Tunney via decision. Rocky had problems with LaStarza ( might have lost the first fight ) and in the re-match he was behind until he fouled by hitting on the break, which visibly slowed down LaStarza. Tunney > LaStarza He was also behind Walcott. Tunney was an excellent boxer mover who could keep up his pace for 15 rounds. Unlike LaStarza or Walcott, Gene had a top chin and rare mental toughness. Bigger than Rocky and a solid puncher too, Gene was a brilliant tactician. His legs would keep him away from the ropes or the corners, and beat Rocky in the middle of the ring. Tunney's easy wins over Dempsey show me something, as Dempsey won but one of twenty rounds and Dempsey had better hand and foot speed in comparison to Marciano. You could say Marciano had much better stamina and conditioning than the Dempsey Tunney owned and be correct, but with those short arms, and Tunney being a moving target, Rocky would not land much. When you have a taller boxer with the better jab and a top chin, he usually beats the shorter puncher with less reach and height.
Wait... Was Marciano prime when he fought LaStarza the first time? Or are we again choosing a less prime version of Fighter A to compare to a prime Fighter B? Marciano is somewhat a slower, but no less awkward and busy, Greb... who hits a whole hell of a lot harder.
Rocky had over 30 fights for Lastarza, seasoned enough. You surprise me Seamus, you are one of the better film guys. Maybe you just haven't seen enough of Tunney in action so take a moment to view him below: This content is protected PS: I think Tunney would rate as one of the best punchers Rocky fought.
Tunney looks amazing on film, no doubt. But his entire heavyweight worth is based on two 10 rounders against a fighter who stayed on the shelf far too long, whose style was built on youth and speed and did not age well on the shelf, in conditions rather ideal for Tunney's strengths. Prime for prime, I don't give Tunney much of a chance over Dempsey. Now, could the best of Tunney beat Marciano on the Rock's worst night? Sure.
Counter point, the lines between heavy and light heavy were often blurred from 1920-1955 Tunney at 190lbs would be one of the bigger men, and his wins over many at light heavy ( the fighters could have been heavier on fight night ) should not be discounted. Marciano is the smaller man here, not Tunney. Dempsey fans need to be careful, as Tunney beat the same guys in Battling Lewinsky, Gibbons, and Carpenter. Not really heavyweights, but among Dempsey's best wins! Of course Tunney beat Greb, who some say Dempsey would not fight, and offered Wills a real fight that was a sure go.
He was prime for the rematch and Lastarza won 4 of the first 6 rds.Marciano committed several fouls in this fight that slowed Rollie up and Lastarza never had the legs or jab of a Tunney. The scores after the first 10 rds were: 7-3 ,5-5,6-4. Tunney was several leagues better than Lastarza imo.Less than a year before he challenged Marciano, Lastarza lost to 14-9-2 Light heavyweight Rocky Jones, getting dropped in the process,Rollie wasn't anything special ,imo.
Looking at that Tunney must have been bloody fit because he doesn't half waste a lot of energy. Tunney sets himself well for someone that mobile, but I doubt he hit as hard as Moore or Walcott, let alone Louis.
Don Cockell was pretty good for a fat lad. Tunney's better but they were not leagues apart. And Gebralaisse might surprise us all against Marciano. He's not as durable as Cockell but was fast om his feet.
Louis was having trouble pulling the trigger by that time, granted, but I just can't see Tunney hitting harder judging by the way he throws punches, or in the effect that his punches have when they land.
I'd say he might rate a Marciano's third hardest puncher. Maybe not as hard as the two you mentioned who floored Rocky, but close enough. Tunney was vey fit. I think he one who could go 20 rounds at near full speed.
Wait, did Lastarza or Cockell beat Marciano? At the end of the day, they both received huge, world class @ss whippings. Marciano wasn't a points compiler. He was a human threshing machine. He wouldn't come to play Tunney's game and at some point Tunney would have to play by Rocky's rules. Regardless of any other points to be made, any suppositions or extrapolations, I have a hard time picking a guy with a wafer thin heavyweight resume over one of the greatest champions on the books.