You have to pick a prime Pinky in this one. Just cut from a different cloth. Fast twitch, athletic and big. That jab was enough to tame the likes of a fighter such as Rocky.
Thomas tko. Naturally much bigger, had boxing skill, strong chin, and good power. If they were the same size I’d favor rocky, but the truth, as overstated as it is, rocky was a LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT
Soooo now we’ve sunk down to a guy who’s best win is Mike Weaver to beat a man Ali himself said he might not beat. This makes sense. Rocky by absolute destruction
This. Thomas made a lot of mistakes that would get him badly beaten up against Marciano. Thomas was a sucker for counter rights, was very predictable, and left his body wide open. You need some cleverness about you to be a threat against Marciano.
Pinklon was very good but limited on the inside, and it didn't take a genius to get there. His jab and sheer size means that Rocky's in for a tough night, but Marciano would out-hustle Pinky for a hard fought decision.
I think the best version of Thomas was really quite good. Certainly he had an excellent jab and good overall skills. I'm not convinced, however, that it would be enough to beat Marciano in a long fight. I don't think Thomas ever had endurance and cardio good enough to last against a mauler like Marciano, and he was not that hard to hit. He himself had average power. Could Thomas beat Marciano in a 6 rounder? I think it might be possible. Over 12, or god forbid, 15, his chances are slim to none.
I think this is fair. Thomas was easily smart enough and slick enough to make it a difficult fight for Rocky, but it is Marciano, who pushes the envelope to take the majority of the rounds fought.
