Ray Mercer would blow Rocky Marciano's back out change my mind

Marciano faced wayyyyy better jabs and technicians w similar reaches. He’s gonna do what he always did. Stay off the center line using his crouch n lean style, when outside he’s gonna counter the jab and close the gap or he will just walk right in on Mercer because he doesn’t do anything to control distance. He will control the inside w a much more advanced inside game and he’s gonna abuse Mercer w body shots n head shots. He’s gonna beat the crap out of him for a lopsided decision. Maybe a KO even. No man has had such poor defense and stood in front of Rocky, and survived. Mercer is a worse version of Layne.

 

Most boxers faced better technicians and jabbers, but Ray doesn't stay stationary and jab, he runs you onto the ropes and starts throwing combinations on the way. Rocky can't simply move his head with that awkward defense of his if he's gonna get bulled around the ring, and I know for a fact that he's not gonna be able to walk through Mercer's punches, either. Many men got in on Ray, and I think Marciano would have many chances to get in on Mercer, but I just don't see how he's gonna capitalize on it when stronger men have busted up Ray on the inside and nothing's happened. I also don't see how Rocky is gonna be able to knock Mercer out unless he is being given power beyond what he had in reality... Because there's no way Marciano would be able to finish the kinda job that Lewis or Wladimir couldn't.

 

Louis weighed 30 pounds more than Rocky had a better jab than Mercer and Rocky threw him around like a rag doll. I think ur over estimating weight advantages. Weight advantages only matter when u use weight to ur advantage like Lewis or Wlad did by leaning on opponents. It literally is a useless thing to have unless ur trying to generate more power or keep someone from pushing u around. It won’t help Mercer at all. Mercer was made to give Lewis a tough time. He didn’t mind taking shots from Lewis so he was able to stand and trade where many lesser men would fold. That’s how Holy was able to be competitive w Lewis too and where Tua failed. Because he did good against Lewis means nothing for Rocky. He could trade all day w Marciano he’s not knocking him out. He doesn’t throw enough punches in good combos to accomplish that. Marciano will outwork him control the distance and win a not to difficult fight.

 

Haven't watched Moore-Valdes, but as for the rest not any of those fought a swarmer like fight like Marciano, Frazier. And the size differential wasn't 60+ lbs and 8 inches. And Conn got KO'd when he stopped moving. Hunter moved a lot against Bakole.

 

Rocky threw a 30 lbs heavier Louis around like a ragdoll because he was over 13 years past his prime, this has no bearing on how he'd beat a peak Mercer. My argument has never solely been based upon weight, I think that Mercer presents many problems for Rocky if he was scaled down and given the same qualities, and then you add on the fact that he was sizeable enough to compete against super heavies of his time and nearly beat them. And yes, weight advantages do only matter when you use them properly- Mercer did just that. He was able to ragdoll a prime Morrison who would go on to win out over Foreman (Who I think threw a pretty decent punch), and Ruddock (Who Tyson said "punches like a ****ing mule kicks!"), and badly hurt an old Holmes who didn't get sent to the canvas against Holyfield or McCall- Who weren't exactly "weak" punchers.
The way you talk of Lewis seems to be mixed up with a bad recollection of Bowe- Go watch the first round of Mercer Vs Lewis and see how much they simply "stand and trade". Even as Ray is taking punches in the center of the ring against Lennox, he's walking him down with his high guard and getting into a clinch after he punches- Which keep getting broken up by the ref.
If you don't think that a 90's era heavyweight with a genuine top 10 punch (For that time) is going to knock Marciano out, who do you think will?

 

Mercer isn’t walking down anyone, the fight will b center ring as it was w the lighter Holyfield who wasn’t getting bullied. Mercer never knocked out anyone of note. Losing to a 90 year old Holmes isn’t something I’d list as an accomplishment. Idk if we r talking about the same fighter because Mercer was extremely mediocre. The Holyfield fight was entertaining enough but it wasn’t really close. Mercer had good power and always the chance of a flash knockdown but Marciano’s to good at recovering and Mercer just doesn’t put in the work at all. He’s not the fighter ur making him out to be. He’s not a shw he’s a hw.

