Picture of Sonny Liston and Rocky Marciano

You are correct, Cus D Amato did not want Floyd Patterson to fight Sonny Liston, If I can remember, President Kennedy called Floyd to the White House to tell Patterson not to fight Liston. Because if Sonny won, which he later did, Sonny would be a bad example for the youth of America. Ingemar Johannson retired in 1963 following his poor win vs Brian London.

 

It is exactly i would like to know from a guy who lived this era, the popular belief, Rocky never fought anything similar to Liston.

 

Marciano had a mix of Swarmer and Slugger but people only give Marciano credit for his Swarmer style when in fact he put 100% of his power behind each punch, sounds a bit like a slugger. Thing about a Swarmer is there often in more of a crouch and is trying to wear his opponent down and then KO the other guy. I couldn't really put slugger into terms into my mind so i turned to good old Wikipedia- Brawler If the out-fighter represents everything classy about boxing, the brawler (also known as the 'slugger', 'hard hitter' or 'one puncher') often stands for everything that's wrong with the sport. Hmm the bold sounds like Marciano - but yet Sluggers oftne don't have the Stamina to go beyond at most 7 rounds without beginning to lose some edge- examples-George Foreman,Sonny Liston,and I believe Earnie Shavers as well. So Marciano is hybrid between Slugger and Swarmer because he shows Many Slugger Attributes, and yet has the stance (somewhat) and Stamina of a Swarmer. Any way getting back to what we were talking about, what they're doing is taking fighters from different periods in their careers and comparing them to Prime marciano, to be honest Prime to Prime I give Marciano a chance with anybody that ever fought, does that mean I think he could win against any fighter no. The reason I give Marciano the edge is because he had unmatched Heart, His stamina gave him the ability to go many many rounds throwing his best punches and taking punishment and still be fresh, and finally his punching power was great and in both hands. He had KO power in either hand.

 

Tyson had weak chin!
He suffered 6 ko losses which at the high end among heavyweight champions. Tyson lacked stamina and his powers of recovery from a good punch or combination late in a fight weren't great. Buster Douglas waa no puncher but put him down for the count.

What is noticeable about Tyson in his first fight with Holyfield (no great puncher at heavyweight as Bowe, Lewis, an old Foreman and an old Holmes all surived a total of 7 fights with him without being stopped or ko'd), is that when he was rocked at the end of the 10th he was still dazed and glassy-eyed coming out for the 11th and was quickly stopped. Most heavyweight greats n similar situations have been able to shake off a bad round and recover in the 60 seconds. Once Tyson was ‘gone' late in a fight he was well and truly gone.

So my answer is that his chin is pretty good but he lacked a certain durability (and stamina). Anyone who could get Tyson to the 7th round or so (no easy task) and still had strength and a will to win had a very good chance of ko'ing him. Once on the receiving end from the mid-point of the fight he tended to ‘go'.

One of his weaknesses would be that he's not quite in the same league as legends like Ali, Foreman, Marciano and Holyfield himself when it comes to soaking up punishment round after round and coming back

 

Two things I see. Tyson great from a little distance, but in too close was not as effective. Check out his fight with an old Holmes. This fight would be a very inside fight as both fighters would move in on one another. Rocky was just the best inside fighter I have ever seen period. Second thing I see is chin and stamina. Rocky got KD twice in his whole career I believe, but was never shaken by them, he got right up and there was never that dream stage. I mean if your a heavyweight and fight 30 fights your going to get KD by some punch, it doesn't matter who you are. My point is Rock was never hurt by them. Tyson on the other hand, well a good chin but very vulnerable to combination hits...Rock was a massive cumulative power puncher..Advantage Rock. Stamina well that easy, Rocky probley the greatest conditioned boxer in history and this was probably Tysons biggest weak spot. 1 out of 10 Tyson lands a perfect shot and wins, the other 9/10 Rockys combo heymakers end the fight by the 10th
Tyson was a brawler not a boxer. Holyfield proved that. Tyson wont just come in and beat rocky down, everyone acts like Marciano is ******ed or something... the man is too confident, and too strong.

Rocky would get him. Especially if the fight moved past the 5th round. By then Tyson pretty much throws himself out like an idiot as usual.
In his prime, who did Tyson beat who was so young and/or terrific? Larry Holmes and Razor Ruddock? lol.. Rocky in his prime would have had little problem with either of the two.Marciano wouldn't get ko'd by Douglas,and he'd have the composure to hang in there with Evander.He wasnt a frustrated biter

 

Not sure id call Tyson weak chinned.
He was a guy that soaked up a hell of a lot of punishment before going down.
He really had to be hammered, as against Buster, Holyfield and Lewis.

 

Buster and Holyfield do not hit hard as Rocky!But they KO Tyson!

 

Don ****ing Cockell, Willis Applegate (sounds like someone who'd be on Sesame street) and Art Henri (who?) all either lasted 9 rounds or took Marciano the distance but Liston isn't going past 5. OK.

 

Agreed. Unfortunately it was a little before my time. I'll try to find a newspaper account of it.

 

You are asking people that age group ?
They can't type the keyboard any longer or can't remember a damn thing

 

Where’s Perry/Harry Houdini? That guy remembers Dempsey when he was a railway hobo.

 

Holmes's style would have definitely given Rocky a hard time. Jersey Joe Walcott wasn't Larry Holmes, nowhere near, and he knocked him down and gave him trouble.

Rocky is a great champion, and (though I can't imagine him winning early rounds against the Easton Assassin) he might have caught up to Larry in the later rounds. But the odds are good that Rocky gets smacked the crap out of, swoll up, knocked down, and decisioned.

I just don't see Rocky above Larry as ATG. And I have massive respect for RM, he's #7 on my list of ATGs. I don't think Tyson would have lasted 12 against Larry either, FWIW. Not prime Holmes, no.

 

I did find an article that said Marciano (along with Walcott and Louis) would "lick em both (Liston and Ali)" if you want me to pull it up.

 

Interesting,thanks

 

John Garfield was anther who was around during that time (maybe a bit younger than Burt) who provided us with a treasure trove of memories for us to enjoy. John is no longer with us and I don’t know about Burt but he’s much closer to the end than the beginning sadly.

I miss both those guys.