Rocky Marciano vs Oscar Bonavena

Rocky

 

I see Rocky beating him by decision or late stoppage....however what a fun fight two awkward strong and powerful men....I do see Rocky tasting the canvas like Frazier did Bonavena was powerful but like Frazier I see Rockys workrate overwhelming him.....Frazier during this time was lucky to weigh 200 and possibly lighter Yank Durham stated that they would exaggerate his weight as high as 205 until he fought Foreman and had started his singing foray before this Durham stated Frazier actually usually fought in the 190's.

 

Well, Oscar sure wouldn't do well as a stick and mover so he'd be right there for Rock to land anywhere available. Oscar was strong and could take it pretty well, he could wing a good right hand at times but not with ko power on it. Rocky we know could punch and he knew how to leverage everything he threw. Over 12-15 Rocky's accumulated damage gives him a late round stoppage, Oscar might surprise him a few times but he's not going to stop or get the decision win.

 

Oscar did the stick and move surprisingly well vs Chuvalo. He was capable of doing that...and he gauged distance very well and covered up, i.e., avoided being punished too severely and avoided getting decked, cut or stopped vs Frazier...so there's a chance that he could at least make it to the final bell...but no chance of him winning.

 

Marciano wins an entertaining bruising battle on points.Oscar showed aspects of boxing skills against Chuvalo that no one knew he possessed,but Rocky would be on him from the get go.It would be a good scrap with Marciano's power making the difference .

 

I think it would be a very tough , bruising fight .. Bonavena would be the strongest fighter Rocky ever fought and I see it going to a close decision one way or the other .. just don't know ..

 

Terrific fight. I agree with Jake on this. ROCKY twofisted KOs Ringo after 10. Goldman's charge shows Goldman's other charge how to do it. MARCIANO MARCIANO MARCIANO MARCIANO MARCIANO MARCIANO

 

Rocky by UD is the most realistic outcome. Frazier had problems with Bonavena and Frazier fought at a faster pace than Marciano. At least in the early rds.

Rocky would dominant but probably have a couple moments of awkwardness.

 

Yes, but IMO, Oscar was more effective vs walk in, aggressive brawlers than he was vs boxing, moving sharp shooters. He looked like he knew what he was doing better vs the former...even in losing to Frazier twice, he displayed more ring generalship, sense of distance, and an awkward, Gene Fullmerish sort of ring IQ......more so than Jerry Quarry for instance (vs Frazier, and ultimately vs Chuvalo)....as Jerry became Frazier's cannon fodder...with no plan "B", whereas Oscar, aside from decking JF twice, also never came close to going down or getting stopped.
Oh, I'm sure that Rocky would have beaten Oscar, but I'm leaning more in the direction of a decision victory, and if it did cpme down to a stoppage, it would be a gruelling attrition sort of thing, similar to Rocky's tko over Cockell, but Oscar was tougher than Cockell, and was stronger and could hit harder. Rocky may have busted up Oscar pretty bad, if Ringo went with his back to the ropes, covering up with his gloves and thick forearms, like he did in Frazier ll. i think Rocky hit harder than Frazier, and a passive display of defense by Oscar would have ultimately been a bad idea. Ringo didn't cut, but he did lump up and swell under a sustained attack. I still think that Oscar would go the distance with Rocky.

 

It's odd to consider that Marciano would have had to be content with a decision over Oscar whereas Ali was able to stop Ringo, and for that matter Jimmy Ellis decked Oscar officially twice and had him on one knee after the second kd, but that's boxing. No one in their right mind would deem Ali or Ellis as better punchers than Marciano, but sometimes in this sport the ko comes for the lesser hitters. I doubt seriously if Ali would have repeated that ko over Bonavena...more than likely, if they rematched, Oscar would have gone the limit, losing widely by decision. That ko was just one of those things...Oscar was more tired than Ali in that 15th round, and Moe-hammad was just able to find lightning in a bottle...and he benefitted greatly from the referee's incompetence in being unable to herd Ali to a neutral corner after each kd. If they had rematched, that last round left hook bomb would have been fresh in Oscar's mind and he wouldn't have been as eager as he was the first time, hence surviving to the end of the fight.

 

Two strong posts by Red Cobra... Rocky would not have an advantage in strength , he would not be able to push Oscar anywhere ... Oscar also had some game .. Rocky's biggest advantage to me is heart .. I always felt Oscar was a tiny bit of a front runner while Marciano was pure warrior. I see a very tough bout with Rocky edging .. it is also possible he lands the type of shot that flattened Rex Layne .. he clearly had the ability to once in a while land a massive bomb.

 

That he did he grant, that he did.

 

I agree with Bonavena's strength being a potential advantage for him in the first 3rd of the fight against Rocky but Rocky lived in grappling range and had endless stamina for these kind of fights.....Frazier after surviving his power was able to impose his will...Rocky would do the same the difference between the Rock and Joe was the Rocky leaned right and back forcing fighters to reach into his power where Frazier leaned forward to fight and Oscar would no doubt be as tempted to catch a seemingly open Rocky.....Oscar was built to fight like a Rocky but didn't seem to like to fight like that....Rocky by late stoppage....Rocky liked to load up and just pound away one or two punches at a time where Frazier was sharper and more surgical also Marciano punched in heavier where Frazier torqued his hooks but his straight shots were not as heavy or punishing that hook was punishing but Marciano's two handed sledge hammer attack was more so.