This is f'n nuts. Who on earth did Rocky ever beat that had the skill of Holy? Nobody, that is who. Evander would murder his brawling ass with a quickness. Sorry, but pre-1960 HW's would not beat top modern day HW's.
Joe Louis would not beat Deontay Wilder? Axel Schulz? Michael Moorer? Shannon Briggs? Sergie Liakhovich? Sugar Valuev? Bruce Seldom? Tommy Morrison? I learn so much here.
I like how you left out all of the really good HW's. None of those guys were as skilled as Evander was in his prime. The Holy that beat Qawi the first time would've TKO'ed Rocky with ease.
You stipulated "top". Everyone I included was a champion. Just playin' by your rules. No one, not Hall of Famers Walcott, Moore or Charles.. did anything with "ease" with Marciano. I'm not picking Marciano emphatically but neither guy would find it an easy night.
A match up between two incredibly conditioned heavy weights, both of whom did not take a backwards step and feared no one. Great match up, agree with the above post that neither would find it an easy night. Rocky for the win via KO in the later rounds here despite Evanders outstanding recuperative powers.
And they were in their prime when he fought then? LOL No. Rocky never fought a great prime boxer. That is the reason he was the champ.
And the great prime boxers that Holyfield fought? Bowe beat him twice. Lewis should beat and drew with him (should have been credited with two wins). Am I missing any prime greats that he fought?
His competition was far harder than Rock's was. It's funny that people think Rocky would knock Holy out. LOL Rock brings nothing to the table that Bowe didn't bring. Sorry, but he didn't hit as hard as the Bowe's and Lewis' of the world did. They are monsters. Holy would out skill him.
Holy UD or late round TKO. Why? Holyfield can box, and has a far better chin than either Charles or Walcott, which limits Marciano's later round puncher's chance. In addition, Holyfield is a very good counter puncher, and would make Rocky pay for misses.
to suggest anything other than this would be a hand shake bet and I doubt anyone would really bet their house on either man
I favor Marciano in a breakdown attrition war but this would be a war. I do think Ezz had better hand skills and Walcott legs than EH and tricks but Holy had a heart to match and strong but I see Marciano's stamina and power taking its toll on EH....draining fight because of styles and Evander has no choice but to fight Rocky's fight but both men leave a lot in the ring
I don't think Marciano would KO Holyfield. Marciano is certainly not going to one shot him because, at his best, Marciano was an attrition puncher, a very strong attrition puncher. And I also agree that Holy's competition was harder... in fact, it was harder than almost any heavy who ever lived. Ergo, Holy lost his share of fights at the top.
Rocky brought nothing to the table that Evander didn't face during his career. Infact, that uppercut that Bowe landed on Holyfield in the 10th round of their first fight would've put Rocky's ass into rigamortis. :!:
The problem with these dicsussions about Rocky is that some of his greatness is myth. He wasn't a one punch KO guy, as you have pretty much said. But many think he was Ernie Shavers. He hit hard, but that was about as far as his power went. He did not have the power to keep Evander off of him. Rocky's brawling style would be welcomed by Evander most likely. And Rocky would get taken out due to lack of skills.
I think most people will consider this a very tough fight for both men. Nobody in this fight will be taken out through lack of skills. You dont clean out and dominate an era with a lack of skills. I pick Marciano but it's a very hard fight, not easy to pick a winner.