Would Marciano have lasted in Manilla ?

It's an inapt comparison. Marciano had a very short career. Ali was in his 14th or so year as a professional fighter. Marciano after 14 years in the heavies would be a faded gatekeeper.

Still, I take Ali to find a way to win this one. Too crafty, still too athletically gifted, and every bit the bad ass that Marciano was.

 

Marciano had skills and power that Frazier did not possess and Frazier, despite the fact that he was fighting Ali in Manila with one blind eye and essentially, one hand, still nearly defeated Ali. Prime Marciano would stop Ali in Manila within eight rounds. Ali never fought anyone with one punch knockout power in both hands. If Frazier, for instance, had used his right hand in '71 against Ali, Frazier would have knocked out Ali in the 11th round; Ali was wide open for right uppercut on the ropes and Frazier did not throw it. Marciano loved throwing uppercuts from either side, all night long. And the rope-a-dope that Ali favored, from '71 to his retirement, would have been to Marciano's benefit, also. As far as the heat and humidity, Marciano was the best-conditioned heavyweight of all time. He was always ready.

 

As mentioned earlier, given Marciano's conditioning and will to win, Rocky would prevail against 70's Ali.

 

A very weather worn fighter doesn't record the most punches ever thrown in a HW title fight* during those conditions.

Don't know why the myth of Frazier being way past in this fight persists. Forget how he looked in the fight before and the one after - focus on how he looks in this one. Yes, slower than his peak self, but also bigger, stronger and with still amazing stamina.

*During punch stat era, but still

 

It's funny that Ali pissing blood is taken as gospel when the only source I've heard it from is Chuvalo.

Secondly, Holmes - an actual first-hand source - says Ali often pissed blood after sparring. So conclusion: Chuvalo inflicted about as much damage as a sparring partner. Which actually holds up pretty well when you bother to watch the fight, instead of just relying on Chuvalo's second or third or fourth hand reports on how much damage he inflicted on Ali.

 

At the time of Manilla,Ali was still throwing blazingly fast combinations. This was perhaps the last fight in his career that he did this. This factor alone would enable him to cut Rocky's face to ribbons. In Marciano's career,he never faced anyone who could punch as fast as even a 33 year old Ali.

 

Ali by stoppage maybe cuts. I don't see Rocky`s face holding up under that barrage from Ali in Manila. Ali was mean that night. He punched like he had never punched before. He wanted to put Joe under the canvas not just on it.

Marciano would pound the body and hit Ali whenever, wherever. Problem is Ali had a Superhuman ability to absorb punishment to the body and also ofcourse to the head.

The body assault Frazier gave Ali that night was brutal. The fact that Ali still had enough left to comeback in 13 and 14 was a testament to his greatness.

 

That's true. If Ali punched like he did that night in Manila its not a given Rocky even makes it out of the early rounds.

 

If Archie Moore can drop Rocky, Ali could do the same.

And didn't get Marciano an 8 count in the Archie fight?
Marciano was seriously wobbly, and Ali was a great finisher, and certainly a harder hitter than Moore.

I'm pretty sure Ali could stop Rocky, pretty early too.
Ali also has a very high KO ratio on guys below the 200 lbs (Around 80% or so, maybe a bit higher)

 

I agree close but clear decision for Ali

 

You may be right, but you sound damn sure when comparing Ali's power to a guy with 131 KOs. He might have been a LHW, but he KOed more than enough HW in his career to be compared with a guy like Ali who wasn't known for his power (even if he did packed a good punch).

Getting KDed by Moore is no shame.

 

No. Ali would have TKO'd him by midrounds.

 

Marciano beats any version of Ali, and in Manilla, he kos him faster. Now we have 'Marciano was weak in humidity " thread. :roll:

 

How? With a gun?

 

By hitting him in the face and straightening out his nose.:tong