Rocky Marciano's Power

He had trouble with a few boxers, but it's not like every smoothie he came up against gave him life or death.

'Tiger' Ted Lowry gave him fits admittedly, but there is always going to be one guy out there who is your nemesis.

Lastarza did in their first fight, but Roland was seen as the hottest prospect in the country. Marciano was comparatively green at that stage of his career.

Walcott in the first fight did, but it must also be remembered that for three rounds Marciano was almost blind, just when momentum began to swing in his favour.

Charles gave him trouble in their first fight, but after round 10 the fight was all Rocky's.

That's about it really.

 

Sure, but he would have serious troubles with guys like Ali, Holmes, and the like.

 

But that works also the other way, if Ali had so much problems with Frazier (Marciano was at least as great as he) or Holmes even more with mediocre guys like Witherspoon or so.

 

Spoon was 6"3" and would give anybody hell when motivated. Holmes never had a problem with small fighters in his prime. Rocky would be too small and his arms would be too short for Holmes. He would be destroyed trying to get inside.

Against Ali, it would be competitive, but I just thing Marciano could be him either. He's just too small.

 

"lies,white lies and statistics"

 

"I can't possibly contribute anything to this discussion myself, lets dredge up a dull quote"

 

I meant with the example Witherspoon (who was IMO talent-wise a very talented fighter, but speaking from his resume he was just mediocre in contrast to a Marciano) that Holmes struggled with a lot of guys, who weren´t nowhere near the class Marciano had. The only fighter he faced who was similar to Rocky was Tyson, and he was KTFO, he wasn´t in his prime or in top shape, but in this fight we could all see that he didn´t like these kind of fighters... And btw, why do you always saying "He´s just too small?", when a Frazier, who was 5´11, could beat a prime Ali, why couldn´t do it another 5´11-man (don´t look at sources like boxrec, Marciano was reported as exactly 5´10 and three quarters at his times)?

 

:yep

 

And Tyson had, what, 25-30 pounds on Marciano?

Ali was known more for his chin AFTER his comeback, I fail to see how getting caught cold by Cooper proves much.

 

Very true,but dont you think they would have also had a **** load of trouble from this fighting machine?

 

And tyson got knocked the **** out by buster douglas for gods sake,its so hard to say for me,id say he would be in with a great shout against every heavyweight out there

 

I sincerely wish far more fighters would get out and stay out of pro boxing while the going was good.

There is nothing good about seeing a diminished fighter struggle and take punishment his younger self would avoid. Boxing should be a game for men in their physical prime.

A faded tennis great can enter tournaments and lose against competition that he would have destroyed in his prime. The difference is that the tennis player is not taking concussive blows to the brain in the process.

 

Marciano would get destroyed because he was too small?

There are many kinds of physical advantages. Holmses reach and size is one. You have to apreciate however that Marcianos greater power is an equaly dramatic physical advantage.

If this fight is toe to toe with neither guy able to take a step backwards Holmes would get destroyed early.

That is as much a physical disadvantage as Marciano's shorter reach.

 

- He wouldn't get destroyed, but outboxed to a decision or stopped late. Marciano is a huge 'live' threat to anybody he shares a ring with so a stoppage in his favour isn't totally out of the question (although given Larry's immense durability and recuperative powers unlikely).

- I fully understand your point and to an extent it's correct, however Holmes doesn't have to make it an inside fight and stand toe-to-toe. His strategy should be to box and move on his toes, pumping the jab into Marciano's face and peppering him with combinations, uppercuts and hooks when Marciano maurades fowards, attempt to tie him up and take a breather in the clinches. Keep repeating the task and don't get sloppy.

- Whilst I agree that Marciano's best chance of winning the fight is to lure Holmes into a slugfest, I don't think it totally correct to instigate that Marciano would take him out of there early if they're toe-to-toe. Larry's strong chin meant that he could mix it up on the inside if needsbe, also the uppercut and his superior size and strength would come into play here, he's not going to be manhandled by the smaller man. Holmes is at his most dangerous if hurt and facing adversity so that certainly won't guarantee Marciano a scarefree time whatever the matter, even if he gains some success at close range.

- Whilst I reckon that reach in general isn't as big a factor by and large as some think (it's about how successfully you can utilise your reach best, and whether you have the high level of ability and/or apt style to do so) the problem here for Marciano is that he isn't going to be outboxing Holmes from the outside, with his shorter reach he needs tomake it an inside fight as often as he can. Whilst he's thinking about this Larry is going to be beating him to the punch first, setting him up with shots and teeing off.