Calzaghe v Marciano

So.. Rocky wasn't "a horrible collection of slow-twitch muscle fibres", whatever that means.

Do you have any proof he didn't run that far in training?

 

I know Marciano did consistently do 6-7 mile runs on a daily basis, as attested by numerous witnesses, but I've never heard of him doing 16-19 miles. I do know something about this, as(apparently Seamus and I have this in common, except he was national) I'm a pretty good distance runner on a local/regional level, and a training regimen involving that kind of running on a daily basis would be unreasonable. I highly doubt anyone actually did that kind of workout that often.

That said, Marciano's training regimen was un-bloody-believeable and his level of conditioning is among the best ever seen in the history of the sport. In addition, he was one of the toughest suckers you could ever encounter, he was utterly relentless and seemed nearly impossible to slow down, he had a very surprising awkward effectiveness in the ring which many opponents who had previously believed him a simple clubber became painfully aware of in short order, and he could punch like a truck.

Before one goes underestimating Marciano's power, here, let us remember that he has the highest knockout average of any linear heavyweight champ in history, he has easily the best knockout average against top-five opponents, he did, in fact, utterly wipe out a few 220+ oponents who were adequate fighters, he repeatedly broke bones/knocked out teeth of opponents, and it wasn't rare for him to knock opponents unconscious with one shot. Calzaghe certainly has a solid chin at super middleweight, but I assure you that Lacy and Kessler(who aren't really even truly top-notch punchers for their own size) do not hit anywhere near as hard as Marciano, and Calzaghe was dropped by Byron Mitchell and Kabary Salem.

I don't believe Calzaghe comes into the ring on fight night a lot heavier than he is at the weigh-in, since he was 166 1/2 for the Kessler weigh-in(when you dehydrate yourself to make weight, you generally don't drain an unnecessary pound-and-a-half out along with whatever other number of pounds you're sapping away from yourself). He's not a big puncher even at super middleweight, and his chin is strong, but not unbreakable. I don't believe he would have the power to keep Marciano honest, and I assure you he wouldn't be going any 12 rounds without taking a good few power punches from Marciano. Unless Calzaghe pulls off a practically miraculous performance, Marciano by KO, or even Marciano on points.

 

Looks like Janitor's pumped us up full of some more "loose" facts. Otherwise known as BS.

 

Come on, John, you both do a good job in this section!

 

WRONG! Marciano came forward windmilling knockout punches no matter what the situation was. At no point in his career did he ever perform the way Lacy did against Calzaghe. Marciano would force Calzaghe to adapt, he would not make the same mistakes that Lacy and Kessler made. Could Calzaghe beat him on points? Over 12 rounds it is probable, but a 15 round match gives Marciano the opportunity to get that one punch through that will end the fight. Marciano windmilled nearly 300 punches against Ezzard Charles the last 3 rounds, and all Charles did was try to survive. It is very likely the same sort of thing would happen to Calzaghe.

 

Regardless, my point stands. We cannot be loose with the facts Rocco.

 

The claim was made by Marciano's former press officer in a recent interview. He is not clear as to exactly how frequently he ran this distence but stated that his preparations for a fight would culminate in such runs.

It is by no means unique incidentaly. Bob Fitzsimmons and Peter Maher would do 20 miles as part of training for a title fight.

 

This is not anecdotal: I watched Rocky train in the gym and in camp at Kutcher's and Grossinger's in the Catskill Mountains.

He did more, harder then any other fighter I've ever seen, and that dates back to the early '40s.

 

More than Fullmer?

 

Rocky Marciano would of KO'd Calzaghe after he let Calzaghe break his hands on his jaw. Comparing Rocky Marciano to Jeff Lacy is laughable. That is like comparing a Steamroller and a bicycle.

 

That's an amazing statement, JG! It's not bad enough the guy (Rocky) get's knocked on nearly everything, now the people that don't like him are questioning his training diligence. It's good to have guys like you, a person that actually seen his training first hand, on this forum to set the record straight.

 

Just imagine Calzaghe fighting a much bigger, tougher, stronger, more determined Sakio Bika and you'll have your answer.

 

Slower and less skilled Bika. Calzaghe would shut out Marciano at will too, just like he did to Bika when he decided to jab.

 

I saw a Calzaghe looking often to his corner, a bit dazed and confused.