Prime Joe Louis vs Prime Rocky Marciano

Louis. This is a no-brainer imho.

 

IMHO, it's possible that Louis could hit the canvas at some point, but the reverse is also true. I'd go with Louis by Decision win.

 

I'm going Loui, by rsf. Rocky's face was showing signs of damage in the actual fight. A prime Joe butchers it. Not to say it's one sided, after all, it's the Rock!
As the excellent poster above says, Joe may hit the floor, it's more than likely tbh, but by the championship rounds, I see Rocky s eyes cut and shut and getting hit more and more til either the ref stops it or he ends up going down.

 

Marciano himself believed he would have lost to a Prime Joe Louis, and i think he was right.
Rocky's pressure would still give Louis problem, but a think Joe, in his heyday, would have caught him with a perfect shot when Rocky roars in, and finish him before slow starters Marciano warms up

 

Louis and it's not close

 

I see most are going with Louis, ( Rightfully so, he was better skilled, was faster, may have hit as hard) But I will play the spoiler and point out most thought Louis would destroy Schmeling in their 1st fight, how did that go for him. Louis also was put on his ass multiple times by lesser fighters than Marciano, B.Conn, no where near the puncher Marciano was yet he had Louis reeling.
So yes I'll agree Louis should win, I don't feel as emphatic as most here seem to imply. This may be tougher for Louis than one may think.

 

Extremely tough matchup to call
I lean towards Louis

 

Louis chops him to pieces. Too much speed, efficiency and power. Ouch!

 

With no confidence I'll go with Louis. Would not have the slightest surprise if it went the other way.

 

Louis all day...but by decision. Rocky would be pretty lumped up at the end, and would probably suffer a knockdown.

Louis might get knocked down too, but he was just too great overall to do anything but mostly dominate Rocky imo.

 

They asked Marciano's great trainer Charlie Goldman who would have won if Louis was in his prime...Goldman said Rocky...he was asked why....Charlie said "Because you don't come AT Rocky Marciano!"

 

But wasn't Louis capable of far more than that?

 

1. Conn never put Louis "on his ass". He never knocked Louis down.

2. Louis did not train very much for Schmeling. He spent most of his time playing golf and with women. Also Schmeling was a VERY different fighter than Marciano.

3. I could easily say, both Walcott and Moore "put Marciano on his ass" despite being "lesser fighters than Louis".

 

I would make Louis the favorite. While the aged version made a good effort against rocky it was clear that the lightening fast reflexes and combos were gone which was made his game. That said rocky had the type of style and toughness to always be a tough opponent