Rocky Marciano vs. Sonny Liston

Not really the point though, is it? If Liston fought Marciano, he wouldn't have to beat a 200-pounder; Marciano would.

 

:good kind of puts things into perspective.

 

Marxiano beat one top-quality heavyweight under the age of 35...perspective has multiple angles.

 

I think you might be trying a little too hard to diminish Liston. He was a great heavyweight.

It`s a good fight. I`d chose Liston but I could also see Marciano finding a way if he can get the fight into the later rounds. His conditioning and stamina were top notch.

 

Who the f u c k did this overrated Goombah ever beat? Seriously, LaStarza was a C-level fighter only famous because Marciano struggled against him. Total greaseball ****.
Rex Layne KO6, 193 Lbs.

A total and complete mummy. He had NO right hand and the footwork of the embalmed. In his previous effort against Bivens likewise, he had NO right hand. This was a shadow of a shadow of the greatness that was Louis. Anyone willing to paint it otherwise is fully indulging in willful ignorance of this highest order.

Savold was 7-5-1 coming into this, his last fight. Put a fork in him.

A total hype job according the Archie Moore. Marciano did what he had to, what he should have and what was expected.

His penultimate and last fights. 38 and 39 years old in these fights which is a recipe for homicidal death when facing a fighter with the durability and stamina of Marciano. Still, life and death in the 1st fight.

Great victories if he had been a lightheavy. As a heavy, he beat a guy a division too high, almost 100 fights into his career, and who did not go .500 for the rest of his career.

Seriously? This guy who Marciano bombed with every punch he had and still lasted 9 rounds would not be sanctioned in this day and age for a heavyweight fight of any note.

Again, great victory for a lightheavy. Decent victory for a heavy.

 

Ha Ha great work trying to keep this tread alive, I haven't heard the word grease-ball since I used to hang out in those Donkey bar's years ago but it took a few beers and a Celtic crowd and some whiskey balls to let the words slip out of the lips but then again all of the other ethnic group & races had names as well ...If Marciano was Irish St.Patrick's day would be St. Rocky's day.

lets face it he beat the best of his era and Moore,Charles,Layne,LaStarza beat all of the better Big men and made it to # 1...Rocky beat big men but none of the 6'3 guys made the grade...even 6"3 Big Cat & 6"2 Bob Baker were dominated & dropped by Bob Satterfield and Archie as well as 6'3 Nino Valdez....Marciano fought 5 # 1 contenders in an era of 1 champion and no split titles and if we have to reach for the Don ****el slaughter to critique Marciano ( a Sledgehammer to kill a mosquito) then so be it, it was still a slaughter

Lets face it Seamus you got some old fashioned throw back Irish bigotry but could be somehow sparked by the Irish curse you endure on a daily basis :hat

 

Style wise it's good for Liston, however he'd have to be at his VERY best to beat RM.

I can't call it.

 

who was this one guy? I count at 7 fights with at least 5 top quality heavyweights under the age of 35.

Layne, Lastarza, Mathews, kockell, Charles were all under 35, top quality and beating rated fighters when Marciano knocked them all out. It is a myth Rocky only fought old men past their best.

How old is Vitali again?

When Hopkins loses will fans be saying he was an accident waiting to happen or will we be saying one of the great veteran fighters finaly lost? How much younger and better were Archie Moore and Walcott than Hopkins?

 

I was referring to Charles. The rest of your list are not what I would call "top quality" heavyweights.

 

C'mon, I was quoting Henry Hill from Goodfellas. More an homage to that movie than my feelings on our Latin friends. Italian is actually my second language and favorite cuisine for what it matters... And Lastarza was nothing more than a promising contender who happened to be from the Mecca of boxing. I don't give a ton of credit for Marciano defeating him.

Marciano fought in a uniquely weakened heavyweight era. Some quality talent from lesser divisions had risen but everyone was so damned old and shopworn.

Is it that I am a drunk?

 

Lastarza was well managed,and essentially finished after Rocky2.
Mathews was a hype job.
****ell was a good light heavy that put on tons of weight after glandular fever.
Marciano was a great fighter , but its undeniable that his most noteworthy wins were over old guys.

 

and/or blown-up light-heavies.

 

But were they rated any higher than Marty marshal, Roy Harris, Zora Folley, Albert Westphal and co? The same Charles, Moore and Walcott that Marciano beat would erase the same men Liston beat with simular ease as Sonny. I can't think of a single world champion who would have let Westphal last more than one round. Aside from Paterson, I don't think Sonny beat any fighters as good as Moore, Charles and Walcott.

 

100% agreed Choklab, as much as fans would like to give credit to Liston his myth gets in the way of reality and we feel forced to bring the subject back to earth.

 

The only tragedy here is Sonny wasn't born a few years earlier and had climbed the rankings to a title shot to settle the matter.