Sonny Liston of the First Ali Fight vs Peak Rocky Marciano

Sonny Liston is a terrible match for Marciano, but you also have to factor in circumstances.

Liston went into the first Ali fight with a preexisting injury, and that is probably not a smart game against Marciano.

This scenario probably sees Marciano getting battered in the early rounds, and perhaps dropped, but still mounting a ferocious fightback.

Once the injury kicks in a bloodied Marciano takes over, and starts bullying Liston.

Liston likely quits on his stool, when he realizes that the tide has turned, and his injury is only going to get worse.

 

Rocky by KO,rounds 9.
Prime for prime, in 12 rounds Liston by Dec, in 15 rounds 14th round Marciano by KO.
In 15 rounds both fighters would never be same after the fight.

 

The same Liston that was knocked down by LHW Marty Marshall a bum and by c class boxer Leotis Martin also natural LHW?
Yeah he would KO Marciano in first round maybe if he is wearing brass knuckles but I do not think even if he wears them would KO Rocky in first round.

 

Interesting fight.

Complacent, undertrained and carrying injury Liston vs prime Rocky.

My analysis is pretty simple - if Liston can put Rocky out in 5-6, the question of his conditioning and potential flaring of his injury might not even come into play.

Personally, I don’t see Sonny swinging and missing anywhere near as much as he would be swinging and hitting - lessening the chance of his exacerbating the existing injury.

I really think Liston could give Rocky a really good going over in the first, say, 4 rounds - the question for me is, would Rocky still be standing?

Agree, if Rocky is still upright after about 6 rounds, Miami Liston would begin to find himself very much up against it.

Rocky liked to punch literally everywhere, being privy to Liston’s shoulder issue, it would be wise to give that area a good measure of his punching attention also.

 

Liston would floor Rock, and the latter would struggle until landing a monster punch late in the fight.

Marciano KO 12

Prime Liston, that's very different...

 

The same Rocky Marciano who was knocked down by blow up 160 pound 40 year old Archie Moore? The same Rocky Marciano who was knocked down by the old 40 year old Jersey Joe Walcott or do you mean the same Rocky Marciano that got beat from pillar to post by 170 pound club fighter Ted "Tiger" Lowry. The same Marciano who could barely beat 180 pound Roland LaStarza? The same Rocky Marciano who couldn't even stop Willie Applegate? Liston was way past his prime when he lost to Leotis Martin. Yeah but keep spending things to fit your sad little agenda.

Rocky Marciano knocking out Liston? If Marciano brought a bat into the ring against Liston then Marciano would still beat knocked out in 1 round by Liston. The only way Rocky Marciano could beat Liston would be if Liston was 125 and was in a wheel chair then might pick a peak Marciano by split decision.

 

Thousand excuses for Liston and noe one matters about that, only that counts is that he was knocked by C class fighters.
You would bring Moore,Walcott,Charles...but are Martin or bum Marshall good as them?
I don't think so.
Would Martin or Marshall last more than 3 rounds against Lowry,Archie Moore,Walcott?
I don't think so, they would get killed.
Not only that but losses are the only things that counts,Marciano struggled with top fighters but never defeated while Liston got beat by 2 C level fighters.

 

If bums like Marshall and Martin could do that, top 5 hardest punching in history with iron chin could do that even easier.

 

Rocky gets liniment in his eyes in the fifth round and quits on his stool.

 

Marciano would have beaten any version of Liston. Liston never fought anyone who could throw 94 punches in the 15th round of a fight.

 

You could make an argument post-Ali Liston beats any Marciano.

 

That’s only if Rocky doesn’t retire first from severe, facial carpet burns caused by the inconspicuous Heuga Tile on Sonny’s other shoulder.

Is having flooring on one’s shoulder considered cheating? I don’t believe the rules expressly forbid it.

And I’ve definitely never heard a ref during pre fight instructions advise: “No hitting below the belt and under NO circumstances will flooring on either or both shoulders be tolerated.”

So, after considerate analysis, I believe Sonny is good to go on this.

 

If bums like Archie Moore, Walcott could knock Marciano down and even bigger bums like Ted Lowry could beat the crap out of Marciano then Liston would do it easier. Seriously you should be banned for being a joke and now you are blocked.