Marciano's Top Ten Opponents ...

I can only name eight :

Jersey Joe Walcott
Ezzard Charles
Archie Moore
Joe Louis
Rex Layne
Roland LStarza
Harry Matthews
Don Cockell

The rest are even less distinguished than the lesser half of the above, and you could pick two names of maybe a dozen or more, I guess you could say decent journeymen opponents.

 

In no order

Walcott
Charles
Moore
Louis
Layne
LaStarza
Matthews
Cockell
Savold

Number 10 could be Beshore/Reynolds/Vingo. Beshore for being a former title challenger who beat 41 year old Tiger Jack Fox, Reynolds for having a decent record if not much substance, Vingo may have had some potential. Lowry was certainly one of Marciano's toughest opponents but didn't find much success against top opposition. He did go 1-1-1 with Reynolds which tells you more about Reynolds. Shkor and Wilson were decent clubfighters with size.

 

First time I've seen this happen. My hat off to you, he grant. Nice move.

 

I have trouble distinguishing #10. There are several contenders for that spot in my opinion.

I do think that Marciano's top 10 has more depth than George Foreman's top 10 wins though. You have Frazier, Norton, Moorer, Lyle and then who else?

 

Marciano also fought Charles and Walcott multiple times, so just listing the names can be a bit decieving. Even if one sided loses, counting rematch versions of them, you have a top 10. I think Ali and Louis are the only Heavyweight Champions I would comfortably set above Marciano in terms of wins over quality opposition.

 

Lennox Lewis?

V Klitchsko
Tyson
Holyfield
Tua
Mercer
Bruno
Ruddock
McCall
Tucker
Morrison
Golota

Theres a hell of alot of serious firepower being neutralised there, for someone who is condemned to the glass jaw club

 

I think a fighters condition(prime etc..) is very subjective. And the Moore, Charles, Walcott and Louis he fought would defeat everyone on Foreman's list except for Frazier. Maybe that version of Moore doesnt beat Norton.

 

Would sub Rahman and Grant for wash ups Morrison and Tucker. I for one don't think Lewis has a glass jaw. But....

2 ATG and Golota, Rahman, Tua, and Grant were top 5 I believe around the time Lennox beat them. Overall, Lewis has an impressive 6 top 5 wins.

However Marciano beat 4 ATG multiple times..and Layne, LaStarza, Matthews, and Cockell were top 5 at the time. Overall I think Marciano probably has an incredible 10 top 5 wins, many against the number one fighter.

Rocky being in a more competitive era has nothing to do with it either, if Lewis faced and beat Byrd, Ruiz, and won a rematch with Vitali than we could talk about him being closer to the big three in Marciano, Ali, and Louis. But as is, he doesn't measure up.

For perspective, Layne's scalp actually trumps anybody on Lewis' list except maybe Holyfield and Tyson. He was a top 3 fighter, avenged his only defeat and had collected wins over an ATG as well as plenty of tough rated guys like Satterfield, Turkey Thompson, Brion, and Hall. Even after Marciano he snuck in a win against a still top ranked ATG in Charles. In contrast Vitali has only beat 5 top 10 fighters in his entire career...all after the Lewis fight, non on the level of even an off night Charles.