zivic one of the most dangerous dirty fighters ever. he beat lamotta once and i think hed beat graziano to. graziano always looking for his big right would not get to fritzie. while zivic would box the ears off rocky and lace the hell out of him in clinches.
A prime and focused Zivic would be one welterweight that Graziano couldn't pick on. Fritzie fought and beat the greater fighters by far. He would outbox, out-slug, out-think and outfight Graziano every step of the way. There would be a few anxious moments due to Rocky's strength and crippling power. But nothing Fritzie hasn't seen and overcome a zillion times before. Zivic by UD
Having seen both Fritzie Zivic and Rocky Graziano fight a common opponent Billy Arnold,it is a tough question to answer...I saw Zivic past his peak decision a terrific punching prospect Billy Arnold in 8 rounds and a short time later at MSG Graziano after taking a beating in rd 1 and 2 destroyed Billy Arnold in round 3 with a lethal attack. So on this basis I think that the bigger prime Graziano beats the past peak smaller Zivic possibly by a ko...Zivic after all was kod by another puncher Milt Aron , a few years before....Rocky was great against smaller welterweights...
I always look forward too and appreciate your postings Burt. I have thought Zivic would be too crafty for Rocky here but I defer.
Keep in mind that our esteemed colleague Burt has pegged Rocky to beat a "PAST PRIME" Zivic. I agree. But what about prime for prime, Burt?
surf, the Rocky Graziano who literally ended a damn good Welterweight's career namely Marty Servo, i believe would have beaten the wily Fritzie Zivic who even in his prime was erratic losing to the likes of Freddie Red Cochrane, who was flattened twice by Rocky Graziano, when Rocky was at his best prior to his utter wars with Tony Zale...These 3 bouts took a lot out of Graziano for certain...So on the basis of common opponents as Red Cochrane, Billy Arnold, I favor the 7-8 pound heavier Rocky to overcome Zivic's dirty tactics,as Graziano was also a street fighter par excellence...The young Graziano whom I saw from the prelims until the Zale wars was the most exciting fighter I ever saw...
I beg to differ, Burt. Graziano was stronger no doubt, but quite crude with bad balance, poor defense, and was effectively a one handed puncher. Zivic on the other hand used both hands, had a sturdy chin, and was a much better, smarter, boxer. Also, his win over Arnold shouldn't be sluffed off so easily, as Arnold was hyped as the new Joe Louis and was heavilly favored against Zivic. I think Fritzie would see Grazianos right coming a mile away, outsmart, and box, his way to a decision.
Unfortunately J, the film we see of Rocky Graziano today is of his bouts with Tony Zale...These wars of attrition took a lot out of Rocky I believe,who was not the same fighter I saw coming up...Look what he did to a rising star Marty Servo,who gave the WW Ray Robinson two very very close disputed decisions ? Rocky flattened the smaller Servo ruining Servo's nose forever, forcing the still young Servo to retire...Fritzie Zivic no doubt was a cutey, rough as hell, but the stronger Rocky was just as "dirty" and much stronger and 7-8 pounds heavier...One other point. Even when younger Zivic would have an erratic record, losing fairly often...Was he a better pound for pound fighter than Graziano ? Yessir, but Rocky at his street fighting best flattened Freddy Red Cochrane twice and Cochrane decisioned the "prime" Zivic who was but 28 years old at the time... So because of size, strength, and effective rough tactics I think Rocky beats the smaller but better P4P fighter Sir Fritzie Zivic...cheerio...
Ya really gotta focus on how well Fritzie did vs Lamotta in Pittsburgh and Fritzie was no kid by then The local fight scribes who were tops rated those battles as Fritzies finest hr These guys are the same size more or less. Rock commonly fought in the low 150s
