Rocky Marciano all time heavyweight ranking?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by OddR, Jun 4, 2025 at 9:31 AM.


Rocky Marciano all time heavyweight ranking?

  1. GOAT

    2.1%
  2. Top 2

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  3. Top 3

    14.6%
  4. Top 5

    25.0%
  5. Top 10

    25.0%
  6. Top 12

    4.2%
  7. Top 15

    8.3%
  8. Top 20

    14.6%
  9. Top 25

    2.1%
  10. Outside the Top 25

    4.2%
  1. Journeyman92

    Journeyman92 Delusional BUT Determined Full Member

    16,850
    18,772
    Sep 22, 2021
    Number 1 in my heart :crybaby2:

    Show me your list perhaps? I wonder what it looks like, you’ve been studying a long time.
     
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  2. The Undefeated Lachbuster

    The Undefeated Lachbuster On the Italian agenda Full Member

    4,864
    7,529
    Jul 18, 2018
    i have him top 3 but anything within the top 5 is acceptable, top 10 is too low
     
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  3. swagdelfadeel

    swagdelfadeel Obsessed with Boxing

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    Jul 30, 2014
    He's my number 3 as well.
     
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  4. salsanchezfan

    salsanchezfan Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    15,557
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    Aug 22, 2004
    I forget. 6-7, something like that.
     
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  5. Bummy Davis

    Bummy Davis Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I have him in the top 3 with Ali and Louis, he had a genuine good shot of beating both men. However, Louis and Ali would have had an easier time with some of the other greats because of style and Marciano would have had an easier time with others that gave Ali and Louis a hard time.

    I think the era you came up in helps determine how you rate each fighter so I can respect most opinions. The factors that are important is resume-resilience-determination-and recovery- Marciano fought the best of his time and drew no color line and retired at the time he felt himself losing interest in the things that made him great.

    I think it would be totally unreasonable to rate him outside the top 10 or even top 5 but to each his own.
     
  6. BoxingFan2002

    BoxingFan2002 Well-Known Member Full Member

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  7. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    Feb 11, 2005
    Redid my list this morning and now have him at 29. Anything in the 25-50 range is acceptable.
     
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  8. Dynamicpuncher

    Dynamicpuncher Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Jan 14, 2022
    The thing is do people take into account H2H ability aswell ? Because I don't rate Marciano that highly H2H compared to other notable Heavyweights.

    Liston
    Ali
    Foreman
    Holyfield
    Tyson
    Usyk
    Louis prime
    Wladimir
    Vitali
    Holmes
    Lewis
    Bowe

    Etc.

    I'd rate all those names above Marciano quite comfortably in regards to H2H.
     
    Last edited: Jun 5, 2025 at 7:49 AM
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  9. themaster458

    themaster458 Well-Known Member Full Member

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    May 17, 2022
    Didn't know you were such a huge fan of Liston (you listed him twice) I kid I kid.
    But yeah I generally do which is why I rate Usyk higher then Marciano (by one spot) I think his wins were much more impressive because they were much harder H2H if that makes sense and because he was fighting SHWs in all of his fights whereas Marciano was fighting LHWs for most of his big wins.
     
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  10. Dynamicpuncher

    Dynamicpuncher Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Jan 14, 2022
    Oh did I ? Damn I'll edit that.

    Yeah the issue I have with Marciano is that some of the notable Heavyweights over 200 pounds like Bob Baker, Nino Valdez, he didn't fight and that for me leaves a bit of a question mark on his H2H ability.
     
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  11. OddR

    OddR Active Member Full Member

    1,309
    1,291
    Jan 8, 2025
    You can take into account whatever you want even if it's H2H's.

    But generally I think a lot of people Marciano is too small for heavyweights that came after maybe even cruiserweights in a H2H sense. So weather that affects how you rank him or not is up to you.
     
    Last edited: Jun 5, 2025 at 9:38 AM
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  12. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

    59,804
    43,164
    Feb 11, 2005
    I'd rate him right behind ST Gordon in head to head context. I didn't even know we were allowed to consider that. If that's the case I have him firmly at 132.
     
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  13. OddR

    OddR Active Member Full Member

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    Jan 8, 2025
    I mean I mostly look at there careers giving less worth to H2H's but if people measure by H2H as part of there analysis which some do I can't really stop them.
     
    Last edited: Jun 5, 2025 at 10:40 AM
  14. swagdelfadeel

    swagdelfadeel Obsessed with Boxing

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    Ngl I love your work. :lol: never fails to get a laugh outta me.
     
  15. Bokaj

    Bokaj Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Jan 4, 2008
    Probably just outside the top 5. Personally I rank for example Wlad's 11 year unbeaten streak over top opposition over Marciano's three year one, despite the losses before and after.
     
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