Both at their peaks, how do their styles match up? With Marciano's non stop aggression, would Schmeling be given the chance to counter? How would Max's right hand fare against Suzie Q? Could a ring general like Schmeling dictate the pace and flow of the fight?
I'd give it to Rocky. Rocky may have been crude at times, but his onslaught was so much that he didn't give you any room or time to counter. That's what happened to Archie Moore, although he did deck Rocky with an excellent counter in the second round. After that, he couldn't defend himself from Rocky's swarming attack. I don't think Rocky would give Schmeling a chance to breathe.
I loved Marciano after seeing him ko Carmine Vingo in MSG,1949. But I think the Max Schmeling of the first Louis fight, would have a great chance against Rocky because of Schmeling's great accurate right hand. The question for this matchup is which Max Schmeling would enter the ring ? The Schmeling of the Max Baer fight, or the Max Schmeling who looked great on June, 19,1936 .?
good question bb :think i wanted to put an era/year for each fighter but schmeling's peak performance didn't occur during his peak years if that makes sense. for the sake of the thread, it occurs when each fighter is at their best according to the poster:good
We had that one not too long ago. Schmeling would give Marciano all kinds of problems, probably even knock him down early, but in the end Rocky´s relentlessness and power would prove too much. Marciano TKO somewhere between 11 and 13.
ultimately, Marciano would have been too unrelenting a force for Max..despite his strategic skill vs Louis the first time..but even that version of Schmeling would have sooner or later been overcome.
I dont know but RINGS Fleisher had Maxie -9 Rocky-10. But in my heart I think Rocky would get to him like Maxie Baer.:bbb
I can not help think that the Black Uhlan would be the Black and Blue Uhlan by the time this one concludes, which is not to say that Max would not have some early successes, in fact i can see Rocky having to pick himself of the canvas from an early Knockdown perhaps by dint of a bit of Technique..and a right hand Counter, but Rocky of course just dusts himself down and and thoughts or artistic endeavours are also dropped... Rocky forces his own brand of Trench Warfare, Max's ability to conduct gorilla raids or longer range sniping with the right hand are curtailed, its frontal assault time and Rocky takes no Prisoners, i think Circ 9th Maximillion is looking more like Maxathousand... Rocky in 10 sounds good to me.
Schmeling would give a good account of himself as I consider him to be one of the most skilled men to ever box in a heavyweight ring. But I think Marciano's relentless attacks, work rate, power and durability would prevail over the long haul, resulting in a stoppage or KO sometime late.
A close match up that could very well depend on the ring size, and amount of rounds scheduled. I like Marciano late, but if its 10 or 12, Schemling might take it.
Why would a fantasy fight be 10 rounds? Marciano definitely knocks out Schmeling here. Schmeling got his brains splattered by the crude Max Baer.
From what I've seen of the Baer vSchmeling fight Schmeling was doing ok early on then Baer came alive. He would give Rocky a damn good scrap but possibly weaken down the stretch. Marciano by late tko, but not with any confidence.
That depends on the fantasy. Some historical heavyweight championships were 10 or 12 rounds. Heck, I've seen 6. I think Schemling is a little better than Charles as he hit harder and fought smart. Charles vs Marciano was a huge war. I could see Schemling's cross, jab, counter punching, and firepower giving Marciano problems. Marciano is best suited for 15 rounds, not 12 or 10 because he was supremely conditioned, and mentally tough. I would pick Rocky to win late in 12 or 15, but its a close one. An example as to why the rounds are important for Rocky. If Walcott vs Marciano 1 was 12 rounds, Walcott is the winner.