Rocky Marciano vs Chris Byrd

at that point Charles was still one of the best boxers in the world, but was a guy a genuine prime world class hw should be beating, which is what happened in that fight.

 

Congratulations on being aware. None of that negates the fact that Charles was beginning a great decline when facing Marciano.

Marcianiacs are confronted with divergent paths in the woods. One, the more believable, is that Walcott, Louis and Charles were shot or were approaching shot as old fighters do with alarming speed. The other, far less believable, is that Marciano destroyed each.

But you know so much already that you must know this, also.

 

Chris Byrd was never in Charles' league as a technician or ring general, and despite being heavier never demonstrated the concussive power of the Cobra.

 

I think that's a relatively close fight but I would pick Charles on points. byrd's not the guy to exploit age and size advantages.

 

I don't think "Fact" means what you think it does.

Marciano did destroy these men. He also wrecked the careers of younger men in Layne and LaStarza. It's on film. The only fighter that really came away from a Rocky beating with a career was Archie Moore, and oddly enough, Maricano, a swarmer at 33 and banged up in his last pro fight was not at his best.

 

Charles between his return from the war and the Marciano losses, should be too much for Byrd. This is a guy who took apart Archie Moore, Jimmy Bivins, Joe Walcott on multiple occasions. Byrd is a crafty survivor and goes the distance.

 

I think Byrd could pose a few stylistic problems for Marciano. I can see Rocky getting countered quite a lot. That said, Byrd has not impressed me too much when going into the deep rounds, whereas Marciano was great, late. IMHO the outcome depends on the length of the fight. I could conceivably see Byrd outpoint Rocky over an 8 rounder. 10 rounds or more, I'll take Marciano, and if it goes over 12 they drag Chris out of there.

 

Byrd will give rock a tough fight for a good portion of the fight with his movements and mobility. But as the fight wears on marciano constant relentless aggression starts to hammer away at Byrd. Finally around the tenth marciano break s through with a barrage and Chris ends up on the canvas. He pulls himself up at 8but the ref as seen enough. Bryd in front on the cards

 

Trying to think how many southpaws Rocky faced.

 

The thing about Rockys best opponents is that I don't think he hit his limit with them.
Even at the championship level he was creating highlight reels.

 

Marciano would brutalize Byrd.
Byrd was a feather-fisted slapping spoiler. He wasn't particularly fast and he fought at a slow pace. He nicked some decisions against lumbering third-raters, got some gifts, and his only good win is the one against the plodding David Tua.

Marciano would mow him down. With sheer intensity. For Byrd's sake you'd hope it wouldn't last too long, but Marciano had a nasty way of mauling opponents in painful and prolonged fashion.

 

I think Byrd is hugely under rated me.

Then again I love inside fighters and he's one of the last world class ones at HW.

Seeing him stood in the pocket trading with Klitschko whilst making him miss, hats off to him.

 

If Byrd could outpoint an in shape Tua over 12 rds I don't see why he couldn't replicate that feat against Rocky ,whether an extra 3 rds would make a difference is hard to say.

 

That's like saying if Jerry Quarry can beat Mac Foster, he can beat Joe Louis.

 

Considering Charles would have gotten a stoppage victory against him in a more modern ring and considering that Walcott would have won convincingly over the 12 round distance, I would say that Rock was at his limit of excellence to pull out those wins.