Tua Versus Marciano

So it doesn't.

 

Outside of that shot (which was after the bell) Ive never seen Tua hurt in the pro's. I'd take the in shape Tua that fought Ibeabuchi over Marciano ( and i don't think it would go that long). He hit too hard and was too strong IMO.

Any smaller swarmer would have massive problems with a banger like Tua ( who's only intent is to get inside and land big shots) and Marciano not only be there but he'd be wide open. I think people are using resume and all time greats stats to predict this fight instead of thinking styles.

 

Yes but having a stone of surplus fat does not constitute a verry good physical advantage.

this is not a sumo wrestliung contest.

 

Thats just not true. I was in the gym with the guy when he came out of the olympics. I can tell you from frist hand experience, that he was in very good shape and trained very hard, up until the breakup of Main Events. Davids legs are the size of most peoples waists. He was just too big to ever be 205 once he turned pro.
The level of opposition that David faced climbing up the ranks was very very competitive. I cant think of any other heavyweight contender that faced the type of opposition he faced on their way to a title shot. Look at his record and fight schedule up to the Ibeabuchi fight. If your familiar with the top contenders of the period, it speaks for itself. Outside of his stablemate Golota, and Briggs who lost To Wilson and was knocked out by Tua in 1, Tua fought everyone!

 

I have to disagree there.

Of their class, Grant was the one that ran up the biggest wins on his way to the title. #8 ranked Golota was still considered a force, Savarese, Sullivan, Izon, Gonzalez, T-Rex Sanders, and Puritty. This is why he was ranked so much higher at the time, even if he turned out to be filled with hot air.

Tua ran a similar prospect gauntlet and looked less impressive against some of the same fighters like Izon and Wooden, with his biggest win on the way to the title being against the #10 Rahman. It is only retrospect that his resume looks better because people think of Rahman, Oleg, and Ruiz and the unexpected success they had years down the road.

Most recently, Wlad faced very tough competition before challenging for a real title. Byrd, McCline, Peter, Jefferson, Botha, Mercer, Shufford, Bostice,..etc.

In regards to topic at hand, Marciano beat three top 5 fighters on his way to the title in Louis, Layne, and Mathews in addition to fellow prospects like Vingo and LaStarza, also proven experienced tough guys like Lowry, Beshore, and Savold.

 

Tuas comp was better than Grants.

 

Edit......................

 

Seconding this. I watched quite a bit of Tua early in his career, fights and training camp. He is naturally much larger than Marciano was, and he was in very, very good shape.

I don't see a stumpy, short limbed, slope-shouldered Marciano fighting 20 pounds over his former weight and being near as effective. He would be a great cruiser in the modern game, not a great heavy.

 

Comparisons that these guys were close to the same size are way off ... Tua was a much broader man .. I was next to him once at a boxing writers function and could not believe the aura of power he gave off ... Marciano's best weight was 187 or so .. Tua was 228 or so ... Rocky at 210 is like Tua at 240 ...

 

Roughly the same, the biggest difference being a huge step up win over the established top 10 regular Golota.


don't see a stumpy, short limbed, slope-shouldered Marciano fighting 20 pounds over his former weight and being near as effective. He would be a great cruiser in the modern game, not a great heavy.

Maricano looked fine teetering around 190, 10 or 15 lbs is not an unrealistic goal. Nobody that effective at 185-190 is staying in the barren cruiser division, especially when they don't have to worry about chasing guys like Charles and Moore around for 15 rounds. Its not as if he would be looking to jump from 170ish to 220 like Holyfield, he's already a few pounds away from the limit. Rocky also prepared for fights with a strict diet of steak and potatoes cause they didn't know better than....not ideal for carrying lean muscle mass.

Tua is a much bigger man though, bigger than Tyson even. But I don't think it will matter since Tua always waited for his opponent to quit throwing to open up himself...and he won't get that chance against Maricano or Frazier.

 

Tua is 2 big and strong 4 Marciano. Tua by Ko but Marciano shows a heart.

 

Ahhh I see. So every great modern light-H/cruiserweight can effectively put on 30-40lb of muscle and become highly competitive in the heavyweight division..but little puny Marciano cannot put on just 15lb and be competitive at 205lb. I guess if the guy actually substituted weight training for running 17 miles a day, perhaps he wouldn't have eaten away at all his muscle. But no, modern weight training/supplements/nutrition have no positive effect on rocky...but they do on everyone else. it's not like rocky naturally weighed 210lb and was very big boned :roll:

 

Exactly. But hey...modern benefits have no positive effect on Marciano to posters out there. They do on every other cruiserweight though LOL

 

Golota was not really a test of anything. He imploded in every major challenge he faced. Tua faced all his fellow olympians, Nicholson, Izon, Maskaev, and beat them all. He also faced Ike Ibeabuchi in a very close fight that many thought he won. He was far more battle tested than Grant who turned out to be a complete fraud.

 

Nicholson was after Lewis. Grant stopped a top 10 ranked Izon, and Oleg got blasted out by T-Rex Sanders...whom implosion prone Golota picked up one of his best wins against.

Sorry, I don't see a considerable gap in competition until after Lewis...when Tua added Byrd, Nicholson, Oquendo, and the like. Meanwhile, the mentally weak Grant got blew out by McCline and fell off the earth.