It is the old phrase, you can only fight the opponents that are available for you to fight. Rocky did fight older fighters, but the likes of Charles,La Starza, Moore, and Walcott were seasoned tough opponents. At the time he was contemplating retirement in 1956, Floyd Patterson was on the horizon. I think Marciano would have knocked out Floyd, because of sheer power and determination. He would have also defeated Ingo, who knocked out Eddie Machen, who went the distance with Liston in 1960. Marciano was a good champion who let his fist do the talking in the ring. He did not try to be a knock off of somebody else, as you see today. And like anyone else he had his faults.
You don't address arguments period! Rabid Rockista's always pull the Louis card because he was the only class man over 200lbs that he fought.They conveniently ignore the fact that Louis was past it and a one armed fighter by the time Marciano fought him.
I can't speak for your imaginary boogeymen that keep you up all night, weirdo. Speaking for myself, I made no claim that Louis was prime in that bout. But keep stuffing that scarecrow with all the straw you can find. You seem to spend a lot of time inventing boogeymen and arguments concerning Marciano, I suggest you get a life. Strawmen don't work on message boards for obvious reasons, they are useless here unless you really have a fetish for people responding with variations of "I didn't say that."
The next post you make that has anything informative or is pertinent and of interest,will be your first! You self satisfied clown! FYI this is a post I made on this thread a page ago.. "Marciano fought who ever was put in front of him. I don't think he ever feared an opponent .or that it would ever cross his mind to avoid a challenger.He was a great champion,and a great fighter!" Now go and bore some one else, you ****ing muppet!
Whenever it was that Moore and Charles were great as lightheavyweights they were also knocking out heavyweights. So this business of them being better as lightheavyweights dosnt really work. They were lightheavyweights within the heavyweight division.
Charles and Moore weren't better as light heavyweights, they were better against light heavyweights. They weren't bulking up some 20 to 30 plus pounds and sacrificing their athleticism like Moorer, Holyfield, or Spinks. The light heavyweight criticism only makes sense if Maricano was a physically advantaged heavyweight who had some reach or serious weight on them. The truth is Marciano is exactly the light heavyweight sized opponent that Moore and Charles had their most success against. If Rocky was a 200 plus pound beast who rag dolled them, I could see the point. But the truth is...Moore, Johnson, Charles, Bivins, Maricano, Maxim, Gus...these were all similar sized guys. Marciano just never bothered to cut down to 175(though he came close a few times)...likely due to his stocky frame and the fact his team believed in his power and durability against opponents who could be 30 pounds or more heavier. To come up with a 180 pound frame in an era without day before weigh ins and a cruiser division...Lucky Maricano indeed.
Both are ATG's at 175lbs, neither is an ATG at heavy. It isnt a criticism though you predictably view it as such ,its just a simple fact.
Absolutely perfect. You are right. Those guys were knocking out guys from the next weight class without bulking up. It’s actually a testament to how good they really were.
Even if you don’t think they were not great heavyweights, They do not have to be all time great at heavyweight to make outstanding wins. Their wins at heavyweight made them the outstanding challengers they were. Is ken norton an all time great heavyweight? He is still an outstanding win for George Foreman.
