Maybe the 1954 version of Charles, but the Charles of 1948 is definitely better than Schmeling. Better skills, faster hands, better movement, he would beat schmeling to the punch all night. Schmeling wasn't active enough though. Max Baer's wild swinging and aggression gave Schmeling's style huge fits. Baer couldn't miss with that right hand. Marciano was a class above Baer, and would bring an aggressive non stop motor schmeling has never seen before. Max S gets broken down, and when Rocky lands that right its over.
Hey that's not fair! If it was cut to 12 when the fight was in full flow Walcott wins ....but if they both start the contest knowing it ends after 12 it changes everything. Rocky might have got desperate earlier. With less rounds ahead of him Walcott might not have took his foot off the gas and shot his bolt after the fast start. Remember Walcott spent the first few rounds trying to stop Rocky. he gave up on that and changed his plan when walcott knew how long the fight was. That stuff got in Rockys eye just in time. Marciano began to get a foothold on things and Walcott needed to re gather himself. Rocky needed that kayo win to clinch it and if Walcott had of stayed gung ho there would have been more openings for Rocky to exploit.
I think Marciano is all the wrong style for Schmeling. He would press him and not give him a chance to set for that right, and that bobbing crouch is probably the best possible answer to an overhand right. Styles favor Marciano and he is the better fighter anyway.
Schmeling is a live dog here. His perfectly timed right cross would find a home and could make the fight interesting. If Marciano had faster feet I would choose him easily as Max did struggle with aggressive fighters (Baer, Louis rematch) even early in his career he had issues but being that Rocky was slow of foot I can se Max being able to trade and moving away. Or even timing rocky with a few big right hand shots as Rocky wades in with his attack. As the fight progresses the advantages definitely tilt in Rockys favor. His pressure would take over. Would certaintly be a great fight.
I like Marciano .. busier, the harder hitter, a two hander hitter. Would wear Max down during the championship rounds of a very competitive, brutal fight. A terrific match up.
Really? Marciano got low, used a bob and weave crouch defense. That right ain't landing. Practically the best defense for Schmeling's sneaky straight right. Marciano had no trouble cutting off the ring on fast fighters like Walcott, Charles, Moore, Lastarza, and Matthews. Schmeling wasn't exactly speedy gonzalez himself. I think the Rocky cuts off the ring on Schmeling fairly quickly.
Marciano wasn't that difficult to find even with his crouch if anything the crouch was used to make his taller opponents "reach" for him therefore reducing the potency of their punch. Schmeling's right would find the mark. I am confident of that. Schmeling wasn't a speed merchant but he had the punch to make Rocky respect him which in turn may buy him an extra half second to move and set.
You talk about Schmeling's right. What about Marcianos Right? The SuzyQ, was more potent than Schmelings. All it took was one flush right hand, and the fight is over. What do you make of Schmeling getting his brains scrambled by the crude Max Baer?
Max Baer was big man nearly six three with a superior reach and weight to Marciano other than having a big punch I feel they are far diffrent fighters, stylistically. The fighters both in style and build who more closely resemble Marciano that Max fought were Mickey Walker and Johnny Risko, both attacking swarmers, both knocked out by Max. As for Marciano's suzie Q there is no doubting it was a tremendous punch but against world level competition he rarely with the exception of he Walcott rematch stopped the bout early. It usually took Rocky many rounds to grind down an old Joe Louis (8 rounds) an old Archie Moore (9 rounds) Don ****ell and so forth so I doubt it would be one punch and it's over. Especially since Max stood in there with a prime Joe Louis and lasted ten with Baer.
I certainly don't want to minimize Schmeling. He was the second best heavy of the 1930's and certainly has a fair chance against anyone under 200 lbs. I just think styles favor Marciano, and in fairness, Marciano has the more impressive record. Walker and Risko--Walker was at most a lightheavy. Risko is hard for me to judge in style because I have never seen a film of him. Was he purely a swarmer or a side to side type? Anyway, one thing is clear. He had no punch. I think the opponent of Schmeling's who would be most like Marciano is Uzcudun. Similar build and some stylistic similarities. Also, tough chins. Schmeling proved himself better than Uzcudun, but didn't get him off his feet in 39 rounds. Anyway, I agree with you that Schmeling is a dangerous dog in this one, but Marciano still seems to me the reasonable pick.
That's a pretty fair assessment. Uzcudun is a good choice although he was more easily outboxed by top tier talent and employed more of a cross arm "crab" defense. He has the right dimensions as Marciano and was a pressure fighter. Nobody knocked him out until Louis did so in Paulino's final fight after coming out of retirement. Walker may have been a light heavy but he was having tremendous success at HW, he was coming off a disputed draw with Sharkey and was considered by those who saw the fight the not only the victor but clearly the bigger puncher. Marciano's record is impeccable it's beyond reproach, undefeated and did not avoid anyone. You can't fault him fighting the era he did. Schmeling's is also good more trip ups of course but still has a good prime run and has the best win on both men's ledger. Great fight. I would expect most people to take Rocky, I just think Max would have a chance to pull it out.