 

The other huge factor nobody ever considers is the circumstances for the Lennox bout. He took the fight in Mercer's backyard. Tiny ring. At a time when other guys were avoiding top 10 competition and fighting the B grade guys.

How about Lennox wanting the bout in Wembley? Big ring. He is the guy with the home crowd.

Anyone really think Ray as the road warrior is performing the same?

 

Matthews was a west coast hype job who rode the coat tails of a great manager Jack Hurley. Jim Norris of IBC admitted this.

Layne was tough but burnt out early and never developed his game. No outstanding physical attributes.

Lastarza was the most protected fighter of the era, based on a one fight wonder against a very green Marciano. Lastarza’s manager Jimmy Fats Deangelo, admitted turning down fights against the big punchers in the division so he could cash out in a rematch vs Marciano. Lastarza had skills but possessed zero impressive physical attributes or tools. Also, I have evidence from a reputable historian that Rocky Jones may have been on the cuffs for Lastarza rematch (of course it’s embarrassing enough Lastarza was dismantled by the journeyman easily in first fight).

Cockell is another unimpressive contender. Cockell had zero impactful tools. No physical talent and no athleticism. He is short no reach slow maladroit packs no punch. He was 210lb because a disease caused him to gain weight. He made his ranking based off 3 wins over west coast hype job Matthews and a razor thin win over a shopworn featherfistsd ex contender Lastarza. There were about 10 heavyweights in the world in 1955 who could have knocked out Cockell

The best young fighters of Marciano’s era were Henry Baker Valdes Jackson and H Johnson. Marciano, shockingly didn’t fight any of them. However, Archie Moore went an amazing 8-1 against the above men listed which speaks volumes on his greatness. Marciano going on to dominate Moore over 9 rounds was a legacy defining win because Archie had cleaned out the best young heavyweight contenders of the era, not Marciano.

 

When he fought Marciano Louis possessed nothing of the jab Mercer had in the Lewis fight. He was a total mummy. And he still busted up Marciano.

 

I recently watched Witherspoon vs Mercer and Mercer also out jabbed Witherspoon who was known for a good jab.

So Mercer has out jabbed Lewis who has an ATG jab and Witherspoon who has a good jab. And he did that vs opponents with an 84 inch reach in Lewis and 78 inch reach in Witherspoon who were between 6'3-6'5.

But yeah he certainly can't out jab a 5'10 67 inch reach Marciano you can't make it up mate.

Even if by some miracle Marciano out brawled Mercer which is not likely seeing as Mercer as an iron chin and a 50 pound weight advantage. Mercer could just jab at distance with his 10 inch reach advantage and bust Marciano up.

 

Louis was washed up.and Marciano did not throw him around like a rag doll.Look at Marciano's face after the fight.


Please ,no more revisionism!

 

Great honest post!

 

No you don't because again you fail to comprehend the difference between being a big man and a quality big man.

And apart from a faded Joe Louis and a fat overweight blown up Light Heavyweight with a glandular problem in Don Cockell.

Marciano has 0 wins against a prime 200+ pound world class Heavyweight.

 

Ossie Ocasio was a tricky awkward fighter and even took a young Lennox Lewis the distance aswell and could spring the odd upset.

He beat Jimmy Young x2, drew with a prime Michael Dokes, beat Dwight Muhammad Qawi although that was controversial.

Ocasio went the distance with alot of quality fighters so it's not that surprising a tough awkward safety first veteran could go the distance with a green Mercer.

I mean Marciano himself struggled with a journeyman named Ted Lowry in his 21st professional fight. And the reports say Marciano was quite fortunate to get the nod in that fight aswell.

 

By that time, Occosio was an opponent. He had lost his last fight, and three of his last seven.

The difference is that Marciano had 25 amateur fights, and Mercer was a gold-meddalist. Marciano was learning on the job. Mercer just wasn't that good.