Jack Johnson vs. Rocky Marciano

Jack Johnson would have the size and strength advantage, add that with skill and I see a close but clear decision. Maricano would try to push him back and would be getting some shots in but Johnson was a genius of ring generalship....He had a great Jab and uppercut and was strong enough in the clinch to control Marciano for certain spells. Johnson didnt have a great chin so he'd probably get dropped and buzzed more than a few times. If they fought ten times I'd say Johnson would win 3/5 so I go with Johnson by close decision, even though Marciano has a great shot at a stoppage:good

 

But it was not a defence of his title was it Suzie?
Read my post again ,and put your hands down.:good

 

Johnson had the skill set and style to beat Rocky but he was a bit of a headcase. His fighting just enough to win, mocking the crowd, appearing disinterested ... all this could easily backfire against Marciano who had exceptional stamina and the power to rock Johnson's world with any given punch ... A super motivated Johnson by decision or maybe cuts ... anything less and Marciano by KO ..

 

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I find the idea that Johnson will fade late rather strange.
he went 20rds 12 times,and 26 rds in tropical heat at the age of 37 ,facing a Giant, not a 5'10'' man whose best weight was under 188lbs.
He kod a fringe contender at the age of 41 and beat a big heavyweight
over 15rds,at the age of 48.He kod Sam McVey in the last seconds of the 20th round of a fight.Marciano went 15rds ONCE.
Marciano had the power to stop anyone ,but Johnson is not going down just because Rocky lands.Johnson went a very long time between being stopped .and he hit significantly hard enough to rip Marciano's suspect facial tissue open,especially with the uppercut ,a prime weapon against a croucher.

 

a lot would depend on what gloves were used. johnsons style developed around 4oz mits where he could effectivly land hard quick "release punches" within a clinch inside then grab again in much the way MMA guys do. he could hold an opponent by the biceps, even pull arms down, let go and knock the guys head up with an upercut and grab again before his head came back down. with even 6oz or 8oz that marciano used this would be eliminated since you cannot open the palm so compleatly to catch punches or grip in the way johnsonn did. in his book johnson argued against bigger gloves saying you cant knock anyone out with 8oz gloves...

fights then were more a battle of endurance the pace and flow had not yet entirely developed into the sport we recognise. I favor marciano but dont entirely rule out the old master.

 

Johnson has nothing to keep The Rock off of him....Marciano was KO....

 

johnson was an octopus inside. if he could keep big jef off him he could keep even george foreman and surley marciano off him. I do pick marciano however but its not easy or good to watch.

 

Johnson went 20 rounds but not with the relentless punching pressure of Marciano. I dont think Johnson goes down from 1 punch but from an acumulation and a hectic pace. I think Johnson would tie Marciano up for a while and land a few and hold but Marciano would work Johnson arms,Body and head and 15 rds with Rocky would bea rough pace. Johnson was great the fight would be competitve but I think Rocky wears Johnson down and a KO in his favor would be the result. IMO

 

People tend to forget that Marciano will not be able to use his ordinary work rate in this fight. It will not be Rocky's usual set hit break reset hit break, because the rules are in Johnson's favour (and this is one fight where an old time ref makes a massive difference). Johnson also needs the old gloves, so he can hold the biceps, in this one.

Johnson should tie Rocky up in close, like he did to Jeffries, Burns and everyone else, holding his biceps in the clinch and landing the uppercut regularly. Rocky meanwhile, may need to rely more on his one punch power, like in the earlier part of his career, because he will not be able to throw as many combos. Also, with Johnson clinching and holding Rocky, Rocky will be unable to move his head on the way in, like he always does, which means he will be a much easier target to hit than usual. I think that all these things add up to a Jack Johnson win.

I say that with Rockys heart and stamina it goes the distance, but Johnson has command for most of the fight and by the 20th, Rocky is simply too worn out to mount any serious offence. Actually, i am changing my mind, No way anyone, not even Rocky can last to the 50th round, if they are warn out by the 20th. I think Johnson stops him in the 25th and maybe earlier.

Under modern rules, i think Rocky might just get the KO around the 12th.

 

this is a fair assesment. its almost two different codes. johnson would be thrown out of modern rings but in a fight to the finish jack could bide his time and take the sting out of anyone with his strength sapping tactics. johnson was potent within his rules. with a real referee (not a promoter or cowboy lawman) johnson would have to chose between geting disqualifed for holding or alowing marciano to hammer him senceless.

 

I like Marciano in this one by late round stoppage

 

True, but Jack was already 30 when he dethroned Burns. He was a late bloomer who could indeed have been better when he took on Jeffries two years later, but Burns was also huge for him, and Tommy was at his peak when Johnson took him apart. 6'4" 220 pounder Johnny Shkor tried to use his size and strength to full advantage on Rocky, but Marciano got him in six. (This one would have been interesting to watch.)

I'm certainly not questioning his stamina or late round power. However, I don't think he had the power necessary to take Rocky out. Yes, he broke Moran's nose, but we saw how Marciano responded when Charles split his nose in half during their rematch. The Rock was an insanely tough hombre. Could Marciano do it with a single punch? Ketchel suggests this may have been more than feasible. Jack would never out hustle Rocco. Marciano unloaded 100 punches in the final round of the first Charles fight. Pacing himself, he could certainly match Johnson over a longer distance, and there's no question he'd train with appropriate fanaticism for a 45 rounder.

 

I'm currently slightly favoring Marciano in this match-up because, again, we have 2 all-time greats, with styles favoring Rocky...swarmer against boxer. I have no doubt that a versatile fighter such as Jack Johnson might bring some tricks and/or style modifications into this fight that I'm not thinking of at first glance. In other words, although I slightly favor the Rock, I wouldn't bet a penny on the outcome. I would sit back and watch, and probably stand up and watch, at times.

 

193 or 187. Five pounds means little. According to the book Undefeated, Marciano suffered a bad cut in the match with the journeyman Simmons. The book suggests if Rocky wasn't un-defeated the match might have been stopped on cuts.

Marciano is always handicapped with reach in fantasy fights, but in this case Johnson reach of 74" isn't a huge disadvantage for Rocky.

So who wins here? On film, Johnson is a better in fighter than out fighter. He has faster hands and feet, plus could clinch well, BUT I think Johnson had issues taking punches that landed, and was not great dealing with relentless pressure fighters.

If Marvin Hart could out work Johnson, and a power hitter who landed like Choynski could KO Johnson, I tend to think one of Rocky's numerous power punches would eventually find its mark.

Best guess. Rocky via mid to late round TKO.