How much credit should Dempsey get for his controversial victory over Jack Sharkey?

S, I don't wish to antagonize you by my post, but merely to say that I believe that trying to "find flaws" in Marciano's character OTHER than his ring record serves no good reason whatsoever
other than to speculate about his faults, whilst other famous fighters doing a helluva lot more harm to others, get off THE HOOK...And pray tell me S, just what is MY AGENDA ?...
P.S. I will match my boxing acumen and experience in boxing's rich history with yours anytime, and thirst for justice with you
for a good reason. MY AGENDA is to not constantly pick on the legacy of dead fighters who cannot defend themselves from unfair innuendos. And I stand guilty of that Agenda...
PPS Remember "who is without sin, cast the first stone"...Peace...

 

Perhaps others don't think Marciano is as good as the black champions that came after him, I don't think it really matters. Marciano came, won the title, pretty much clear out the division, black or white contenders getting ko. And retire. I not sure one can ask much more of Marciano in his title rein imo. Sure he was not defended 7 times a year like Louis a decade ago. But he was taking on the best there was at the time. Walcott, Charles, and Moore are nothing to sneeze at. They were all great fighters, though perhaps a bit past there primes, but its not Marciano's fault they were beating the younger guys to get there title shots.

Marciano rule his era with a iron fist, and that's all one can ask for. He has no marks like Dempsey or Jeffries and the color bar in there title rein.

 

I really can't believe some are now going after Marciano? There was a time where I degraded Rocky as a fighter but I am old enough to say I was as wrong as I could be. Rocky was an all time great. No he was not easy to hit....just the opposite. He ducked no one. He hit like a hammer and his desire and will to win were second to none. If you believe fighters like Ali would destroy Marciano you are wrong. He would be very competitive and in fact Ali himself doubted he would beat Marciano. He stated "just playing in the ring his punches were so hard he could not raise his arms at the end of the day". Marcianowas ****l time great if any fighter was an ATG. I would not sell him short against any hwt.

 

Any heavyweight not called George Foreman

 

Lets stay off Marciano here, that is a debate for another day.

 

Being a Swede?

 

The only thing that intrigues me about Rocky who was indeed a great champ is, would the perception of him be the same in America if he had been black?

 

If we are talking a "black" Marciano I say he would have been widely accepted and hailed as an ATG. America has been a racially divided nation but generally the sporting world adores athletic prowess. Unlike Baseball, boxing was fully integrated and had been for many decades by Rockys era. We would NOT see a "Jackie Robinson" type attitude from the public (at least not to any great degree) if Marciano were a black hwt.

 

A valid question.

I think the fact that he was a dominant white champion, in a seventy year period of black champions, makes him a divisive figure.

Add to that his magic 49-0, and you have a bun fight.

 

J, it is a sad state of affairs that because Rocky Marciano was a "white" champion in a period of black heavyweights, makes Rocky a "divisive" figure. Political correctness run amok...
Well I ADMIRED Rocky, saw him ringside and training, he was a HARD MAN. So I suppose that makes me divisive ???.

 

I do not use the word divisive in any manner derogatory to Marciano, I consider him to have been a credit to the sport. My point is that the new order of black heavyweights did not sit comfortably for everyone, and these people naturally adopted him. By the same token many people took pride in the success of the new wave of black heavyweights, and carried their heads a little higher. They did not feel entirely comfortable with this dominant white heavyweight, who seemed to be thirty years out of his time. Sixty years later he continues to be a divisive figure, and I am afraid that it is often for the wrong reasons.

 

"lOW" blows are in YOUR mind S, not in the referee's eyes, and that is what COUNTS. In the thousand upon thousands of pro
bouts in modern times, what if the referees decisions didn't count because of some disgruntled fans who don't agree with the referee ? You know what would happen to boxing all these decades ? Yes ANARCHY...
P.S. If as you say Sharkey was clutching himself on the floor while semi-conscious, hard shots to the pit of the stomach
can certainly do that very nicely...
P.P.S. If you are so concerned with "fair Play", what about after the bell ended the 6th round, Dempsey with his hands at his side
is walking to his corner, when the utterly unpredictable Sharkey
raps Dempsey sharply in the mouth , and Jack Dempsey silently
and manly never complains or *****es ???. Say what you want about Jack Dempsey going Hollywood and enjoying
La Dolce Vita, in the ring this was a MAN, no rope-a -dope, no
excuses after a fight, who was the greatest ring attraction in ring history. ciao...

 

Marciano is divisive when it comes to his all time ranking .. no one can doubt he was the best of his day and that he fought and defeated everyone in his time. It's pretty much indisputable .. where it gets dicey is his all time ranking and interpretation of his opposition .. all the "Rocky had that something extra" stuff .. whatever, it's boring. The man was his own brand of terrific. That's more than enough.

 

Rocky fought some great fighters and he won every fight. One can argue Walcott, Charles and Moore were at the tail end of long careers. However each had incredible skill and came into their bouts with Rocky cut and in perfect physical condition. Again I go back to Ali who is rated by most as the greatest hwt of all time. He doubted his ability to beat Rocky. "Just playing he hit so hard I could not raise my hands at the end of the day". "He would win won and I would win one......"

 

All of it.