In 1982 the undefeated wbc champion Larry holmes was preparing for his latest challenge. Rocky marciano. He s beaten the same guys as cooney, he s coming in as the crowd favourite his face on the cover of time magazine. So how's it go??
I'll bite. Rocky, late. Stoppage. Lots of folks don't agree, but I sure did not think Larry looked that good in there against Gerry. When he dropped him in the second round--with not that big of a shot. Certainly not his A#1 right hand by any means. I thought he should have had the guy out of there within 1.5 more rounds. No way it should have seen the fifth round. And it probably wouldn't have it was the 78 version of Larry. I like the early version of Rocky to come in real low, like he did. It'll make Larry's jab--and thumb--miss and bounce off the top of his head. But Rocky could fire off punches from that low crouch. Everyone else has to rise up. Not Marciano and he threw a ton with both hands to the body. Norton got Holmes off his bicycle with his lead footed attack at his age and Holmes sure showed the effect. Rocky does a lot more body damage than that and his 2 handed punching attack late are a big big problem for Holmes to absorb. And everyone with a big right hand came over that jab of Holmes and countered him sooner or later. Like Tyson, attack the body and then come over the top of one of those jabs. Rocky will as well and Suzie Q is no easy punch to wave off. That and the fact he was a finisher in there, unlike the Snipes/shavers/Weaver/ and other guys that hurt him with their rights. The other big factor is the conditioning of Rocky. These other inexperienced victims of Holmes did not have the experience of long fights to anywhere near the degree of a Marciano. Championship rounds. It counts and how many times did Larry use that to his advantage? I always thought that was a big big factor in those Spinks losses---Larry was fighting another guy that had championship round pedigree and he hadn't been doing that & it subtracted/negated a big advantage he always resorted to. I think for Larry to get the W, it has to be the version with the reflexes up to the Ali bout. The nice left hook Larry threw and landed against Muhammad would benefit an absolute ton against this guy. But I think it's back to the slap type left hook he'd throw which was worse than doubling or tripling up on the jab. Rocky would be busted up a little, but he gets him and finishes him once those legs go and he cannot do anything but stand and fight or stand and trade when those hands have dropped.
Exact same scenario with same outcome. Marciano beats all of the same opponents and loses to Holmes by late stoppage
Good another thread where I can block any moron who keeps thinking 180 pound Marciano could beat a actual heavyweight..
Rocky went past ten on only three occasions in 49 fights. And they were all basically against aging foes with a lot of mileage behind them. Granted that may be more than a lot of Holmes' opponents but not enough to make it a huge game changer.
Holmes by stoppage in 7. Holmes wins every round. Marciano's face needs Zsa Zsa Gabor's plastic surgeon.
An ancient Joe Louis had no problem landing his jab,Marciano himself said," I couldn't avoid them I just had to take them",Holmes' jab was faster and longer than even prime Louis's.Marciano is getting dissected here and if he gets lucky and lands his right Larry takes it, if you can get up from that bomb of Shavers ,Suzie Q wont be a problem. Marciano stopped before he loses too much blood and passes out!
I personally think Gerry Cooney himself would have been a problematic opponent for Rocky. Never mind Holmes.
