Dempsey vs Marciano

The match was done in Ring magazine's segment " battle of the legends" about 25 years ago. I don't recall who was chosen on the panel to give their opinions but two out of the three guys, if I recall picked Marciano.

 

That wasn't the issue I was referring to but thanks. The discussion I read about was in an edition that was released sometime between 1989-1991, but I can't remember which. Haven't seen it in years.

 

That's it. Thanks.. August of 1991.

Don Dunphy (announcer)

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via KO 3rd or 4th.
Bill Cayton (manager)

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via decision.
Marty Cohen (promoter)

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via decision.

I had forgotten who the men on the panel were.

 

Kinda in agreement with your point, I see Marciano's ability to get immense leverage at very close range and and being able to get punch levered up at Dempsey's chin easier than Dempsey can club down at Rocky - a good example is the Marciano-Rex Layne match where Layne I think had a similarish height and reach to Jack Dempsey and when boxing looked like he prefered the kind of midrange that Dempsey did when he worked his way forward before exploding but Marciano got inside and leaned on his chest and really dug his heals into the canvas and ripped some awful shots into Rex from angles that Layne just couldn't cope with he did his best to lean on Rock with his greater weight and then push off and try to get some straighter shots off but Marciano was just mean on the inside and he was so difficult to get to get to himself inside.

But then, against Firpo, Dempsey showed how he needed barely any room to smash his own vicious brutal shots in and he was also tremendously quick at spinning Firpo and getting around to get a better shot at him even with only one hand free at times - no doubt this would be a slugfest to end all slugfests - so difficult to predict but if forced the only thing I can say to split them is that I have seen Dempsey more vulnerable and have seen moments such as against Firpo when he touched down in the first few seconds and then when his legs went late in the first round which ended with him going through the ropes, and I've also seen his legs wobbled badly by an explosive series of shots from Carpentier, and I've seen him rocked badly by Sharkey and also taking a bit of a shellacking by some Tunney shots so I don't know - granted all those times he came back to end things himself - but that was part of the excitement of the man for me - kinda like a heavyweight Nigel Benn for any British fans he could be hurt and staggered pretty badly but he also had remarkablely quick recovery time and was lethal when getting hurt but one of the things with Marciano that gets me is (and I don't think I've seen any of his fights where this isn't the case) is that he always finished every exchange himself even in exchanges when he had to take his lumps he would always always finish the exchange with his own punches - this is one of the most difficult fights for me to say one way or the other but with a gun to my head I'd say Marciano but then I would haha but one things for certain but I suppose it's a given that if Marciano landed anything like the 13th round Walcott right hand then it would be over for me. Although honestly sometimes these fights where you expect real fireworks fail to develop sometimes and both were actually pretty cagey a lot more so than people go for - Dempsey had that leaning back thing keeping that chin tucked right down behind his shoulder and Marciano was a guy you really had to look for and often was pretty nifty at leaning back letting the shot go by but keeping his feet right there and swaying back in with a counter so the fight might be a bit cuter then a lot probably see it

 

Also re the article from the ring about this match up is this from it?

Expert opinion's from an old Ring mag, Don Durphy, Bill Cayton and ol' Marty Cohen.

Don Durphy- "Both men would be throwing everything they ahd from the opening bell. They always went to for the kayo. It would be easy to cop out and say the fighter who landed the first big punch would win.
dempsey, at 6'1'' and 187lb's, had the advantages in height and reach, but there would be only a three-pound weight difference. I feel that for Dempsey, being the taller of the two might not be an advantage. it's harder to punch down at a weaving opponent,, while the 5'10'' Marciano was.
During their careers, both went down and rose from knockdowns. Dempsey would be hampered by the fact that a fighter scoring a knockdown had to go to a nuetral corner. Dempsey got away with hitting Jess Willard and Luis Angel Firpo right after he dropped them. And he was penalised in the second Tunney fight for not following the nuetral corner rule that was put in because of him.
As for conditioning, I'm not sure about Dempsey, but I do know that no one was ever in better shape than Marciano. If Rocky could survive Dempsey's opening attack, he would win by knockout in the third or fourth round."


Marty Cohen- "It would be one of the best Pier Sixes ever! both of these guys were among the toughest that I've ever seen. I mean they were tough-tough! Marciano was a guy who releid on his strength and toughness. He was a powerful puncher who hurt guys with every punch he threw. If he couldn't get inside, he'd bang away at a guy's arms until they dropped them, and then he'd knock them out.
Dempsey was a brawler who came up the hard away. But he knew every trick in the book. After he became champion, Tunney was only one who gave him problems, but that was when Jack was at the end of his rope.
It would be a brawl from the start. neither man would back down. Marciano would do well early, but Dempsey would be nailing him too. Marciano would score well to the body, shoulders and arms.
But Dempsey was the betetr boxer of the two. He'd work body and head throughout the fight. He'd start to take command around the sixth or seventh round. Jack was a real slasher, he'd be able to cut up Marciano. If it would end early, it would be on cuts. But if it would go the distance, I see Dempsey out-toughing Marciano and winning a decision."

Bill Cayton- "You're talking about two of the top five fighters of all time. It's a great matchup because each man wasa dominant fighter of his era. Their styles were similar, theywere both attackers, and they both could stand there and take as much as they gave. But they always gave out more.
Dempsey had a great left hook and a good right, Marciano had power in both hands. If an opponent covered up, Marciano would beat on his arms until they went numb. Then he'd knock them out.
Marciano was always in great shape. He was a fanatic about conditioning. He had no probelms going 15 rounds. On the other hand, Dempsey didn't like to go past 10 rounds. Gene Tunney wanted both of their fights to be scheduled for 15 rounds, but Dempsey insisted upon 10.
Ultimatly, it would be a battle of wills. They would battle it out on the inside. I wouldn't be suprised in Dempsey knocked Marciano down once or twice. But Marciano always got up. Marciano's superior conditioning would give him the edge. I can't see either one of these two ever being knocked out. Whether it would go 12 or 15 rounds, I feel Marciano would win a very close decision in a very tough fight."

 

Toledo Dempsey stops Marciano

 

Demspey stronger than Marciano.... Certainly people jest

 

Once again, I agree with Burt. Longer reach, faster hands and equal power spell doom for Rocky. It would be fun while it lasts though!

 

They weren't equal in power though... Marciano was clearly more powerful imo. Sure they are relatively close but Marciano has the edge. he also holds the stamina edge and defensive edge. Along with the power edge. Great fight, but one that Marciano KO's Dempsey in

 

watching rocky live did you feel he was great?

 

Words can't describe..how much I truly despise your existence. :verysad

 

Anyway, I have Jack the first 5 rounds
an even 6th and 7th
I think Rocky lands the Suzie Q towards the end of the 8th and gets a win by way of KO