Prime for Prime, Rocky was too hardy and Patterson too fragile. Rocky grinds him down a bit, then slams him repeatedly till it ends. When the fight was actually close to happening(Rocky retiring and Floyd blowing away Moore to win the vacant title), I think Floyd should be favored. Rocky was clearly at the end of his career, believed himself on the slide, and Floyd was young, stoic, powerful, fast and hungry. Peak for Peak, though, I think its easily Rocky's to lose.
Patterson would have great moments and look brilliant at times, until he's stopped mid to late, I picture.
Patterson is a great fighter but in 1956 cus put him into the HW division only once marciano retired. Post Liston Patterson was a good heavyweight. bonnavena, machen, cooper, chuvalo and fights with quarry and ellis that could have went his way. I would have liked patterson to stay in the LH division longer and beat moore for the LH title then a less batle hardened patterson could have moved up to chalenge ingo, machen, folley and Liston in 1960-63.
Floyd put up(imo) his best filmed performance vs Archie Moore in 1956. It was near perfect. However, I don't think he beat the same version Marciano faced. Read this http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...res+disability+marciano's+record+intact&hl=en
I think given Marciano's proven power and durability, along with Floyd's tendency to get decked early or even KO'd, there is no other logical predecition other than to pick Rocky by knockout or stoppage. I realize this is boxing and anything can happen. But I really have no reason to think that Floyd would just casually outbox him or even force a stoppage. Rocky was in a higher class along with having the set of sylistic attributes and physical gifts to beat him.
Floyd wasn't tough enough nor did he possess enough of the right tools tob beat rocky such as size, strength, reach or power (speed wouldn't be a factor). He also didn't have the chin to stand up to marciano's power. Pattersons straight ahead style of fighting would play into marciano's hands and would make him vernerable to rocky's booming uppercuts. It would take at least a couple of rounds for him to fall apart.
The Rock. Patterson should of been a super middle or a light heavy because he is very small as a heavyweight
I'm not so sure about this one. Floyd would've been the fastest opponent Rocky ever met and Patterson was more durable than many think despite the Liston fights. And lets not forget that Archie Mooore had 11 fights after losing to Marciano and won all of them with 8 of them by KO before meeting Patterson so I don't buy Into the belief that he was ruined by Marciano in thier fight either. Moore had 31 fights AFTER he lost to Patterson and won 29 of them with 17 KO's so he certainly wasn't damaged goods after Patterson either. Boxing is all about styles, and as we know styles makes fights. And while I would favor Marciano against Patterson I wouldn't be shocked if Floyd used his speed to outbox Rocky to a decision either. Moore was still a live opponent with plenty of gas left in his tank and Patterson beat the crap out of him. That's a fact and Floyd would be a lot more mobile an opponent to Rocky than Archie was with faster hands as well. Like I said before I still favor Rocky in this onre but I would'nt dismiss Patterson's chances either.
http://news.google.com/newspapers?i...80581&dq=moores+disability+marciano's+record+ intact&hl=en Read this Gentleman Jim Rocky would have been one of the strongest, most relentless, most powerful heavyweights Patterson ever fought. Patterson got knocked out by every ATG puncher he fought. As for durability, Patterson got floored by gooftroopers Tom Mcneely, Roy Harris, Pete Radamacher, Brian London, and knocked out by Ingemar Johansson. Imagine what Rocky would do to him when he lands. Patterson's style was to stand right in front of you and brawl. Suicide against Marciano. It's also a fact Marciano was far stronger, tougher, more powerful, more relentless than ingemar johansson who floored patterson 9 times in 3 fights.
