This is a spin off thread from the Marciano vs prime Walcott/Charles debate. Elmer Ray split a series with Walcott and Charles so how would a prime Ray have fared against the Rock? Is he cannon fodder like Layne or can he make it interesting?
You're talking to a guy who started a thread on the TD between Fenech and old Zarate....yeah, I would find it interesting. But i'd expect to see Rocky Marciano triumph. Frankly, you'd need to show me a very, very good fighter before I would make a pick against him. I don't think style counts for very much against a force of nature, it's all about quality IMO. Ray isn't quite there. Rocky gets off the deck to force a very horrible stoppage in 12.
Is there any Ray on film? Here is a man who went 2-2 against Prime Walcott and Prime Charles at the age of 36-38 and went on a massive running streak - was it 49-1 or something like that? Built like a brick **** house, you could tell he was actually strong with it and it wasnt just muscles for show. Hoenstly without seeing him we dont know but safe to say it would be a backburner
I haven't personally seen any footage of Elmer Ray.. He has been described all over the place as being an extremely dangerous and aggressive puncher though. A somewhat large and muscular athlete for the standards of his day. He had one hell of a good winning streak, defeated some great fighters, could go the distance and score knockouts in bunches. I don't know anything about his style nor what he looked like on screen, but he sounds like the type of guy who could have possed a problem for just about anyone.
The fact that Charles scored a ko over Ray does not bode well for him in a shootout with Marciano. Ray could possibly drop Rocky ,but ultimately Marciano prevails, maybe in similar fashion to the Layne fight about 8rds ko for Rocky.
Ray did not get his shot at the big time untill his mid to late 30s. Given his style it is possible that we never really saw the best of him.
