I watch this fight and I feel really pissed off that many people consider this to be one of marciano's greatest fights. To me it just looks like some young buck barely holding his own against a washed-up balding veteran, who looks older than Rocky Balboa did in his last movie. How could anyone consider this a defining moment for the rock?(nothing against rocky, just his fans) It's just pathetic that Joe is often cited as being one of marciano's biggest challengers. He looked so washed up it's embarrassing. Does anyone else feel like this?
Yeah, Louis looks bad. He was washed-up, definitely. Thing is, he was ranked at the time, and many picked him to win, so much that he was the betting favourite, so Marciano deserves some sort of credit.
Yeah at the time it was an upset. Joe was 8-0 in his comeback. How can a fighter not get credit when he won as the underdog?
Well, I dont judge the match on Marciano's greatness, Marciano was still learning, and Louis was pass his prime. This was not a prime Louis, but he still had skill to be rank number 1, so that might have to count for something. Whats often forgoting about this fight is this fight relly broke Marciano into the big time, and Joe Louis was used as a stepping stone for a title shot later down the road. Marciano may have to wait longer for that title shot had the fight not gone off. Marciano needed this fight for a top rank, and than hopes for the shot vs Walcott or Charles, who ever was holding the title after the 3rd fight of couse. Assuming we all there in 51 lol. Prime Louis would have beating 1951 Marciano. BUT a 1952-54 Marciano would be a harder task for Louis. I always felt that from Louis to Matthews was Marciano growing into a better fighter. And he was a finish product by the time of the 2nd LarSarza fight.
Exactly!! Hindsights a *****!:yep Before they fought, Louis was legit, after they fought, Marciano beat an old man, who happens to have only lost twice before and had only been KOed once before and was (up to that point at least) the greatest heavyweight who had ever lived. Yeah the guy deserves no credit whatsoever.:-( Fighting someone like Marciano at the tail end of your career will make one look washed up. The guy was a wreaking machine. After a fight with Marciano your entire upper body would be one big charlie horse.
Joe Louis was not totally washed up when he lost to Marciano. Louis was very active and had beaten some decent contenders prior to facing Marciano. Joe Louis said that he didn't think he could have beaten Rocky even if he were in his prime. BTW: Stallone looked pretty good in the latest Rocky movie. It's amazing what money and a little HGH can do for a guy.
Yeah good points on Joe being ranked and all. A man fights harder when he has nothing tho. It still bugs me everytime you ask "who was marciano's best competition?" and someone answers Joe Louis. It just doesn't seem right.
Louis had arguably lost two other fights before Marciano, the first Walcott fight and the first Godoy fight. Marciano gets more creidt than 95% of the boxers ever on here, so I fail to see what you have to comaplin about.
:huh I ain't comaplin. I'm agreeing with you about hindsight. Hindsight one of those things that people don't get until after the fact, kinda like experience. The comment "Yeah the guy deserves no credit whatsoever.:-( " was not directed at you it was directed at Little_Mac who wrote "How could anyone consider this a defining moment for the rock?" :huh You seem a little defensive. :think Do you dislike Marciano for some reason?
I'm not really sure where you're coming from. If I had never heard of Joe Louis before and saw film of this fight, I would absolutely think I had seen a quality fighter. He's a fair-sized heavyweight, looks pretty cut and muscular (not quite the physical specimen a young Louis was, but not too far off), has a near textbook-perfect boxing style, throws a hard, straight driving jab with fair speed and good accuracy, occasionally puts together some impressive combinations and sharp counter-shots, which, while not the devastating bombs a young Louis could produce, are clearly much more than slaps, and looks comfortable and savvy in the ring. I don't find it terribly hard to imagine that fighter having won eight straight in the last year and beaten several name guys, as Louis had just done. As he was on the night of that fight, I would favor Louis to beat the majority of contenders and even a few champions through the history of the heavyweight division.
That wasn,t the "Brown Bomber",in there,how many times did you see Louis move back and let the other guy take the initiative?How many right hands did Louis throw? His combos and hand speed were missing ,all he had left was the remnants of his jab.GET REAL!