Marciano a key to how well the old timers could do?

The key for me is what we see.

Watch the fight of Fitz in his pomp stopping Corbett.

How can that be favoured over any great fighter without using the argument "but it's Fitzsimmons"

 

True, but you're forgetting a few things...

Take Wlad, for example...

1) Outstanding amateur.
2) Outstanding pro.
3) Size difference.

Someone like Wlad fought and beat the best amateurs in the world and did so regularly.

Same as a pro.

His size for someone like Rocky is too much.

 

I think the old timers certainly could do quite well for themselves. It's dangerous to think old fighters who'd adapted to their times and their ruleset would be lost today just because the external factors they'd be adapting to were different than the ones in their time. The adaptability, physicality, work ethic, and/or ring IQ would all translate. The situations and styles they face may differ, but I wouldn't shortchange them. Even though I think the unlimited division has outgrown the Rock, just look at the success a "primitive" fighter like Huck had at Cruiserweight. A more modern fighter like Gans, who was ahead of his time, still had hell with some of the more "primitive" guys of his day, like Battling Nelson.

I think some of the more raw heavyweight specimens who got by off of size or athleticism would actually be better served by trainers more well versed in how to handle and develop them and a 12 round distance that would allow them to forego some conditioning for focusing on additional power. Jeffries, a natural southpaw, immediately comes to mind.

 

I think you should walk into certain gyms today and tell the guys they aren't tough as nails.

Look, I know he trained a lot and that he obviously had a very high capacity for training. But that is not exactly rare among pro athletes. And really, one can only train so hard before one is doing more tearing down than building up. Let's stop pretending that Marciano was in some stratosphere above most the best heavies from any era.

Lastly, I think he would be a stellar cruiser in any of the times since that division was born. However, I think he would have always had a relatively short time at the top. He was a late starter with a damaging style and training expectations that no one can stick for very long. He was breaking down as he retired.

 

ATG fighters are considered ATG because they exhibited specific attributes. One of these attributes is toughness....the ability to take punishment and not quit no matter what. Some fighters possess this attribute to a very high degree. Marciano was one of those fighters.

 

Have you heard of Jerry Rice, the ex NFL player? He was notorious for training harder than anyone else. It's not just some BS thing to mythologize someone for nostalgic reasons.

Marciano fought in the 50's. That's not that long ago. We can't keep brushing off every report, account, or opinion of critics and professionals living in that era.

 

It's unclear footage, I don't see how you can make an argument either way.

Obviously he did beat Corbett and other great fighters, so there's no need to argue whether he could. He did.

 

But it's all we have.

Yeah but then you watch someone like Qawi and realise they'd basically be seen as a god back then.

 

Marciano did not train any differently that the other boxers of his era he just did more and over a longer time frame .He spent half his life in camp but his training methods were no different than his contemporaries.He did use an extra large heavy bag and a head guard with cheekpieces to prevent his suspect skin from cutting but that's it.