Rocky Marciano vs. Bob Fitzsimmons

I don't say that Marciano has no defense. I am only saying that it is crude, and that a bob and weave defense is vulnerable by nature to a good body attack-and hopefully you have the good grace to admit Fitzsimmons' skill here. The point of that stance is to draw a man into a lead or punch of any sort by providing openings, then using the appropriate block, step, or counter to respond in kind. I don't see why Marciano's style would befuddle fitzsimmons either.. His head slips might give him some issues. But it's not what really ****s a fighter like ruby rob up. Lateral movement, and perhaps some really concise combination punching are the real foil to this flatfooted TotC counterpuncher style(which is probably why he never wanted anything to do with Jackson I suspect). Fitzsimmons showed himself capable of withstanding pretty big punishment to the body and head on many occasions. He could weather the storm. And if a man was in front of him physically, god help him.

As for the low hands.... Didn't seem to **** up Walcott's game with the rock too bad.

 

Yet feather fisted Corbett had him down and nearly out.

Walcott's hands were practically touching the sky compared to Fitz extremley low hands. The last fighter who fought with low hands against the rock ended up like this

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMYQiar3AP0[/ame]

Fitz would too. Rocky's power would have some serious effects on a super middleweight.

 

And at the same time he stood up to rounds and rounds and rounds of Jeffries punishment to the body all past his prime. Hmm?

 

Was corbett feather fisted?

You make a lot about Fitzsimmons being a super midleweight, but Corbett was absolute dynamite against fighters of that weight e .g. Mitchell and McCoy.

 

Fair enough, I'm not a Fitzsimmons expert and for some reason I've led myself to believe that he's kind overrated because he's a lesser known wild card P4P pick for the posters here. Plus he fought in the 1800's and was white doesn't seem to hurt. However, while I can try to be reasonable about Fitz and his skills and ability I don't think they'll translate into a later, more evolved era. I think picking Fitz over Rocky is kind of like picking Rocky over Foreman, frankly.

How has Fitz handled aggressive punchers in his era? Did he have more trouble with boxers or come forward fighters? Marciano, is not only going to be awkward but effective. I don't think Fitz is going to understand why a fighter is getting low using his shoulder and high gloves as a stance for defense to block, avoid, slip, and roll with punches. You didn't really see a fighter like this until Dempsey, and even he had his hands low.

I don't see Fitzsimmons taking big punishment to land some big 1 shot. Not against Marciano, he will probably take his punches better than Fitz can take his. own.

Do you think Fitzsimmons could beat Joe Louis too? I'm just wondering. There was literally just a thread about how Walcott might've been the most skilled fighter ever. Could you ever ever say the same for Fitzie? A clever counter-puncher that could punch, but let's not get carried away.

 

I know Fitz was another freak like Langford and Marciano but I am not sure he is durable enough to last Marciano's torrid pace and aggression. He had the guns to deter but Marciano too relentless....I think it is a fast-start and a quick finish for the Rock

 

One thing, which seems to be ignored by rocky fans, is the size issue. Fitzsimmons is the bigger fighter. Not the heaviier fighter, but the bigger fighter. Will Rocky's lack of reach cause him problems? One would imagine that Fitz will be able to set his ground and fire off with reasonable ease. If it comes to a shoot out, wouldnt Rockys lack of reach be a major difficulty, particularly with Fitz straight left and rights. And with Fitz being able to set himself, he will be able to practice the art of hitting without being hit, which is really what he is all about. How will rocky fare, if he is facing someone who hits as hard as himself, and keeps the fight at range?

 

165lb is bigger than 185lb? That's a new one. Fitz legs look like beanpoles compared to the Tree Trunks Marciano woddles around with.

 

I love Ol' Bobby Fitz, but his legendary rep of being able to KO Godzilla and King Kong on the same night is awesome to listen to.... Back in the day, I'd give my weeks paycheck to view that feat....
bbb

MR.BILL:hat

 

Fitzimons was great in his day.. Definitely a legend in his time, but boxing had evolved soooooooo much between the turn of the century and the 1950s... Not to mention Marciano had about 20lbs on him. I cant see Marciano losing to modern day greats that were smaller than him much less a primitive Fitzimmons.. If Walcott,charles and Moore couldnt do it there no way an even smaller fits does.

Marciano ko 3

 

Very well. Beat Sharkey, who was a brutal and powerful pressure fighter who kept his hands high.

A lot of people posting here are forgetting that it was Fitzsimmons, not Marciano, who fought the harder hitters in his day. Tom Sharkey, Jim Jeffries, Peter Maher, Joe Choynski.....each one of these men had a fight-ending punch in his mitts.

 

James Toney is heavier than a lot of guys, but it doesnt mean he is bigger.

The size of his legs might be a lot more relevant if this was a kick boxing match?

The point is that Rocky wont have the reach and in this sense is the smaller fighter. Given that he is also slower, Will he be able to even land a solitary blow on Fitz, without taking serious leather?

 

You should read about him. He was a true master of his craft. As far as accurate, pinpoint power-counterpunching he has no equal with the exception of Joe Louis. When people make the boxing/fencing parallels i think of Fitzsimmons above all else.

He annihilated them. Read McGrain's Fitzsimmons KO6 Gus Ruhlin thread for a more detailed description. Do you really think that nobody was capable of slipping a punch or getting out of the way of anything back then? Not to mention that like I said, he'd expose his body to Fitzsimmons' best weapons with a bob and weave. Fitz was troubled by the boxers and movers the most, which is why I suspect he never wanted anything to do with Peter Jackson. Any stationary puncher/boxer hybrid will be the same.

I do, he proved his durability by fighting much biggermen for many rounds.

I don't think it's completely out of the realm of possibility. Too many advantages for Joe here, and when you match a guy with similar styles and strategies against a much bigger dude in the same mold the outcome is pretty set in stone. He was very clever for sure though, not in moving but in feints and blocks he was pretty much unequalled.