Prime Larry Holmes vs prime Rocky Marciano (15 rounds)

Love Rocky, but I think Holmes takes a relatively easy decsion. Too big, too much reach, too goo a jab. Rock never faced anyone like that.

 

Holmes by wide decision or TKO on cuts ..

 

Im surprised Holmes said that lol

I really wish I seen Holmes matched up with some real legends the way Ali did with Frazier Liston and Foreman. And the way Marciano did with Walcott Charles and Moore

If you guys were trying to convince me that Holmes is a top 3 fighter, which fight would you tell me to watch?

 

Similar to how I see it. Marciano could deck Holmes in the early rounds,and cause him all sorts of problems,but Rocky would get badly cut before the final round,prompting the referee to step in.

 

can't argue with that

 

I think Marciano would take a close decision. I think he would be able to close the gap and land some hard punches on the inside where he would do most of his effective work. He would eat a lot of jabs on the way in but I think he would be able to use his superior strength to rough Holmes up and force a fight out of it, which would be very entertaining.

Holmes recently said that he feels Marciano would have given him the toughest fight, and it sounded genuine, not just trying to make up for his comments from 25 years ago.

 

This would be a war. Anyone who doesn't realize this would be a very close fight does not know what their talking about. Marciano got taken to very close fights by smaller, older ATG's, while holmes struggled big time with far inferior fighters to marciano. If you look at both of their records, there is nothing to suggest this would be an easy fight for either. Holmes big advantages here are his height, jab, uppercut, and fast straight punches which rocky was susceptible too. Holmes will give a crouching rocky fits with his uppercut. Marciano's big advantage is the Suzy Q right hand which holmes is a sucker for, holmes' bad habit of trying to brawl his way out of trouble, and marciano's non stop workrate. Can Larry's big heart enable him to survive Marciano's late onslaught? Can Larry's chin survive a couple big Marciano Suzy Q's? Also, please enough with these cut stoppage predictions. It's preposterous. Marciano never lost a fight due to cuts, so he shouldn't be penalized in fantasy matchups.

I have to think a bit more on the outcome, I am still undecided.

 

Holmes would initially trouble Rocky with his reach and jab, but it's only a matter of time before the focused Marciano eventually gets to him with his all-out, non-stop assault. I think he wears Larry down late.

 

I'm not sure the uppercut is so much of a threat because Rocky gets so low.

I think Holmes is a much better matchup for Marciano than Ali.

Holmes had a sort of macho quality underneath it all that allowed to him to fight it out more than Ali did. He was also more open to the right hand and not as mobile. He's not as technical as Ezzard Charles, but he's certainly better. He's not going to block and nullify Marciano's attack as effectively, I think he'll do it by catching punches, using his reflex, and movement. Somewhere in between what Charles and Ali would do Holmes would do regarding defense.

Just to make a point, as many like to use the first Charles fight as a barometer to how Marciano does to these bigger ATG fast type fighters. To be fair, Marciano did call it his "worst fight" and said he should have had him finished in the 6th round, and thought he had many opportunities, including the last round which he thought he had Charles going.

I want to say I think Holmes wins 6 or 7 out of 10 times. But I'm not quite sure, Holmes could be even more susceptible than that. It would be a war, no doubt.

 

I don't. I use the 1st Walcott fight. I felt Walcott of 1952 was by far the best fighter Marcano faced.

 

Sorry to confuse, I didn't mean you personally. I've just seen some people use that fight as a measure stick for Marciano against Ali or Holmes. I think it's fair for Marciano's sake to at least recognize that he thought it was his worst fight. That's all...

 

Holmes at 6' 3 1/2" tall and a primed 212 pounds is just too skilled, savvy and great for the hardcore, rugged Rocco Marciano......

A great match-up with master Boxer against tough Brawler, Larry schools Rocky overall........

Holmes TKO 13 Marciano........

MR.BILLbbb:hat

 

If we're talking about the Holmes that beat Shavers in thier 1st fight then I have to pick Larry. Too tall and mobile with a ridiculous reach advantage to boot. Larry's jab alone would be the deciding factor. Rocky fought in the 50's when HW's were generally smaller and slower than they were in Larry's time. Ali ushered in the era of bigger more athletic athletes in all sports including boxing. You began to see athletes like Wilt Chaimberlan and Bill Russell and Jim Brown. Not just big and strong but athletic all around. Rocky never fought a man as big and good as Larry and I think he wouldn't be able to overcome the size and speed of a prime Holmes. Honestly, how the hell does he reach Larry consistently enough to finish him? With hand and foot speed? Set Larry up with a fast jab/right hand combo? No. Prime Holmes wins. Holmes of the late 80's might be a different story but not Holmes at his best.