redoing Marciano's 49-0 record with other champions.

Good point, but leading into the Marciano fight, Walcott just delivered the two best wins of his career, including a sensational one punch knockout over a prime ezzard charles. Walcott WAS the heavyweight champion of the world, and clearly fought one of the best fights of his career on film.

 

damn right:good

The eye don’t lie. Walcott was a helluva fighter against Marciano, fought like a man possessed! Kept landing clean, big shots all night, Joes work rate was fantastic.

 

:good

 

The problem with your post is Marciano did not turn pro till he was 23years old. Tyson had been champion for 3 years by then.


"The contenders Rocky had to maul to get a title shot?"
They would be the three L's.
Layne
Louis
Lastarza
The three rated men he beat prior to his title shot?
If I'm wrong I'm damn sure Suze will charge in and correct me.

 

What a fantastic post

 

Matthews was also rated top 10. Number 5 by NBA

 

McVea would have been more impressed with marcianos career if he beat baker Henry Valdes and Patterson in 56 instead of Walcott Louis Charles and Moore

 

Is it just possible that Marciano's lack of skills flattered the old Walcott?

Walcott didn't look much in two of his fights with Charles, and they were year and a half earlier. going into his defence against Marciano, Walcott had won 2 of his last 4 fights or 50% this suggests to me he was in decline,unless you think he improved once he hit 37?:think

 

without an exile from boxing I think Muhammad ali could have gone about 60-0 or better from the time Louis retired to about the mid 60's.

 

:goodsome good points made and not overlooked by McGrain

 

He had his shot against weaker opposition. He failed.


The Two with the best chance would be Ali and Wladimir. Perhaps Tunney.

 

Then I was right!











You did charge in.:good

 

I think there are a number of champs who could have replicated the Rocks record. Whether they would in actuality is definitely open to debate as all had off nights along the way, Ali against Jones is the obvious example. I suspect if they were going to drop one though it would be pre title. I think Rockys defences leave a fair bit to be desired though this is through no fault of his own, just timing.

Just as interesting to me is the question, could Rocky go 49-0 again? The easy answer is yes, as really only the La Starza I, Lowry and Walcott I fights caused him much trouble. That said there were a number of good young guys who missed fights with Rocky, eliminated by each other or by the old timers.
If we want to get nit picky, he lost a 3 round amateur bout after turning pro also. At the time he was only fighting 4 round bouts and amatuer boxing was not like todays version, so it is not out of the realms of possibility that Rocky himself couldnt repeat the perfect record.

The fact that the 49-0 has become so thoroughly scrutinised and as yet not repeated by any of the great heavyweights since, illustrates the enormity of the achievement.

 

Well for fukking sure Marciano wouldn't have gone 49 - 0 ten times out of ten, he went tooth and nail often enough in the one time he did manage it.

So the question is why would anyone expect Tyson to do it?

Everyone from Liston onward's beats both him and his total opposition with relative ease.