Who else feels '11 Adamek would be tuff as nails for '53 Marciano? I sure as hell do.

He´s a throwback to the old timers. A guy who would fight anyone, anywhere, anytime with a big heart, some decent skills, good chin and decent pop - not so much at hw though. And he seems to be a likable and funny guy. He reminds me a bit of Mickey Walker. Just a bigger, lesser version of the Toy Bulldog. And I´m a big fan of that one.

 

Respectfully and gratuitously disagree with the end statement, but I can respect being proven wrong on my big guy point. I was thinking more the modern large heavyweight- 200-215 STILL isnt a big heavyweight in my view.

But yes, I was unspecific, and you called me on it. I admit to wrong.

 

Vitali will end up in the HoF but he ain´t an ATG hw champ. In fact he never was champ, but a belt holder who gave a true atg a great fight and had an awesome comeback. His resume is nothing to brag about. His dominance is though. What hurts him is that he never established himself as number one and never fought his rival for this spot.
His resume isn´t that of an atg and thus he isn´t one.

Btw. I think Wlad will end up as an atg. But he did much more and has a much better resume.

 

Ring magazine ranked him as 14th in their Top100 punchers p4p of all time.

http://boxing.about.com/od/history/a/ring_punchers.htm

 

I´d love to see this fight. But it´s understandable they don´t. Still hurts both legacies.

 

He certainly doesn't dance as well...not by a long shot.

 

Good for RING, I disagree.

I'd put him at about 10 or 11 at heavyweight, though. He'd be #1 at cruiserweight.

I've just watched his fights, and with the exception of Walcott, its never one or two or three shots that does the opponent in. Its the sustained ass whippings Rock dished out. Louis succumbed after getting hammered. So do Moore and Charles. So does LaStarza in the rematch.

He's no Foreman or Shavers or Lewis. Not even close. But he was a grinder, and he knocked guys out by hitting them with the kitchen sink and then some. To me, that was Marciano's gift-Stamina, toughness, and the grit to outfight the other guy no matter what.

 

Thanks bodhi for a good post but I have to disagree.

I disagree that versions of Walcott and Charles that fought Marciano were much better than Adamek. Key for Adamek to win is his STYLE. Both Walcott and Charles were mixing up with Rocky in close. They felt that they were stronger than him (especially Walcott who was 15 lb heavier and looked much bigger than Marciano in the ring). Jersey Joe had one of the best moves in HW history but those moves often were flat footed giving some advantages inside though but against Marciano it was a bad choice. If Walcott decided to fight more carefull and keeping the distance he could outpoint Rocky. He chosed the hard way insted and fell to a trap.

You also have to take into consideration that both Walcott and Ez didn't had rock solid chins and both have their flaws as they both were past prime (but still game like Holyfield against Lewis). I'm sure that Tomasz is much more durable than them and with his solid basics as a Euro fighter his jab is very good and he proved that he can use it. He also proved at HW that he can be dedicated to his game plan insted of going wild like he used to do in lighter divisions.

Also I doubt that Louis that fought Marciano was better than Adamek today. Louis was still dangerous but at this stage of career but he didn't had the key tool to beat Rocky - speed.

Against LaStarza Marciano had big problems because of rivals clevernes and counter punching. Adamek is very good and accurate counter puncher himself (examples: Cunningham and Arreola) and underrated feinter. He doesn't go out there to KO Marciano or any other chin-solid fighter, I think that he is aware that he hasn't got power to do that and he focuses on his speed, dynamic and cleverness to outpoint his rival.

As i said earlier if it's 12 rounds I pick Adamek by fair decision. But if it goes longer Adamek probably doesn't stand the fatigue against Marciano and loses.

 

Who in your opinion is better H2H? Wladimir or Vitali?

To me the answer is obvious - this is Vitali who is bigger, stronger (generally, not punching power) and tougher. Wladimir has better skills and power in both hands, but to me Vitali outpoints him mentally :huh

Gratifying response.

As a Pole I am probably a little biased about Adamek. However I didnt find any other polish boxer so special. I think that its because he doesnt play safely. Almost every fight he takes (not including opponents like Bobby Gunn or Vinny Maddalone) has a huge amount of risk calculated: Briggs, Dawson, Bell, Cunningham, Banks, Golota (this one is doubtful :think), Estrada, Arreola, Grant.

An yes he is a very funny guy

 

I agree with some of your points, but even in 12 round heavyweight fights, Adamek is hittable. No heavyweight that wasn't Polish has had any trouble scoring along the back half, they've just either had worse stamina than Adamek(Arreola), weren't big hitters(Estrada), or werent top fighters(Grant).

Rock could in fact punch and he was relentless. How do you think Adamek does in rounds 10,11 and 12 when he's getting low on gas ala Grant and to a lesser extent Arreola and Marciano is coming, hard?

I respect your opinion as a fair one, I just wonder your view on this point, as it is the porous D and questionable stamina at heavy that make me think Rock prevails here.

 

There are two versions of Marciano. The early one where he was a true one-punch KO artist in his earlier days and the one who would grind you down later in his career. He changed his style. Watch his earlier fights.

 

I can appreciate that, but the fighters in his early career arent the most credible.

Even non punchers can annihilate overmatched opposition with one shot.

Thats my interpretation of that. Rock could punch, for sure, but was not a one shot artist in a head to head sense against other good and great heavyweights. I use the style he was successful with against the best fighters he fought, the grinder, when matching him against fighters in fantasy.