Sonny Liston vs Rocky Marciano

exactly! Nobody ever said that when Sonny was fighting. Where are all the write ups from 1960 saying that Rocky was fortunate Liston wasn’t around in his day?

Or “Liston had it so tough that Patterson was champion and not Marciano”. Nobody said that did they?

generations after it happens people relegate Marciano to Patterson level. When nobody did at the time.

This must be why Rocky was unable to knockout Joe Louis, he was just too tall?

Toughness is going to be key.

like Joe Louis?

chances are he will. Rocky made all the championship fights he had an inside fight.

inside? Liston is going to Outland Marciano inside?

can’t imagine why more people didn’t say this when Liston was fighting?

biggest misconception of all time. Nobody came out of a championship fight against Marciano out landing Rockys punch output.

feather fisted Archie Moore, Walcott, Charles, Rex Layne?

but Cleveland Williams does count?

 

Here’s another one! Please explain who ever out-landed Marciano in a title fight. Archie Moore? Don Cockell? Charles? Lastarza? Walcott?

 

George was asked who the strongest fighter he ever saw was, and he answered "Sonny Liston, and he was the strongest MAN I ever saw!"

Rocky Marciano said of Liston, "he isn't faking his toughness, and his strength is just something you got to see, and that jab, he can knock a man out with the jab!"

Cleveland Williams said "no human being hits as hard as Sonny Liston." Williams went on to say, "you can't describe his strength - no man should be that strong!"

Bethea, never the same again, said of Liston "he must have hit me with a horseshoe in his glove!"

Nino Valdes, as he lay dying from cancer, drugged heavily with morphine, was asked by his family if it hurt, and said "not as bad as getting hit by Sonny Liston!"

Johnny Tocco, who worked with Foreman, Tyson and Sonny Liston, said of the three, Liston hit the hardest, and was the strongest. So did Emmanuel Steward, who said of Liston, "he was unbelievably strong, and his punching like a wrecking machine."

 

He sure was strong.

 

Brilliant insight. What a gem!

 

Who are the best 3 fighters Rex Layne ko'd?


NB When Marciano beat Walcott the Ring stated he was a poor facsimile of Dempsey,cruder and slower.

 

How many shorter opponents did he face? LOL

 

Rex Layne scored wins over Charles and Walcott. So he wasn’t that bad was he?

Aged just 22, Rex knocked Bob Satterfield spark out whom he flattened before Bob later demolished a similar aged Cleveland Williams.

Rex Layne hit hard enough to knock out Ponce Deleon who later on went the full distance against Sonny Liston and Cleveland Williams.

Lloyd Gibson was coming off a win over Archie Moore when Rex knocked him out.

Whilst not a world beater, With a 49% KO percentage that’s not too bad at all.

 

"Punches from above".

Try to read before you reply next time.

The fight won't last more than 3 rounds so no it won't really be a key factor. Rocky needed several rounds to break down his better opponents. His toughness isn't going to matter if he gets stopped early.

I time stamped all the times Rocky missed by a mile or got his punches blocked/smothered by an old Louis in another thread. And Liston wasn't a gunshy old man who mostly spammed jabs. Not sure why you can't go 5 minutes without bringing Louis up in a Rocky thread as if that matters.

Then he gets knocked out in 1 round instead of 3.

After half a dozen rounds breaking a guy down and they were gassed trying to keep Rocky off of him. Wouldn't happen here.

Once again I suggest you learn how to read before replying.

193 pound Rex Layne wasn't a "big, prime puncher" even by that era's standards.

If someone had a dollar anytime you mentioned Old Louis or Williams they could pay for Spence and Crawford's upcoming checks.

 

That’s the same for any great fighter though isn’t it? Sonny went a lot of rounds with Howard King in his prime to break him down. Machen eluded a knockout completely. Then there’s Ernie Cab and Willi Besmanoff both lasting longer than you think Rocky will. This even though Rocky never fought long enough to ever get stopped late let alone early in real life.
Rocky stopped 30 or so of his 49 opponents under 5 rounds. Remember this.

depends who you talk to. Whilst champion, When he fights Ali Sonny is suddenly very old. Yet One fight before, as defending champion, Sonny replicated his best ever win over Floyd Patterson.

maybe it’s because old Joe Louis was a similar sized guy to Sonny Liston? No matter that this was not the best version, Louis was legitimately a deserving #1 contender at this time on account of recent guys he beat like Brion, Bivins and Savold.

that’s your response to me explaining that instead of the “take 3 to land one” myth, in title fights, Marciano far out landed the best opponents he fought. “It wouldn’t happen here”. Ok, tell me why.

That’s really nice of you to resort to this. Telling me to learn to read..

 

Machen got on his bike and ran for the hills. Not sure why you insist on pretending like none of us have watched or read about these fights.

Liston wasn't gunshy against Ali he was throwing everything at him but the kitchen sink, not simply playing it safe and jabbing away like old Louis.

I already explained why Rocky isn't outlanding Liston and why being willing to take shots to land one of his own is suicide. According to Walcott himself, this is a bad matchup.

Yes, you need to learn to actually read what someone wrote carefully. I never said Moore, Walcott, etc were feather fisted.

 

Rocky got out before Sonny was a force by a few years .. I read he was far more aware of Patterson with his speed as a threat down the road before Liston .... as far as H2H, Rocky vs Sonny, I don't think it bodes well for Marciano at all ..

 

Talking to people about Marciano is like talking to Boomers with the 1970 World Series on a perpetual loop inside their brains who will argue with you to the point of fisticuffs that Brooks Robinson was the GOAT third baseman. They remember what they remember and know what they know and there’s no convincing them otherwise.

 

I think I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen a Rocky fan admit he could lose. They simply cannot bring themselves to say it, it's a cult. "Rocky will find a way to win...".

 

I have gingerly mentioned here before that some people get that way about Frazier. There’s a default here toward determination and heart, which certainly are very important and desirable qualities but they can only go so far against physical realities. (And for the record both Rocky and Frazier are in my ATG top 10, as is Liston.)