Rocky Marciano vs. Sonny Liston

I'd strongly favour Liston in this fight.
But Marciano was a lot more awkward and cagey than a lot of people realize, he wouldn't be so easy to find with the jab and he returned fire from unusual angles. ... and, yes, he would land on Liston - which might make things interesting.
I'd also favour a prime Joe Louis against Marciano.

 

I hear you.

 

Golovkin ever in danger of being stopped with cuts? OMW There is some serious revisionism on any Marciano thread!

 

Who found it hard to find him with a jab? An old Louis marked him up with his.

 

I am sorry you feel that way.

Are you disregarding me or the truthful facts I bring up?


Is it untrue that Rocky beat a #1 contender who was not only one inch taller and exactly the same weight as Sonny Liston but 8-0 in the last 12 months?

Is it untrue that Sonny get his jaw broken by a guy lighter than Marciano?

Is it untrue Sonny practically quit in half of his title fights against a lighter puncher than Marciano?

Did any reigning HW champion ever get stopped on a cut?

Is it untrue Rocky beat or knocked out all the men he hit?

Is it untrue even Westphal landed blows on Sonny?

Was Sonny Liston ever rated above Rocky Marciano on any published ATG top ten list BEFORE the internet generation?

Were the two men who knocked out Liston greater punchers at world level than Marciano?

Was Marciano ever knocked out?

You can disregard my points only once you can answer each of them with the word "yes". Until then you cannot write Marciano off.

You might not like these facts but without them I would support your view.

 

This is a good post.

It's absolutely fair to mention the unusual angles and unconventional methods of Rocky.

I also favour a prime Louis over Rocky. I just think Sonny falls far short of Joe Louis.

 

It was a step off jab rather than a step in jab. You can't follow up on a step off jab it gets you out of position. It is not a winning tactic. It's a defensive mechanism. There was no room to use the right so Louis was stepping off.

Sonny typically used a step in jab against upright men. It's a punch that brings you up closer rather than further from the crouching fighter. It's what Marciano wants.

 

He never got stopped though from cuts, every fighter is in danger of being knocked out at any second. We go by what happened not what if's.

 

You .

 

In todays boxing scene he would have been stopped on a tko by Simmons and Charles.
Your comparison was silly.

 

Excellent! Before the internet generation...Liston was known as the guy who QUIT on his stool...and who took a dive against Ali up in Maine in May 1965...and was KO'd by Leotis Martin in 1969...(Saw that live on Wide World Of Sports)...Now we're being told that he walks thru Dempsey...Louis...& Marciano with out much of a problem.Sonny was not tough mentally,folks!!! That counts for something in boxing!!!

 

Marciano wants to be infighting with a more powerful man whom outweighs him by 30lbs?Yes makes sense.lol

 

Yeah I'm "internet generation," Joe Louis was champ when I was born!

 

Just goes to show how pampered today's fighters are, he wouldn't have been stopped in Liston's time though.

 

Liston was no infighter. He certainly would want Marciano mid to long distance. Rocky had that great bobbing and weaving style that was hard to time. He would throw his right, follow through and bob down and away from counters. Then come over with his left with similar head movement. You will see Walcott in fight one make Rocky miss and then look for him to counter but not find Rocky in range or throw a counter and miss. (Not saying Joe missed all counters). Certainly Liston quitting on his stool is a huge red flag. You are not given ATG status as a hwt champion if you give up the most prized trophy in all of sports sitting on your stool.

I think Rocky crowds Liston and breaks him down mentally and physically.

Liston was no Joe Louis. Two very different skill sets with Liston much lower on the Totem pole. I too would favor prime Louis, an ATG, over prime Marciano.