How much would a Marciano win over Patterson in 56 do for his legacy?

Not much, I'd imagine Rocky would have sparked him out with relative ease. His biggest issue was that he came along at the wrong time. Though pushing it, a win over Liston in 59 or 58 would have been huge for his legacy, but you can't fault him for getting out when he did.

 

Prime Marciano, knocks him out in the mid to late rounds. I don't thinki t would do much for Marciano's reputation because Patterson is under appreciated.

 

Wrong time? Some other times he would not have been so dominant.
But right, beating Patterson would not have done much.

I would not expect even a great swarmer to beat Liston even in his prime, he would have no good shot in Listron's prime & far past his own.
Let alone the bad back that contributed to his retirement.

 

Yes, absolutely wrong time. And no he would not be nearly as dominant, but wins over prime ATG would do him much more justice than what he actually has. One of the main reasons I rank him lower than most is because of his lack of significant wins. And I agree, I would pick Liston against Marciano any day of the week. But, that is the only realistic bout with any significance that could have improved his legacy.

 

50-0 has a nice ring to it. I think this win would do a lot for Marciano's resume.

Rocky had back issues and was on a slight decline in the Moore fight. I think he would have enough left to stop a slightly green Patterson in a sea-saw type of fight.

 

Patterson weak HW champ. Rocky woulda drilled them whiskers and itd be over quick. Wouldn't really add to his legacy. Patterson one of the weakest legit HW champs ever.

 

Patterson was a good champion. He was the best heavyweight in the world once Marciano retired. He beat Moore and Jackson to prove it. He even re established himself as the dominant champ regaining his title. So Liston beat him. So what? Floyd was a top class contender for many years after. On par with Ellis and quarry in a lot of people's book.

A lot of talk is made of "avoiding" machen and folley but they blew their eliminator with a draw so Floyd was forced to take on #3 Harris. Both machen and folley lost European fights after that killing any demand. once Ingo starched machen Floyd took ingo. Patterson even beat machen later on. He never got Folley but he knocked out men who beat him like Cooper.

 

Rocky already has a good legacy, does this question assume that Patterson goes on and has the same career he had after Rocky? If so it helps, it rounds his record to 50-0. Most ppl would say Patterson was too green but the strength of Patterson's overall career would add some value to the Rock I would presume. It would be another big puncher that took out Patterson though so perhaps he would be remembered as a very weak champion??

 

Cus knew Floyd was a year or so away from being a good heavyweight. With Marciano gone everything was wide open. Floyd got to fight the same guy for the heavyweight crown he was prepared to meet for the lightheavyweight title. With Rocky gone all that was left was a few of the old guard who had basically ground each other down baker, valdes, satterfeild then Jackson who had already been matched hard but was no better just younger than the others. Everyone else at that point was yet untested so Cus decided to bring his plans forward. Back then lightheavyweight was not really an exclusive division. A lightheavyweight was basically a type of Heavyweight that was also legible for another belt to use as a springboard for a crack at the real heavyweight champ. So it was not much of a leap.

 

About as much as an Ali victory over Butterbean would do for Ali's legacy.

 

All depends on what Floyd eventually went on to do. Assuming he fulfilled his destiny and became a top 20 ATG like he actually did, then it might have raised the stock value of Rocky's win over him.. On the other hand, if Marciano had wrecked him and Patterson faded into anonymity, then it would likely be chalked up to a victory over a 21 year old inexperienced kid who was never bound to amount to much... Moral of the story - Perception is everything

 

How much Did Lewis beating vitali klit do for his legacy?

It's the same thing.

Lewis had made his name and rounded things off in his own era before he takes on klit. I suppose he beats a guy who went on to better things.. but so what. He was already great.

 

My boxing history instinct, is that this might just not happen!

Patterson might have been kept at light heavy, and Al Weill might have been more interested in other opponents.

 

it would enhance it.