Rocky Marciano with Ali's competition: Does he stay undefeated?

Joe a Louis would if he gets infinite prime

 

NO.
A better question would be: "which boxer would get through Ali's competition undefeated?".
And Ali was defeated more than once. I'm too lazy to predict where Marciano would fall; on Liston, Frazier, Foreman, Holmes... he would definitely fall somewhere (100%).

 

Marciano's career lasted 8 1/2 years and from memory his back was pretty shot at that point. 8 1/2 years takes him to the latter part of exile at the 28 fight mark. Even if his back held up for a bit longer due to less fights (less camps, very likely it would) there's still 7+ years before Ali fought Shavers.

Marciano isn't built for longevity and would be lucky to even be fighting around 72/73 in Ali's schedule. So even if you actually favoured him over Liston and co and even in FOTC he'd be capitulating not much later, if he made it that far. Lyle in 75 was Ali's 49th fight so even if you took it that far there's a lot to go and he would have crashed and burned badly if he made the ring at all you'd guess.

On top of this a guy like Foreman would bury him and i'd favour Liston at that point as well. Frazier's 50/50 at best. Some of the contenders would be potentially awkward too.

 

The way I see it is Marciano beats a old Liston makes a few defenses the course of 3 years, and retirees around 1968 or so. There is no FOTC, no Rumble in the jungle. Marciano's style is not build to last 20 years like Ali did.

 

Liston never beat anyone all that great. I would favor Marciano. Liston certainly never fought anyone with the stamina to throw 94 punches in the 15th round of a fight.

As for Holmes...don't get me started.

 

Agreed 100%. No way he out bangs Liston and Foreman. Holmes eats him alive with his jab and Frazier vs Marciano is a little closer to a 50/50 fight.

 

Longevity isn't on Rocky's side. His career was a bit turbulent due to his back issues, bad cuts, and his very taxing fighting style demanding rigorous training. I think him picking up some losses is inevitable regardless of which Ali opponents you think might be a bad matchup. I certainly do not think that an aggressive front footed fighter who was under 200 lbs can remain elite after a 3 year layoff similar to Ali. By the time of the 70's, many opponents were starting to approach modern sizes and Rocky would be giving up anywhere from 15-30 lbs against increasingly smarter and more technical styles.

 

Prime Holmes vs a 35+ year old Rocky with back issues? Holmes would be like a hot knife through butter. Prime Rocky was going life and death with an old Walcott and a blown up LHW Charles, the two closest to Holmes. Don't make me laugh. You're forgetting Rocky won't face Holmes until he's at a similar age to Ali 15+ years into his career.

 

Didn't Rocky retire at like 32 due to back injuries? If he's fighting by 39 like Ali then he's gonna be in rough shape.

 

Marciano gets beat by Liston (old and unprepared as he was), Frazier, Foreman, Lyle, Norton, Shavers.

 

Nope.

 

Liston?...who QUIT against the light hitting Cassius Clay in 1964...and then took a DIVE up in Maine in 1965? Foreman?....who had stamina issues...who beat a "shopworn" Joe Frazier in 1973...KO'd "chinny" Ken Norton...and then beat "Joe "King" Roman....not to mention being decked and losing to Jimmy Young...who was NOT a puncher...against one of the all time great warriors...too funny!

 

Yes, those guys. They would maul Rocky.

 

I give Marciano a pretty good chance to beat the 2 Listons Ali beat.

 

No fighter can "maul" Rocky. Say beat him, but that's at best.