Could Roland Lastarza have succeeded in other eras?

I doubt he would be a champ in any era but i have no doubts he could be a contender in quite a few. Even in todays weak heavyweight ranks i could see fighter's like wlad and tua being able to hand out too much damage for roland to deal with.

 

Fighters have grown so large that after the 1960's or so it is difficult to see LaStarza being very successful at heavy. He might do well at cruiser, though. I think he would have been a contender in earlier eras. He had excellent boxing skills. A champion? Only if he got the right guy, such as Hart or Burns and possibly Braddock or a fading Sharkey, on the right night.

 

he'd have a chance today for sure.avoiding wlad,the others really are a mediocre lot.

 

I think that he would have been a solid contender in any era but as others have said the championship would always have eluded him unless you can realy cherry pick a weak point in the lineage such as Leon Spinks. He is certainly the type of fighter who could have potentialy exploited a divided title to pick up an alphabet strap.

He might just have had a shot if Marciano had not been around as there would have been a bit of a vacum between Walcott & Charles being old but servicable and Floyd Patterson coming along.

 

Lastarza was a good boxer ,with a good chin ,but he lacked real power,the second Marciano fight ruined him.

 

Roland would have been Cruiser Champ in this day and age.

 

I doubt that he wasn't agressive enough and against a huge puncher like haye he would have been in trouble.

 

I don't know what you find so funny, a defensive fighter is a bad bet against somebody who has serious 1 punch ko power.

 

Haye didn´t even prove himself against the CW-elite, and now you favour him against a very good HW who had an iron chin? Sorry, that´s just too directly that you´re biased...

 

Lastarza handled Marcianos power without being knocked un conscious,handled Rex Layne as well. I think he could handle Hayes Power,out box and out smart as well.

 

He hasn't yet proved himself, if he beats mormeck then he will easily have shown he is a top fighter. Also just becuase one guy is a good fighter doesn't mean that a less talented fighter can't beat them, styles make fights. Also how you can accuse anyone of being bias with half the stuff you say is a right cheek.