Heavyweight Tourney: Rd 3: Gene Tunney .Vs. Rocky Marciano

I dont see Tunney beating Charles, even at 32 yrs old it would be a tough fight and a 37 yr old Walcott would be a very competitive fight but JJ had much more power than Gene. The Archie Moore that Marciano beat how does Tunney beat him. I think Highly of Tunney and I see a compeitive battle but Marciano was too strong, relentless and had late power and proven toughness. Marciano is also underated for speed he beat some fast fighters to the punch for a KO win.

 

Tunney is underrated H2H. Should we be considering this for him against other fighters in other matchups? It's like the Dempsey win is his gift and curse....

 

The Charles that fought Marciano was 75% of his prime. He lost to Walcott twice, Rex Layne, Nino Valdez and Harold Johnson. To say he beats a prime Tunney is way off to me. I am a Walcott fan but always come back to the guy is known for 90% fights he lost and that bothers me. Tunney won. I simply rate him better.

 

Reports do say the Layne fight was a robbery, and I felt Charles beat Johnson on the fight footage.

 

Again, I feel all these fighters are all all-time great cruiserweights and would be very competitive with each other. Charles was magnificent. Walcott a very tricky guy not to mention a great combination of speed and power. Marciano was a Lance Armstrong of boxing, tough as hell and incredibly well conditioned, not to mention a brutal puncher with an iron chin. Tunney was exceptional as well. All four are in my all time top ten at cruiser.

Top Ten Cruisers ... (no order)

Tunney
Dempsey
Marciano
Charles
Walcott
Langford
Michael Spinks
Archie Moore
Sharkey
Moorer

 

*Ahem* Holyfield

 

He does rate better, no doubt. But H2H on their best nights I favor Walcott to beat Tunney. That's all. I guess that takes a bit of a leap, but I like Joe's style edge against Tunney. Tunney won't be the one to KO him in desperate moment like Louis or Marciano.

If we're being honest, the guy is really the 2nd man to beat Louis and destroy that championship streak.

 

How close did Holy and Patterson come to making that list?

 

I did not mean to suggest that Tunney could match Marciano in terms of power,he couldn't and was too smart to try,but he hit pretty good,as his record attests.
Both sides have given plausible outcomes to this fight.
I have to say Mendoza's posts on this have been very feasible and considered,and I lean towards his prediction of a Tunney win, but not by such a clear margin,call it a split dec for the Marine.

 

Marciano, after his customary slow start, when Tunney would have been at his best against him, would eventually have ground him down and won a decision over 15 rounds, ala the first Charles fight. I believe that, if Charles was able to last the distance with the rock, then Tunney, with the superior chin and boxing skills, would have been able to also. Yes, Tunney's boxing skills were marginally better than Ezzard's, and the combination of these two factors would have enabled Tunney to avoid being ko'ed.

 

I rate Holyfield as a heavyweight as he clearly demonstrated he belongs vs Tyson, Lewis and Bowe. As far as Walcott beating Tunney, certainly possible. Again, all these guys were great and very competitive.

 

And if he beat him, people would say that Tunney was near his retirement, not to mention an unproven HW with only two significant wins over a faded champion in 10 round bouts.

Charles and Walcott had proven themselves to a much higher degree as heavyweights.

 

Bingo