This one wouldn't work for Billy...but then no man at 175, or for that matter, at 200 lbs or below would be able to beat Marciano.
Conn wouldn't look to stay all night...maybe quite the opposite. I still think the job is to big for him though. I'd be very interested over 10 rounds though.
Conn almost defeated prime Joe Louis and would have won a decision if he hadn't tried to KO Joe. If he does everything right he can win a decision over awkward and clumsy Marciano.
No, he got knocked out because Louis stepped up his game. It was nothing at all to do with Conn trying to KO Louis. That is a myth.
Rocky or Smokin Joe would have been all wrong for Billy. Both would have caught up to him at some point, both came forward relentlessly and faster then Joe did.
The films prove different. Conn got cocky, way too aggressive, going for the KO .. I do not know if he would have won anyway but he definately has a hell of a shot to steal a decision over Marciano ... I would not bet on Conn but a shot for sure .. I like Marciano by decision ... sweeping the later rounds ..
Louis was weight drained for Conn I, so I've never been sure how much stock to put in that performance. Although he described Billy as his finest opponent, does Conn's hook stun him as it did if Joe comes in at over 203 instead of under 200? (In which case Billy might not chose to go for the kill.) Blackburn claimed the body attack of Louis reduced Conn's mobility to the point where he was compelled to fight flatfooted regardless of his stated intention to try knocking Joe out. What does Rocky's body attack do to Billy's legs late?
Ok, here's the fight. Round 13 starts at 6:15. Point out to me where the film "proves" that Conn was caught going for the KO and stopped himself. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctdjVr-kRsg[/ame] Clue: It doesn't. Conn slugs with Louis successfully throughout the round, in fact. 8:05 is where the trouble begins, when Louis times Conn for a right hand as Conn tries to throw a 1-2, a staple of his that had landed time and time again all night. After that, it's a matter of Louis finishing the job.
If you've heard Dunphy's radio call I could see how you could get that impression. What I was say is that I think Conn got a little brave. He dug deep at points. I edited this fight recently in a boxing edit I'm doing and I thought Conn got gutsy. Not saying he was going for the KO or thought Joe would've lost had Conn fight differently, but that it seemed like he took more risks. A lot of the troubles came though when Louis hurt Conn wit a right uppercut, and then Conn proceeded to fight at him back with a rally of body and head punches. That's where the troubles begin. Because once Louis gets you hurt you're done, and Conn did himself no favors fighting back. My 2 cents...
One thing I have to say is that first Louis-Conn match is one of my all time favourite fights - it's strange it doesn't even occur to me when people ask me to name my favourite heavyweight fights but everytime I actually watch it I'm going "This is just a great fight!!" it's probably in my top 5 fights I think - I just think its one of the best match ups in history - what a fighter Conn was - a joy to watch - and strangely I find him also one of the most exciting - kind of like Arturo Gatti - you know this guy had the speed and quickness and ability to pull it off against anyone but he just found slugging matches just too irresistable - similar to say the Marciano-LaStarza II match I see Conn doing very well early but the problem I think was that his margin for error against Marciano would be even smaller than it was for Louis (and it was small for Louis which is why the fight is so exciting) - he had the balls of a cat burglar but I think Marciano would be on him too much and in the end he would get really hurt and taken out of there but he'd damn sure go down fighting - what a warrior - does anyone know if there are any of his other heavyweight fights out there somewhere??