Prime Rocky Marciano vs prime Bob Fitzsimmons (15 rounds)

Having read numerous acounts of his fights with Ruhlin and Sharkey, I dont have a hard time seeing it.

I voted with Marciano, but Fitz winning is not a major upset here.

 

Having fun?

 

My biggest problem with matching up fighters like Bob Fitzimmons against fighters of the modern era is the lack of film footage on Fitz. Oh there's some footage of his fight with Corbett grainy as it may be and his fight with Bill Lang in which an over the hill Fitz gets pulverized but there just isn't enough of him in his prime (or should I say any of him in his prime) to really judge him against his modern contemporaries. Most of what we have is written and for me it's not enough. I don't question the mans greatness in his own time but there's just not enough visual evidence for me when it comes to matching him up against someone like Marciano. Sure Bob knocked out 7 men in 1 night but do we know anything about them? Could they really have been top rated contenders in thier respective primes? Or was it along the lines of what Foreman did after his loss to Ali which really didn't prove much to anyone at the time. How many good 200lb plus fighters were there at the time of Fitz's reign? Can anyone really envision Fitz wreaking havoc in the 70's or 90's against the likes of Ali, Foreman, Frazier, Norton and Holmes or Holyfield, Tyson, Bowe, Lewis etc? Or for that matter Marciano, Walcott, Charles and Moore? I know this may seem sacreligious to some but I'm just trying to put matchups such as these in perspective. Fitz is an all time great and was great in his own time but to suggest he beats Marciano to me is a stretch. A long stretch. Anyone out there agree with me or am I alone.

 

Agreed.

Yes.

But do you guys think he would be as effective versus a guy like Marciano who would be closing down his punching room and is tough enough and physically strong enough to push him back, whilst taking away the room needed for punching?

I think Fitzsimmons might get some good shots in as Marciano comes forward but I just like that incessant pressure and reduction of space to suffocate Fitzsimmons.