Liston vs Marciano A real anayslis

Exactly, also there's a massive difference fighting Marciano for 15 rounds, and fighting 12 rounds with Eddie Machen.

 

Marciano was overrated and fought in comparatively weak era. If Light heavyweight great Archie Moore could put him on the deck and Jersey Joe Walcott imagine what Liston would have done to him. Style wise it would have been an execution.

 

The great thing about boxing, unlike say MMA, is that a fighter is given a ten count to show how much heart and determination they have. In a fight like this, you know there are going to be brutal blows landed on both sides. There will be blood on both men, and for both fighters there will likely come, at some point in this fight, that soul searing, gut check moment of, 'Can I do this, can I get off this canvas, can I possibly go on?' At that pivotal moment, if you were forced to bet everything on one fighter to get up, one fighter to perservere, one fighter to win, who would you bet on? My money's on the Rock.

 

Yea but look what Ali did to Liston, made him quit 2 times and Leotis Martin stretched him out event though Sonny was old,179lb Marshall broke his Jaw...when the going got ruff, Sonny got going....Marciano picked it up a notch or 2

 

Whenever we compare great fighters from different eras we can't ignore the fact that each fighter probably never faced an opponent quite like the other and this is certainly true in this case. Liston never met a Marciano type opponent and likewise for Rocky. With that being said I lean toward Liston in this matchup. When we think of Liston we tend to go back to his 2 fights with Ali. This isn't completely fair. Let's instead look at the prime Liston who pretty much decimated the division and was avoided for some time by Patterson. That Liston may have been too much for Marciano. With his 85" reach (compared to Rocky's 68" reach) excellent and punishing jab, underated boxing ability and speed not to mention crushing power, Sonny probably would have been too much for Rocky. Marciano never met an opponent with Sonny's size and power period. One rap against Rocky was that he never met a puncher in his own class, at least a young puncher in his prime. That's not his fault but it's true nonetheless. If Sonny gets his jab going and on target, I can't see Rocky getting by it and getting close enough to do any damage. Rocky had a good chin but could he take flush bombs from someone who hits as hard as Liston? Moore dropped him and hurt him, even Rocky admitted this. If referee Kessler didn't lose his head and give Rocky a standing eight count who knows what might have happened? And if Moore can hurt Rocky imagine what Liston would do to him. Could Rocky hurt Sonny? Sure he could IF he can get close enough and land often enough but again I don't see it happening. Rocky's best chance is to drag Sonny into the later rounds and use his superior stamina to hopefully land enough to hurt Sonny and force a stoppage. But when you have 2 bombers in the same ring, the chances of a long fight are small which is why in a fight inside the distance between these 2 I favor Listron.

 

Extremely close, but, with due respect to the Rock, Liston should win.

Liston could box, move, and stay ahead with the jab against the smaller man; his tighter and faster punches give him a slight edge in a short-range firefight; he has a chin, stamina and courage.

Marciano would never give up, but I see him a step behind and unable to win on points. Perhaps, perhaps, he could break Liston down towards the 15th, for one of his legendary victories, but I see Sonny having enough to edge out a decision.

 

Excellent post :good

 

Marciano is no Ali thats for sure. People forget how good Liston actually was. If Ali had not been around Liston and George Foreman two big bad monsters who nobody else could have beaten would be viewed as the greatest ever.

 

Are you trying to degrade Sonny's toughness by stating that he fought on despite a broken jaw? Cause you're not doing a very good job of it.

 

That's just speculation... Liston and Foreman are the types of fighters that look immortal but then lose unexpectedly, and lose badly. Tyson had no Ali around but he was humiliated by Douglas. Young beat Foreman later on.

 

I was not talking of Tyson was I. I was referring to Liston and Foreman. The young Tyson the unfinished masterpiece of the late Cus D'Amato was something really special.

 

Your argument is well made Suzie ,but I'm surprised you don't see the very real possibility of Liston stopping Marciano on cuts,I think Liston's monster jab would be the most important factor here.Marciano has to get inside ,once there I feel Liston can compete with him on even terms Sonny was a good short range fighter,and probably stronger than Marciano,I give Rocky the stamina edge ,he lived like a monk.If Liston doesn't pull a" Lewiston" .I think he stops Rocky.Marciano was in real danger of being tkod by Keene Simmons ,according to his biography,as he did against Charles he pulled it out ,but depending on when the fight is fought ,Referees are less inclined to let fights go on when your nose is split in half nowadays.Prime Liston took the bombs of Williams so he could probably absorb Marciano's ,but we never saw Liston in a lfe or death struggle come back to win ,he hung in there with Marshall with a broken jaw ,but lost the dec.Imo Marciano never met a puncher comparable to Liston,Louis was aging and hardly used his right against the Rock,Walcott was a good banger ,so was Layne but not in Sonny's class.Liston got kod by Ali ,so the book says,make of that fight what you will,against Martin he was an old man tiring and got nailed by a very hard hitter,no disgrace.Lots of imponderables here ,could Marciano take Liston's power?Could Liston battle though adversity and come back to win?He showed guts against Williams fighting back with a broken nose but that was a short fight ,how about if it was the 11th 12 rd and he was in trouble? I take Liston by tko on cuts around the 9th.

 

That's hanging out there like a flasher's goods in church.

Explain how Foreman "absolutely destroys" Liston.