At their prime who would win in a fight between Mike Tyson and Rocky Marciano?

He didn't have to show his 12 rd abilities very often did he? Only 5 men went the distance in his 50 wins,and four of them fought solely to survive.

 

Tillis had a totally different style than Marciano. A style more conducive to fighting Tyson.

If Jimmy Young beat Foreman, then Frazier should have destroyed him, right? Frazier was after all, the superior fighter overall in comparison to Young.

 

Wouldn’t Marciano just crowd him anyway and set the tone (possibly)? Tyson had an extremely hard time fighting inside which Rocky did very well. I can absolutely envision a scenario of Marciano getting caught with sweeping shots or maybe an uppercut and knocking him down a lot in the first three rounds. But I more then likely see a Holyfield Tyson scenario of Tyson’s power being reduced by fighting on the inside and Tyson getting frustrated. Marcianos ability to take shots and set the tone of fights is extremely under rated. Great fighters make you fight their fight and whomever is more successful at that will win. I don’t think rocky was unbeatable no viruses here but some people extremely underrate this top ten HW.

 

I think Marciano wins.

I think people underestimate the explosiveness and reflexes of a prime Marciano.
Tyson would have to work extremely hard to get his attacks off without being vulnerable to return fire.
He would be the faster of the two, but without much of a backwards attack, he's going to have to get in range and stay there for his attacks. That's where I see problems for him.

Marcianos footwork, ring IQ, plus the imminent danger he presents with his punches would make it so he doesn't get bullied like many of Tysons non elite opponents. Tyson can get scrappy with a guy that can bounce on his feet on the outside. Squaring up, weaving, and letting loose leaping combos would present little fight stopping danger. But he'd have more respect for the territory of a dynamic elite power puncher.

Marciano could make himself smaller than Tyson on the inside, and would have more flexibility in inside fighting. And given Rockys inside fighting forward momentum boulder like style, I'm pretty damn confident he'd back Tyson up. Tyson could flex his strength and press against Marciano to assert dominance, but Rocky doesn't just press, he has an entire style built around being extremely dynamic on the inside. The sophisticated attack would force Tyson back. And I think he would be in a heap of trouble having to fight backwards.

Tyson shows tons of promise in the first three rounds, winning each one.
He bursts in with crazy speed using his jab, footwork, and head movement to tentatively start his attacks.
Once he feels out Marcianos speed and reflexes he goes in with hard body crunching blows. He does it fast, and often. Few of the big punches within the combos break through and shake Marciano up. Head blows shake him from head to toe. Body blows rattle and move him. Marciano stays in the fight with his durability, head movement, ring IQ, footwork, and with punches of his own. Tyson feels his power. Marciano remains standing after each round.

Rounds 4-5-6 Tyson starts feeling the wear and stamina. He tries to get more comfy with his feet planted. His burst rushes have gone from lightening quick to very fast. Marciano begins to turn the momentum of the fight on the inside. He has more energy fighting on the inside. He's letting loose more at his comfortable pace. Tyson can't keep up with the constant head movement, and punches coming every single second. Not high volume combos, but a non stop pace of Marciano digging from all angles. By round 5 and 6, Tyson actually starts clawing to create room with Marciano. He tries staying right at the edge of the pocket using head movement and fast, but less powerful counters. Occasionally a look goes over his eyes, and he bursts in with a high volume heavy combo. Marciano weathers them but really feels it. Marciano is cut, he's bruised. His eyes are starting to close. Both men are warriors, giving it their all. Tyson gains confidence from Marcianos condition, but at the same time starts looking desperate unable to deal with the pace on the inside. He looks at Marcianos condition with hope, but the hope gets constantly squashed by Rockys relentless pace and power. By the end of the 6, Tysons taken one too many hard blows to the head and body to remain tough. He's running out of ideas, and looks dazed and non dominant.

Round 7 starts, and Marciano still has gasoline for days.
Tyson is in autopilot, throwing punches, but relying more on his defense now to deal with the attacks.
Marciano goes on a non stop punching spree, knocks him down twice, and then knocks him out.

 

Has there ever been a fight where Tyson dominated early before wilting down the stretch? Where he squandered a significant early lead? Can't seem to recall any.

 

If this was a mythical attrition fight where both men were the same size then it I'd clear the Rock had unmatched will in boxing.....this fight is not that it is a forceful freak of nature in Tyson vs a 190lb cruiserweight and in this reality Tyson is to powerful Marciano doesn't have enough weight or power in his body to keep his feet on the ground when Tyson blitz's him....Mike took big men off their feet with single punches and big men hit him with no result. Tyson in 1

It's head to head matchups like this that is ridiculous and does a disservice to a great fighter but the reality is he was a small heavyweight and even small by cruiserweight standards.....and their is no small fighter who was going to beat prime Tyson pre Douglas....a small fighter would not have beaten Tyson that night either Tyson took flush hard combinations from a hungry talented capable 6'4" 230 lb man fighting to his potential for 10 rds not a 190 lb puncher without the reach to avoid being hit. Tyson was also a fast, accurate, well schooled fighter with 19.5" neck and a hell of a chin.

 

Good question there are alot of great physiques in boxing Norton, Weaver, MMH, Mickey Walker, Jim Jeffries, Sam McVey, Armstrong, Graziano, considering Tyson always trimmed down from over 250 sometimes as high as 280 and had muscles many make assumption because he was built like a running back....McVey and Jeffries were similar in size and muscles

 

I do love to read some good fan fiction.

 

Marciano was a great fighter who I'd give a chance against many modern 200+ pound heavyweights. If this were say Marciano vs Mike Weaver or Marciano vs George Chuvalo or Marciano vs Michael Moorer or Marciano vs Michael Spinks....hell even Marciano vs Ali...count me in, I'd give Rocky a chance to beating/giving them tough fights.

But a prime Mike Tyson was one opponent that I'd say is virtually unbeatable against a smaller man. Unless said smaller man had an iron chin made for taking shots from power punching heavies, is unusually physically powerful or is extremely elusive. Marciano would be coming forward into a minefield of explosive power punching from a fast, skilled, accurate and physically larger combination puncher with ATG heavyweight punching power.

Now, maybe Marciano could surprise us all, take Tyson's best, get bounced around for a few rounds, get up off the canvas and wear Tyson down and stop him late. Miracles do happen.

But the smart money is an early stoppage win in favor of Mike Tyson.

 

I'm pretty damn confident that if an old 188lbs Archie Moore can knock Marciano down and buzz him Tyson would spark him out!

 

I'm not.
Archie was an elusive counter puncher.
Different styles.
Rocky got caught with a surprise counter by a guy who was really good at that.
Fair opinion though

 

Its different sports. We are talking minutes rather than rounds. Tyson wins comfortably.

 

No chance Marciano gets stopped on cuts then?

 

Tyson certainly hit harder and faster than Moore.

 

I guess all the other guys Rocky fought that were around that weight were not real. Given, they weren’t as skilled as some Tyson has fought he still handled them rather easily. There are very few who can punch like Foreman, Liston, Tyson, Marciano and Louis. Rocky went against plenty of heavy hitters and took their shots well. If getting “stunned” for approximately 2-4 seconds off a punch he didn’t see coming is the worst to happen to him I’d say his chin is in the upper echelon in HW history. That being said why is it difficult for some to fathom he makes it several rounds till Tyson’s power is null and void? There is no valid reason. The only argument the Tyson punchers have is he was heavier and faster. Most people Rocky fought were heavier and faster. Yet they still laid on their backs by the end of the fight at the highest KO percentage of any HW champ.