouldn't be.
True...memory of the previous war at his age and the fact that he suffered a brutal KO after a hellish 13 rds and to face that Pitbull again this time as Champ can have a discouraging affect on the subconcious mind
It was faster than the usual count. It has been established that the average referee's count takes about 12-13 real seconds while the referee in the Marciano-Walcott fight counted for about 9 real seconds.
No one's perfect. But it sure was not a 7 count like Walcott claims. 9 or ten is right, 7 is too short base on the fight film.
It was certainly not 7 but Walcott later claimed he blacked out which is why he thought the referee only counted to 7. I do think the referee should've just let Walcott up in order to avoid any controversy, unless Walcott would somehow go onto knock Marciano out of course...