I'm sure it's been discussed ad nauseum, but...

Now this would be an absolute war, sheer savagery, especially if it’s the hungry Dempsey of 1919. One of them would practically have to kill the other to keep him down. Very, very, VERY tentative nod to Marciano but I think an awful lot of prime Dempsey and he could give Rocky an L.

 

I would take Marciano in a first rate barnburner. A great match-up of old-sized heavyweight action fighters.

 

War of the fittest...and who was more fit than Rocky Marciano? This would be a war...get the EMT's ready...you're gonna need 'em!

 

Marciano actually discussed this once, I think in an interview, iirc he basically said Dempsey has a chance to blow him out early but that he thinks he has the stamina/later rounds advantage, overall was unsure and thought it pretty evenly matched/draw possibility

 

I am going with a prime Jack Dempsey, in a great fight, over Rocky Marciano! I think his speed and ability to somewhat adapt styles wins the day here.

 

I've got Dempsey winning this one. We all know The Rock could take a punch but I believe it's the sheer quantity of punches he'd have to take against a prime Dempsey that would be his undoing. I think Dempsey stops him somewhere around the 8th round.

 

One thing is for sure, this would be a hellaciously entertaining fight.

 

I think that Dempsey is a natural born fighter who started at the right age in the perfect era to be a boxer. There are things credited to him that we don’t even see guys below 147lbs doing today. To me he would at his height have stopped Rocky.

 

Dempsey said Marciano hit harder.

Anyway. I go with Marciano. He fought the best of his era, whereas with Dempsey, we will always have Wills hanging over his head, and to a lesser degree, Greb, Siki, and Godfrey. Even Joe Jeanette, since Dempsey refused to fight him earlier in his career.

 

Here it is, originally posted by @mcvey

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I love them both. And, am certainly not ruling out a late stoppage for Marciano. But, gun to my head, I think Dempsey lands and ends this early before Rocky can get all cylinders running.

 

I agree - I think JD was capable of showing Rocky things he’s never seen before, similar to Archie Moore - he’ll surprise Rocky but instead it’ll be just too late to solve the puzzle.

 

I agree with this. I think JD was harder hitting and possibly more accurate. I think Marciano was tougher, more awkward and with far greater stamina. If JD doesn't get him early the late rounds are gonna suck big time for him.

 

This fight kicks ass. I feel Dempsey would be the more explosive puncher, faster hands, faster movement and I don't think Rocky would one-shot him early. Something tells me Rocky could survive an early Dempsey ambush though, and with half a face left, blast through Dempsey in round 12, putting him down and out in a furious winging exchange.