In the interests of balance I've reversed my most recent thread.Now Rocky faces Sonny's best opposition. As they were when Sonny faced them Mike DeJohn Nino Valdes Roy Harris Zora Folley Cleveland Williams 1. Cleveland Williams 2. Eddie Machen Floyd Patterson 1. Floyd Patterson 2. Muhammad Ali 1. Muhammad Ali 2. How does he do?
DeJohn- Marciano by stoppage Valdes- Marciano by decision Roy Harris- Marciano by stoppage Zora Folley- pick em fight Cleveland Williams- Marciano by stoppage but could go the other way very easily. Eddie Machen- Pick Em Floyd Patterson- Marciano by stoppage Ali- Ali by decision.
Yes, the Machen fight could prove very tricky for Marciano. Unless it's a another shock ko loss like the Ingo fight but I'd be surprised. No, Rocky could find himself struggling here imo.
8-3. He drops at least one to Williams imho, and both to Ali. He could very possibly lose one to Patterson as well but I think this comes down to the superior durability in the late rounds, when Floyd slows down while ahead on the cards. Machen is VERY tricky, but I'll give it to the Rock 60-40, especially in a 15 rounder.
I agree with most of these picks but their is no way THAT version of Valdez is making the distance. And Folley is not a pick-em by any definition of the word.
The problem with fantasy comparisons like these are Sonny Liston fought these men over a six-year period from 1959 to 1965. Whereas Marciano's entire career (throwing out his pro debut) really only lasted seven years (from 1948 to 1955). In fantasy matchups, people always pick a version of Marciano (or another fighter) "at his best" against whatever group of opponents he's facing. But Liston wasn't always at his best when he faced them because the fights ocurred over a span of six years. To make it more realistic. you'd not only have to say Rocky fights the version of that boxer who Liston faced, but you'd also have to have Marciano face them over a six-year period in Marciano's career. If the six-year period Marciano is fighting them is the version of Rocky from 1949 to 1955, when Rocky was initially a very raw fighter .... up to the point where Rocky was a balding fighter, with scar tissue over both eyes, a rebuilt nose and a bad back ... Marciano probably doesn't do so well. How does 1949 Rocky do against 1959 Mike DeJohn, Nino Valdes and Cleveland Williams? Probably "NOT" very good. How does 1950 Rocky (who went to a 10-round split decision against Roland LaStarza) do against Cleveland Williams again, Zora Folley, Eddie Machen and Roy Harris ... probably "NOT" very good. How does 1952 and 1953 Rocky do against Floyd Patterson? Those would be fascinating fights. Floyd versus the Rocky who faced Walcott twice, I'd lean toward Rocky. Although Floyd was much younger and faster than Jersey Joe was when Rocky fought them. How would 1954 Rocky (who fought Ezzard Charles) do against Cassius Clay in 1964? Or how would Rocky with the bad back who fought Cockell and Moore do against the Ali who Liston fought in Lewiston? In both cases, I think Ali pretty much humiliates him.
After the 1968 sparring between Ali and Marciano, both of them said almost exactly the same thing about each other. They said that on their best days they thought they could have beaten the other, BUT- maybe not- they weren't sure. Late in his life Ali said that of all the champions, Marciano would have given him the most trouble.
Actually he said it was Ezzard Charles,but it's immaterial because it doesn't address my question does it.
Machen got demolished in one round by ingos bingo yet 3 out of 4 posters here picked Machen over a prime Marciano didn’t Marciano make a career out of knocking out 195lb slick defensive counterpunchers like Machen?
Check :14 Yes it does address your question, doesn't it? Ali is one of the fighters on your list. I've given you the opinions of Marciano and Ali on whether Marciano could have beaten Ali. Their takes on it are worth a lot more that yours or mine. This content is protected
