Rocky Marciano vs. Sonny Liston

One handed eh? This video evidence shows you couldn't be more wrong

This fight took place in January of 1950

http://www.gettyimages.fi/detail/video/news-footage/mr_00025063

Care to retract your statement?

 

O yeah, real pitter patter punches right here :roll:
http://www.gettyimages.fi/detail/video/news-footage/mr_00025063

 

Mcgrain,

I like Liston on points. Marciano is too durable to get knocked out, and Liston was a very scientific boxer, with a tremendous jab, and a good workrate. Combine that with his superior strength, physical tools, he outpoints Marciano.

 

No. in truth you are giving Liston an inch he did not have and taking half an inch off Rocky.

Liston was 6' 0 and a half inch.

Marciano was 5'11.

 

90% of the time Marciano neutralised jabs. Ali himself found a middle aged rocky har to nail with his own expert jab. A faster jab than Listons.
Marciano worked well off the other mans jab. Often Rocky’s feet were in range but his head was not, marciano would lure them forward so they could step in with a jab just so he could counter it.

Yes this is great footage! But this is not a marching forward “kick ass” Liston double jab. This is Archie moore at the edge of range looking to change directon and find space. Im not sure both landed, it was more to blind rocky momentarily so he could reposition. Later Moore even used a treble jab only because he found the right footing and angle with clever feints and shifty parrys. Sonny used one angle -straight at you. It was a slower jab with everything on it as he marched in.
　

Much appreciated! I agree some people get carried away. However, on getting up against archie Moore rocky used a master class of defence coming forward. Slipping and rolling, without punching back or intentionally clinching Rocky crowded Moore’s footing preventing him from getting set for the finishing attack he wanted. Moore does penetrate some of rockys clumsy elbow/shoulder crab defence but only with grazing blows. Rocky knew what he was doing whilst hurt against an expert KO king like Moore. There was over 2 mins of the round left and he neutralised one of historys finest finishers.

 

well said or written, all good points

 

On skills and physical ability, it’s Liston by a clear margin. In terms of heart, and grit, it’s Marciano by clear margin. The questions you have to ask yourself if this.

Could Marciano get past Liston’s jab? Not easily.

Would Liston cut Marciano up? Likely.

How many sledgehammer crosses or hooks could Marciano take from Liston? Not too many

If it came down to points, who is the likely winner? I think Liston.

If you’re picking Marciano, I think you are thinking a stoppage win or Liston getting DQ’d/quitting.

Rocky could hit, but it took him on average a tad over 9 rounds to win his title matches. And the likes of Charles, Moore, and Walcott were far easier to hurt in comparison to Liston. I think Rocky once said he would not relish the opportunity to share the same ring with Liston. I would go with Liston here via mid to late round TKO in a 15 round affair. Rocky could only fight one way, and that was by confronting his opposition. That type of style for the smaller man is the wrong way to fight Liston.

 

This is the one fight I can't even make a pick on...

 

THis is a terrible fight for Marciano who would get busted up badly before he got stopped. Styles are everything and Sonny, bigger, stronger, with a huge reach advantage, a jack hammer jab and equal to Rocky in power would do a number on him .. he'd cut him up, swell him up and stop him ...

 

Took too many punches?,,,The Rock wasn't as easy to hit as people think...

 

His defense is indeed under rated by many who simply assume he was another face first white guy when in reality considering his size and style he was not easy to hit at all ...

 

This is too short of an answer. It is never that simple when two great fighters meet.

The only thing I agree with is that styles are everything - marciano's style would be far too awkward and unconventional for Sonny.

If it were this simple Liston never would have lost a fight and rocky would have been no better than the rest of Listons more conventional, less equipped hapless victims who were cut up, busted up, swelled up etc etc... This wont happen to marciano. He was a lot better than those guys.

Marciano was a great fighter. its not going to be simple. Rocky is NOT the ripe Joe Frazier George Foreman got at just the right time.

 

Marciano will get past 90% of Listons jabs because he got past 90% of everyone’s jabs. If it misses rocky counters. If sonnys jab lands rocky still lands. Rocky’s whole style was about neutralising and countering jabs because of his own short reach. Sonnys jab was no “stay away” range finder. Rocky would in fact relish Sonnys type of jab because it brings Liston forward onto what Marciano has planned. Listons jab (even when it missed) was thrown like a power shot. he came all the way in with it. Right into the pocket of where Rocky wants him.

In title fights Rocky did not get cut against Walcott in the rematch or against Lastarza, Moore or Cockell that’s half the title fights he had. Liston marked up as many times in competitive fights as Rocky did. How many times was sonny matched competatively? Sonny fought only two men for the title and was cut by one of them -Ali.
　

If Liston has the space and time to launch his bombs he is a danger to anyone, but will Rocky allow him that much space and time? I think what you are saying depends on what Marciano lets Sonny do. I don’t see Rocky freezing like Roy Harris or Albert westphall. Marciano has a better chin than machen who went 12 rounds with Liston but only one against ingo.

If things go his way. If they don’t what then? What history of Liston coming from behind to win against a great fighter is there?
　

Charles and moore got past bob Satterfield - Cleveland Williams did not. If they were easier to hurt than Liston then how come they got past the man who flattened the hardest puncher Liston ever fought? Charles, Walcott and Archie Moore fought a lot more elite, currently rated HW contenders than Liston ever did. Listons entire roster of rated opponents were Harris, machen, Foley, Patterson, Clay and Martin. That’s it. Two of them did not want to fight and another two stopped Liston. Its not that good a ratio and way behind Walcott, Moore and Charles. The men who stopped Walcott, Moore and Charles hit a whole lot harder than leotis martin and cassius clay.
　
　

Only if the smaller man is battle tired and at the end of a reign and his name is joe Frazier when he fought george foreman. Otherwise if the smaller man is pin point prime, has the edge in seasoning, heart, experience and has a 100% consistency record against elite heavyweights then the other man better watch out.

 

i know its cliche, but the punches you dont see comming are the ones that hurt the most, i think the ali kd of liston in the second fight is legit.

rockys never been in the ring with anyone like liston.. the only way rocky beats liston is if he can crumble his soul, its a high possibility, but rocky was 15 inches of reach worse off vs liston and liston would weigh just north of 210 and be pritty solid in his prime, the thing with liston is, he was fast, but people dont see it because the only fights of him they see are the ones vs ali with alis blistering speed, also liston had some good technical ability. i would give liston the win by stoppage. he could really **** you up, i have a photo of him vs wepner, wepners face looks like a horror film.

cheers.