Tua Versus Marciano

Both Byrd and Lastarza were ring magazine # 1 contenders. Both were slick defensive counterpunchers. The comparison is Valid. I am actually heavily critical of Lastarza ducking top fighters like Henry, Baker, Valdes, Charles, Moore...but I do think well of him h2h.

If I can be accused of overrating Marciano and Liston's opposition by you, then you can be critisized for underrating Liston and Marciano's opposition. So it works both ways.


Why don't you tell us about that Luis Angel Firpo. What a "Murderous" puncher he was LOL Zora Folley would make Firpo look foolish.

 

What Ring Magazine top 10 fighters did Tua knockout cold the way the way Marciano did to Jersey Joe Walcott, Rex Layne, and Joe Louis? I challenge you here. Marciano knocked 3 Ring Magazine contenders out cold...to the point where Layne, Louis, and Walcott would not have gotten up if the count reached 50.

Ruiz was not rated top 10 by Ring Magazine, Rahman was knocked out very controversially, Maskaev would have been fine by the count of 50...

 

Not to mention JJWalcott ... the Jeff Wooden fight exposed a lot of Tua's slowness and lack of condition...the Bird fight that he can be outboxed and stunned by a pinpoint puncher

 

Tua over Marciano easily. This aint rocket science or disrespect.

 

I only say this too because of the style matchup. We saw what a defensive elusive fighter could do to Tua, but were talking about two fighters that are going to stand in each others faces and swing for the fences.

 

I think LaStarza was in all fairness a bit better than Byrd. Prior to facing Marciano he had never been stopped and was a complete offensive fighter at that stage, having developed a good uppercut and knocking the 6'2" Bucceroni down 5 times. I can't recall Byrd ever doing that to a top 5 fighter, especially a big strong sturdy one.

 

I watched Lastarza-Marciano II on ESPN classic last night. Lastarza had some serious defensive skills, and in and out movement. Such a shame he didn't test his talent against Joe Louis, Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles, Archie Moore, Nino Valdes, Clarence Henry, or Bob Baker.

 

LaStarza was decent but I wonder how he would handle the difference in size. I'd take Walcott to make Tua look bad though.

It's possible that Tua can compete with Frazier and Marciano because of styles and his size advantage, but overall he's nowhere near as great. All good boxers made him look bad and he had no dedication.

 

Good Point GreatA. Tua could have caught Lastarza at anytime late in the fight and knocked him out. Tua had rare late clutch power. But again, it was non existent against a defensive counterpuncher like Byrd who moved.

I don't rate Lastarza too highly because of his lack of fights against some of the 1950s best, but I do think the potential was there. But we don't rate on potential do we?

 

Byrd was surprisingly able to move Tua by hitting him to the body. I'm sure Tua would not enjoy fighting Marciano and Frazier for that reason.

 

I would have liked to see Byrd in with Tua around the time (shortly before) Tua fought Ike. I think it would have been a different fight myself.

 

Possibly, but only 2 fights after losing to Ike he looked average at best against Wooden.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KjQzA98jL4[/ame]

 

Good post ... how long have you been in special ed ?

 

The thread is not overall greatness ... the thread is head to head clash between the fighters ...

 

Obviously, but it should be pointed out that while Tua may match up well against Frazier and Marciano, he doesn't match up as well against clever boxers unlike Frazier and Marciano.