Larry Holmes vs Rocky Marciano

I don't think he was slow handed. More like average speed for a heavyweight.

Here's the thing, Rocky's trainer ( Goldman ) developed a style that worked best for his body type.

Rocky fought out of a crouch. He knew how to cut of the ring, and use his shorter arms to his advantage. Few worked the body better, or had a duck and twist the hips counter hook. In truth Rocky had skills that aren't often seen today at heavyweight.

Yeah Rocky was small, cut prone and had limited reach, but when you hit as hard as he did with both hands, have 15+ round stamina, an all time great fighting heart, an iron will to win, and a decent chin, you're a dangerous man.

Walcott was among the fastest of foot and difficult to catch cleanly.

Regarding reach and height it clearly matters. No one is saying it doesn't. But the punchers after Marciano with a forward moving / agressive style like Frazier or Tyson ( 73" reach, 71" reach ) had a style to off set a limited reach. Marciano did too.

I'd pick Holmes to win, but would give Rocky a puncher's chance until the final bell rang.

 

Rocky was deceptively skillful. His ability to block, parry, get under punches was exceptional. This was something I never realized until I stopped listening to those who really did not know what they were talking about and critically watches Marciano in action. Holmes would not hit Marciano at will as some are suggesting. Rocky would make this a great fight. Can go either way but the way Holmes dropped his jab Rocky will be landing his right hand. Could easily see Marciano wearing down the bigger man and stopping him late in the fight.

 

You see the problem here.

You are attacking Marciano based on his opposition, and while it wasn't the best of any of the great heavyweights, it was still better than Holmes's.

You are the one in the glass house, and you effectively threw the first stone.

 

The bottom line, is that a fighters hand speed, doesn't tell you anything about their power.

If it did, then Muhammad Ali would be the hardest punching heavyweight of all time, and Sonny Liston would be feather fisted.

Just forget about it, it is a red herring.

 

Marciano is an immortal of Boxing and of Boxing Champions he was the definition of the word 'fighter' and boxing has been in danger of losing that word or at least living up to it in recent years , he and his opponents of the era would have died and sometimes did for a shot at a belt and until another HW reaches his 49-0 [very unlikely] his greatness cannot be questioned especially by folk who have never set foot in a ring and who are even less likely to have worn a belt.imho

 

A youtube video of selected highlights does not make it so.

He got hit a lot. There's no way around it. His style and shortcomings dictated this reality. One of the reasons he had such a short career and such a short stay at the top.

 

So did Frazier and Rocky was a better fighter than Joe. The more I think of it my pick here is Marciano. Size will not be a factor. Prime Holmes was no huge hwt and in turn size means squat when faced with great ability to fight.

 

I don't know if you watched a lot of Holmes, but Larry really liked to fight and had great ability at doing so. Rocky is not going to intimidate or "out-tough" him. Larry is higher skilled, faster, longer and has the equal fighting will.

 

Yep. You can't get hit a lot, be that size, and expect for everything to fall into place against a guy with a great jab and an 81 inch reach.

 

They think Rocky could out tough him. Because, lets me honest. Toughness is all he has going for himself against good boxers.

Gatti was tough. But it meant nothing against guys like Floyd and Oscar.

 

Larry is a tough motherfukker. And one of the scarier guys I have ever met. Just because he was a bit slick and had skills doesn't mean he wasn't tough as hell. The two are not mutually exclusive.

 

You couldn't be more wrong.

He had a stylistic advantage over them, as a swarmer.

Marciano specialized in beating good boxers, and dominated an era of great technical boxers.

This is precisely what he was good at.

 

Tell that to Rocky's fans.