Rocky Marciano vs. Sonny Liston

Marciano had too much heart for Liston and it would show up after some rough exchanges, Marciano gets stronger as round go on and Liston starts to fade, I see a clean KO for Marciano sometime after the 9th round

 

It's a fair point. Liston fights well on the backfoot and could probably hold Marciano at bay for some time. But unless he Pattersons him. His feet won't keep him at his more optimal range. Marciano should dominate the inside. Liston is powerful but a bit clunky and slow and not really exceptional or structured for an in-fight.

 

While he did have this tendency to seem wild and he was certainly open it was not reckless in the way you make it seem. In fact, I take some issue with it because Marciano was really only caught and dropped by cutey type punches. Moore's was more of a counter to his aggression, but it was a punch not even in Liston's arsenal, let alone his skill drawer. Marciano was criticized quit often as being wild and inaccurate during his heyday by the critics. It's fair, but Marciano was far more calculated in his approach than what appears on the surface. Marciano broke you down and grinded you down. He didn't just start guns blazing. At the same time, his defense when he's swarming Moore with countless consecutive punchers is marvelous. Marciano was offensive-minded, but even when Moore tried catching him in between the windmills, Marciano slipped his shots.

Liston wasn't really much of a counter-puncher anyway. In fact, it's probably when of his lesser qualities on paper. Probably because he was a bit too ponderous and long-armed.

 

Liston is the bigger, stronger man and the better boxer. He is going to be putting that big jab in Marciano`s face over and over. He also had powerful uppercuts to follow it with. Rocky`s face would be torn to ribbons by the midrounds.

If Marciano gets inside in spots Sonny is strong enough to push him off the same way Foreman pushed Frazier back. Liston is going to have about a 20+lbs weight advantage and he had uncommon strength.

Marciano was the better champion and the greater fighter but this is a bad style matchup for him.

Sonny Liston by knockout.

 

The Rock would be 50 - 0

 

The reach disparity would almost be comical. Even taking some of the more conservative measurements of Liston's reach we are talking about a 15 inch difference.

I have bounced back and forth on this one over that past 10 years. I just don't ****ing know. And neither do any of you.

 

Logically speaking, Liston would take it. Taller, longer reach, with power in both fists. How could Rocky get to him?

However, if Marciano did manage to find a way to the body and work it, goodnight Sonny.

 

I never saw anyone land a double jab on Marciano. After the first jab landed he was in the other mans face throwing shots and landing himself.
　

If you look at Marcianos footing and stance from the outside as he was closing range he was almost entirely side on. A lead uppercut would not work because the head is behind the forward facing left shoulder and in front of the oposite right shoulder above his back foot. An uppercut would only work inside. If he can find room.

Maybe, also a chance rocky being lower with that wide footing with neutralise this though?

Only if you look at it from one angle. This is a close, hard fight tougher than a fight Liston actually won.
　

There is only one inch in height but like you say a lot of reach disparity. This can only factor if Liston can make that reach count and do something he never did and get up on his toes and turn into Tokyo Douglas. At long range I never saw anyone hurt Marciano at his championship best from the outside because of his low, crowding from a side on stance. Long shots from outside only ever seemed to graze Rocky‘s crab like tangle of shoulders and elbows. Often Marciano’s feet would be in range but his head would not. This drew opponents closer to him and within Marciano’s punch radius. I think rocky gets do do what he wants to do and Liston cant do what he wants to do.

 

　

Not always. Sometimes he would be stopped in his tracks and regroup. Even have to pull back. Louis gave him trouble when he was fresh (for that point in this career). I've always wondered what a Prime Louis would do with his Jab.

As far as the double Jab, maybe this is an example:

Start at 4:53 so you don't miss it
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VeLZwmdZWY[/ame]


On the other hand, we can also see that Rocky's defense is still good here and in other fights. He makes fighters miss and doesn't rely on his face to block like some think.

I would like to point out that I am just dissecting the discussion and it by no means is meant to diss Rocky. Great Fighter. But some of the talk with him, or any fighter for that matter, can be a bit exaggerated. I may sometimes do it to and that's why it's good to have someone counter.

 

Marciano was very strong for a 185 pound Heaveyweight, but going against a 210+ guy who is known for his punching power, I think he might be in trouble. Coming forward would be the worst thing Rocky could do against a guy like Sonny. Rock is short, with short arms. Sonny is at least 3 inches taller, with a much longer reach and an educated, punishing jab.
I would have to think that Marciano would end up taking a pounding trying to get inside Sonny's reach. While the Rock may have some success, my gues would be that he would end up taking to much punishment and either get busted up or saved the the referee from further punishment. I don't think the Rock's power would have as much effect on Liston as it did on small HW's like Walcott and Charles.
One other thing, Liston hit much harder than Walcott and Moore, who both had Marciano on the canvas.

 

There's definitely more than that. The official record shows Sonny as having at least 2 inches in height. I've seen pictures of them together and Sonny looks like he has even more than that on Rocky.

 

I thought Rocky was 5'10 1/2" and Sony was 6'1 1/2"?

 

Hmm..Good fight this would be. I reckon the biggest factor is Marcianos will to win and his discipline while Liston has a quitters mentalility which he showed vs Ali and bad habits.

Marciano RD7 KO

 

Joe Louis was able to score with that jab against Marciano. He even had Rocks eye starting to close a little by the 8th. Ofcourse difference being that Joe had nothing to follow it up with. He was one handed and shot by `51.

Sonny Liston had an uncommon jab. It carried significant power and if Marciano catches that jab clean its going to stop him in his tracks. It could even stun him on the way in. Not to mention the damage he could do to his face.