'Tony Zale would lick him' Graziano when asked about a SRR vs Zale match up

So easy to talk nonsense and get no reply. But Ray Robinson did not KO
about 95 men as a WW and MW, most of these guys couldn't of been sparring partners of Tony Zale, who was as tough a fighter who ever lived. Not the greatest mind you, but Zale pre WW 2 was a powerful rugged puncher who could cave in your insides with his body blows..So once again
S, if over 95 inferior men than Zale was did go the distance with SRR, why
are you spouting that Zale wouldn't and couldn't. ?
P.S. The Tony Zale that fought Rocky Graziano was a 35 year old shell of
his pre war prime, after being in the Navy for 4 long years. Read up on your boxing history and you might change your mind...

 

The only thing Zale would be licking is the canvas. And I rate Zale higher than most.

 

Lesser middleweights than Zale stayed upright against Robinson and gave him all he wanted. So I don't see why a prime Tony would have any problems hearing the final bell and giving Ray a rough fight either. :smoke

 

Also keep in mind that their rubber match is readily available on youtube in superb quality, and Tony DOES decimate Graziano.

 

We have NO idea how good Tony might have become if he'd remained active between February 1942 and January 1946, but he certainly ended his wartime activity by taking on an opponent over ten pounds heavier and at least half a dozen inches taller, who had recently given Louis 13 rounds of hell, and taken out Barlund, Knox and Pastor.

Although Conn-Zale was a physical mismatch, that 12 rounds of experience could only have helped Tony improve at 160 during the war years. Although nearly three and a half years older than Billy, he certainly emerged from WW II with considerably more success. Zale was 27 years old when he squared off with Conn, 34 when he crushed Graziano in their third match. He missed the age at which SRR peaked.

 

Very perceptive A . :good

 

Very good A !
What does the Zale naysayers think a MW SRR would have done against the peak 175 lb LH Billy Conn of the Joe Louis bout in 1941 ? THIS Billy Conn kod a tough 185 pound Bob Pastor before the Louis bout...
One other point : I believe that the MW fighters of pre WW2 such as
Freddie Steele, Fred Apostoli, Al Hostak, tough Solly Krieger, Billy Soose,
prime Georgie Abrams,all would have licked all of SRR's MW opponents
when Robinson was champion...Throw in the young tough Irishman from Pittsburgh also...

 

I'd pick SRR to win a hard fought decision.
Prime Zale is a monster...but so is Robinson.

 

Burt Im torn between letting an old chap hang on to his very sacred cows held so dear for so long OR press forward with the following.
The AP as well as the UP corroborate the above
No long count!!
Thats 3 accounts.

 

Burt are you picking Zale to win? or just that its unlikely Robinson stops him?

 

Slakka, you have a good point although Burt's information came also from those attending the bout. If several of those who saw this told him so I'd also side on it being so even if the news account didn't include it. Its similiar to Don Riley of the St Paul Pioneer Press giving the account of W. Pep winning the third round against Graves without throwing a punch while the scribe on duty that night gave an entirely different account. Riles had a reputation as a honest man so what do you do with such conflicting accounts?

I'm abit suprised at few here giving a prime Zale a shot against the middle w. Robinson considering the success of two similiar forward motion machines in Basilio and Fullmer. LaMotta also just kept coming behind his short and landing left jab keeping it close with the dancing master. A skillfully trained Zale would have been a serious opponent for Robinson.

 

Ray need not have his case stated, but there can be no doubt that Zale would have given him hell, win or lose.

The prewar Zale was especially revered by those who witnessed him; his right hook to the body was a killer shot, and he kept on throwing it. Combinations flowed and he walked you down.

Ray would have to be in glistening form to prevail.

 

Well said.

 

S,yes I am an old chap. How old ? Well my blood type was recently discontinued. And I don't hold on to my "sacred " cows. I milk them...
I have written testimony from Artie Levine and another MW of that time
saying that Ray Robinson flat on his face, "like a wet fish" as SRR described it,got the benefit of a long count when with Robinson flat on his face,the referee walked Artie Levine to a neutral corner,and back to the prostate Robinson BEFORE he started his "one" count...Herbie Kronowitz a tough rival of Artie Levine who had nothing to gain, gave the same description...As well as many accounts in the papers I read at the time. In addition as I posted before, days later at Stillman's gym, clusters of boxing people were saying the same thing... As Artie Levine said in the book I have before me, " Ray Robinson wasn't going to lose in Cleveland ".
Gotta go now S, to finish milking my "sacred cows".

 

So Burt, does this mean that when you need a transfusion, they administer formaldehyde? [And is Ramses II one of your organ donors should you ever need a transplant?]

Yeah, I'm a boob man too.

Varied accounts of Robinson-Levine certainly make for interesting reading. Of course we have Ray's own statement on camera that Artie hit him the hardest of anybody with that knockdown shot.

The key question of course it whether or not Robby would have beaten a count administered immediately, but he certainly had rapid powers of recuperation.

Now I'm thirsty. Gotta give my girlfriend a call. [Don't worry Burt. I'll be sure to let her know YOU sent me!]