Ok so Rocky basically spent most of his career fighting welters while campaigning at MW. Rocky wasnt a big MW so let's say he gets down to 147. What's his ceiling at that weight IYO.
I think his best chance of greatness at WW is catching Tommy Hearns, though that's hardly likely. He'd beat lower class WW ATGs (think Del a Hoya, Cotto, Bratton, Ortega ect) but he doesn't beat anyone who'd make my top 10 H2H, with the exception of catching Tommy or cutting Napoles. 154 is where his best is imo
I think 154 would suit him best also. I used 147 only because there wasnt a Jr MW division when he fought.
I dont think hed beat DLH, Cotto, or Bratton either. Those guys were all far more versatile than Rocky and had intangibles that would negate his one asset, his power.
I think he could take out alot of men if he was making 147 in his prime. 154 is truly his best weight but with modern day before weigh ins I'm sure he could make 147. I think he'd go 50/50 with Hearns and give Duran a rough time. Leonard and Benitez would beat him. I think he would be beaten by Walker in what would be a fun and brutal slugfest. Tommy Ryan would dismantle him. Graziano would knock out De La Hoya. He could easily become champion over weaker WW champs like Mysterious Billy Smith and Johnny Saxton. Hell, he already beat Marty Servo Him or Tommy Hearns would most likely be the hardest puncher at 147 to ever lace up the gloves
Impossible to say how weak he would be after drying out all the way down to '47. It's one thing to make the weight another to fight effectively there. He may not have any strength.
Its funny that we routinely question why an ex lw like Robinson missed out on fighting all of these great lhw fighters or why Greb didnt fight a heavyweight puncher like Langford but we have to question how much success Graziano would have had 13 pounds south of his chosen division. Says a lot about how weak his resume is at mw.
He has a weird overrated / underrated thing going on. Though I have him more on overrated. One of Boxing's greatest characters though. If you haven't watched 'Somebody up there likes me' with Paul Newman as Graziano, watch it now!
I really dont know where to place him either. His power is excellent. If he could make 147 with the way we have weigh in's today it gives him time to put on 10 + lbs but then again he was all muscle so it may have drained him. It would be very interesting IMO. BTW after reading his autobiography and various story pieces on him he may have been king of the street fighters LOL.
