Rocky Marciano vs Gene Tunney

I think Marciano's volume and ability to take a beating from a fellow runt would give Tunney major problems. I suspect Tunney gets walked down and stopped.

 

no long count here, tough competitive battle with Marciano coming on strong in the last half, no long count here....Marciano by a late round KO

 

I agree that Marciano`s aggression, volume and relentless pressure would eventually break down Tunney. Rocky didnt mind pounding a guy`s arms, shoulders wherever he made contact his opponent felt it.

Rocky Marciano TKO 9th

 

Meaning Tunney was a tactical genius and would work out how to beat Rock, in the same way he figured out how to beat the sluggers of his own era.

I love them both as fighters but I see Gene taking it. Marciano never fought anyone nearly as clever as Gene. Tunney had underrated punch resistance and I think he could weather the bits and pieces Rocky would get through with.

 

Gene was a tactical genius but he never faced a Charles or a Walcott, 2 tactical geniuses that could punch....Marciano has been undermined to such an extent on ESB but hard to undermine his pace,his pressure,his power,his determination and his stamina....Marciano late KO

 

I have a bit of a simplistic way of thinking with Marciano - basically any man I rate ahead of Jersey Joe Walcott gives Rocky a tough fight regardless of styles - Gene gives Rocky as good a fight - but on the flip-side Gene though a perfectionist wasn't infallible himself - he didn't have it all his own way against Tom Heeney (who I think is one of the most under appreciated losing challengers in history) and also old shot Georges Carpentier ruffled his feathers a lot - Infact I think a prime Carp has a shot at beating Gene (Carp thought so at least) - this wouldn't be a fight where Gene is able to absolutely dominate behind jabs and long rights from a safe distance all night - comparisons with the Dempsey fights have to take into account in a big way the Dempsey was very much an old rusty champion who's reflexes just weren't the se anymore - and Dempsey may have been this close from stopping Gene - Marciano had a way of getting to clever boxers and ravaging them and grinding away until he had bridged that gap in boxing skills and natural athleticism and then he brought the end - he did it to a lot of VERY skilful and VERY experienced operators and he KO'd people like Jersey Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles, Archie Moore, Joe Louis, Roland LaStarza, Rex Layne, Kid Matthews, Carmine Vingo - all the top guys he faced he knocked out so I lean toward a frustrated but gracious in defeat Gene getting the worst of it over the stretch and getting broken down dropped and stopped as most inevitably were

 

Gene like all of Marciano's opponents would believe they had easy pickings in front of them until they shared the ring and then doubt would take place and the smarter men would try to adapt, Gene was a smart man but the will, strength, pace and power of Marciano would take his toll and Marciano no doubt was a very smart man but chose the style he did through his own genius...Marciano's pace and determination (not to mention Power) and unorthodox rhythm start to brake Tunney down and he wilts for the KO...Marciano by KO...Marciano was hard to time because of his rhythm breaking rhythm and unorthodox timing Marciano KO in 12

 

Tunney did well against Dempsey in 10 round fights. But Dempsey was very low volume, which obviously worked to Tunney's advantage. Tunney was also able to muscle Dempsey on the inside. That said, I don't see any special movement from Tunney against Dempsey. He wasn't like Andre Dirrell or dancing Ali in there. At the very least, Marciano would be throwing a lot more punches than Dempsey.

 

Tunney busted Dempsey's face up....and would do the same to the Rock.

The 2 Dempsey fights were only 10 round fights.

Dempsey put Tunney down once, Tunney put Dempsey down at least once.

Tunney had an underrated right hand....and had learned from fighting Greb re: "whirlwind type" fighters.

Gotta go with The Rock very late by TKO in a one-fight situation.

 

I don't think rocky stops tunney. I do think he'll finish strong to beat him on points though.

 

I like this assessment.

Though not overly fast, the Rock was always and doggedly active... Like Greb in that sense. And he shipped much more damage. Tunneys science carries him for a while, maybe even an entire fight in a series, but the scale tips to Marciano inevitably.

 

Runney can only move for so long before Rocky catches on up to force those brutal exchanges and force the fight time and again