People pick Joe over super heavies but not Marciano

Cornucopia · Aug 30, 2026 at 9:46 PM

InMemoryofJakeLamotta said: ↑

Frazier wasn't 20 pounds of muscle heavier. He wasn't an Adonis like Holyfield. He was just heavier. Not saying he was fat at 205, but he wasn't muscular. And even if he was, I'd wager Marciano was at least his equal in physical strength. And Walcott at 195 was more muscular than Frazier at 205.

Frazier was faster via hand and foot, that's true. Marciano had his own brand of defense where he got low and made himself a small target. I think it was Charles or Moore that said he was deceptively hard to hit.
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Frazier was muscular in the lower body, less so upper. Walcott built more the opposite way, nor more muscle for his height, more defined upper body.
But 60% of muscle is in the lower body, but folks notice it much less.

Cornucopia · Aug 30, 2026 at 9:56 PM

InMemoryofJakeLamotta said: ↑

Yes, heavyweights over 200 pounds, many of whom would be making cruiserweight and would fit in better with the heavies of the 30s, 40s and 50s than 90s and today. I mean, lets not pretend a 6'1 205 heavyweight is closer to 6'4 230 or 6'6 250 than to 6'0 195 pound fighter. So beating Bonavena isn't much different than beating Jack Sharkey as far as size than beating Anthony Joshua. Zurdo was 200 pounds when he was stopped by 196 pound David Benavidez and most of the 200+ pounders Frazier beat where closer to Zurdo size than modern sized heavyweights like AJ.

Marciano might be smaller than Frazier but equal to or perhaps greater than in physical strength, similar durability and hits harder, especially in the right hand. Those things can make up for a 20 pound size gap. And perhaps, Marciano may have done better against modern heavies than we think.
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You are a great poster, but are letting sentiment get in the way of reason.
You are correct about the size differences (although 15-20 max between Joe & Rocky) between SHW & the others.

Frazier is also faster & more accurate than Rocky, but a anyone in the 180's who would be a rehydrated LHW today would stand little chance against at least elite SHWs.

It is way too much to ask.
If he was heavier he would have (even) less speed & endurance.
If you cannot imagine the best guys in the lighter divisions possibly going head to head with champs several divisions up, & even Usyk-naturally bigger than Rocky in every way-had to bulk up for HW-& he is a boxer type, while Marciano depends upon clubbing power & accumulated damage to win...

The best you can say is he might be dominant against those his size today.
The best he beat were in the ball ark of his size, his height reach & weight would be miniscule at HW today.
And he never beat a great slugger.
Even that would be really impressive.

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People pick Joe over super heavies but not Marciano

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People pick Joe over super heavies but not Marciano

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