Conn via decision, good fight idea. Both are 168ers with a surprising depth of resume. Conn was more consistent in his prime which would give him the edge in my eyes.
Conn would have the advantage in styles imo. I think he'd win a decision but agree it would be hard fought.
Apart from everything else, when they were both active and at their best, Conn was a light heavyweight while Marshall was only a middleweight. so the bout would be no contest, IMO.
Marshall fought many Light Heavyweights and even Heavyweights, he could make Middleweight, but it was below his best weight.
This is objectively false. Marshall clearly performed better a tad north of 160 and Conn was a small LHW. Furthermore Conn was 168lbs for his best performance, Lloyd was 165lbs for his.
I agree that Conn's and Marshall's careers intersected at times when they were both middleweights. IMO, however, Conn was at his best in the years after he won the light-heavyweight title and was cleaning up in the heavyweight division on his way to becoming the leading heavyweight contender. That run was quite remarkable. Marshall's best years, on the other hand, were prior to 1945 when he could still make the middleweight limit. I agree that he would have benefited if there had been a super middleweight division in 1942-46. My point is that during the period when they were both at their best talentwise and at their most comfortable weights, Conn would have had a significant advantage in weight. Conn's early fights against people like Dundee, Corbett, Yarosz, Krieger, and Apostoli were impressive, but they occurred during the formative years when he was perfecting the ringcraft which would later allow him to succeed as a light heavyweight and heavyweight. I suppose we can argue about when each of them were at their best, but it all boils down to opinion. I certainly respect the opinions of both Wolgast and the cobra. It still would have been a great fight, but I think at their bests, Conn would have had way too many arrows in his quiver.
Billy Conn was much more consistent than Lloyd Marshall. As a result, I favor Conn in a bout with Marshall. - Chuck Johnston
Two of my heroes here. The super middle division would have been ideal for Marshall round about the time he outpointed Jake LaMotta and did it easily. Billy Conn only weighed 169lbs for his fight with the beautiful punching machine that was Joe Louis for the Heavyweight title. Conn handled Gus Lesnevich fairly easily and Marshall, supposedly washed up, kayoed future champion, Freddie Mills and had also kayoed Ezzard Charles. At 170lbs and at their respective peaks I reckon Conn would outpoint Marshall. Marshall of course had that beautiful shoulder roll to land his right hand. It's a great match up.