For the people insisting Rocky was "hard to hit" and had "underrated cleverness"

His chin wasn't granite given the Walcott and Moore knockdowns. Between the two Jones has the most impressive punching feats the first to kayo Hill, the only guy to kayo Woods, etc.

What if Roy lands first?

Anyway, the point about Roy's chin is fair and that might give Marciano a path to victory. But it still seems like more than Louis and Holyfield are major problems for Marciano below 200. Toney was never knocked out in more than 70 fights including by guys like Peter, Rahman, Oquendo, etc so a Rocky kayo there seems extremely unlikely. Is he really going to be able to outpoint Toney over 12 given Toney's skillset?

 

In his autobiography Louis said Marciano was a street brawler,and that he himself was doing okay against until his legs went on him.

 

To be fair Louis even at 37 still had arguably the best jab in the heavyweight division. Louis didn't have the powerful right hand anymore and he couldn't put combinations together like he used to, but Louis still had an amazing jab, which is why he was still able to beat guys like Bivins, Brion, and Walker, so it isn't a shocker Marciano had trouble with it.

Holmes during his comeback was even older than Louis, but like Louis was still able to compete with the top fighters, who were way younger because his jab was still the best.

Marciano could be hit like any fighter could, but he wasn't that easy to hit clean or square and his record speaks to that.

Here is Archie Moore speaking on Marciano against Muhammad Ali following the first Liston fight. Archie admits that Marciano isn't easily to land clean on.

What about Rocky Marciano against Clay?

"I believe Marciano would knock him out. Marciano throws too many hard punches for Clay to dodge. Why in the hell Marciano doesn't come out of retirement, I don't know. He's only 38 now. He's a good man, a clean liver; he's stayed in shape."

"Marciano would break Clay in two Marciano boxes low, and he throws eight or 10 punches in a sequence. He's hard to hit, to nail solid. He keeps throwing punches like a propeller."
https://imgur.com/4g3Dh3x
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Holyfield talking about how dangerous a great jab can be

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I'm one of Maciano's biggest supporters, but I think ali would win in a tough fight. Ali has enough durability to weather the storm. Most like UD or TKO by cuts.

 

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How long was Rocky down? You have to also look at the way he was seated and more importantly what happened afterwards…
Both Moore and Walcott were experts at using an opponents momentum against them, Rocky always threw hard or was pressing - so when those guys caught him he was moving into it, he got up easy enough though.
I believe Moore got him with a shoulder roll counter of some description and Walcott with a flush left hook coming in, if you’re a cagey guy like Toney who never had to come to your opponent you rarely get tagged as hard as Marciano, like Basilio if you’re fighting that way you’ll get hit it’s unavoidable but those guys became extremely skilled mitigating that.
I watched Roy Jones not too long ago, he spent a lot of time at mid range, using his legs etc but on the ropes or inside he usually threw him his gloves and turtles a bit, Moore / Walcott didn’t need to avoid that danger zone they fought at every range and more counters were open to them, Marciano will get Jones to fight inside like 49 before him had to and bust him up.

 

One can be crude and very, very skilled / intelligent in the ring. Rocky was a better ring general then the vast majority of champions to come, everybody fought his fight.

 

As the title says: ...Rocky was "hard to hit" and had "underrated cleverness!" Okay. I can buy that. The great and unbeaten Rocky Marciano! 49-0! 43 Knockouts!

I will now get out my Wonder Woman Shield to ward off any flying, tomatoes, other fruits, eggs, and whatever...

 

Saying you can stop Marciano's forward movement, and DOING it is 2 different things, even top boxers like Charles, Walcott, and Moore could not do it. Yeah if you can stop it you have the edge, but I image outside of a George Foreman type of fighter that may blast the Rock out of there, its going to be pretty hard to stop the Rock from coming forward.