Was Louis a top 10 contender when he fought Marciano?

Ranked #1 in 50 and 6 in 51 ring rankings

 

He was a top 1 contender.

 

This.
Sources:
https://boxrec.com/media/index.php/The_Ring_Magazine's_Annual_Ratings:_1950
https://boxrec.com/media/index.php/The_Ring_Magazine's_Annual_Ratings:_1951

 

He was finished, but regardless he was the no. 1 contender.

 

Yes, but even a finished version of Louis, was still better than most of the contenders of that era!

 

Joe fought 9 times in his last year of fighting, as follows...

69 Loss 66-3 Rocky Marciano TKO 8 (10) Oct 26, 1951 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
68 Win 66–2 Jimmy Bivins UD 10 Aug 15, 1951 Memorial Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
67 Win 65–2 Cesar Brion UD 10 Aug 1, 1951 Cow Palace, Daly City, California, U.S.
66 Win 64–2 Lee Savold KO 6 (15), 2:29 Jun 15, 1951 Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, U.S.
65 Win 63–2 Omelio Agramonte UD 10 May 2, 1951 Olympia, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
64 Win 62–2 Andy Walker TKO 10 (10), 1:49 Feb 23, 1951 Cow Palace, Daly City, California, U.S.
63 Win 61–2 Omelio Agramonte UD 10 Feb 7, 1951 Miami Stadium, Miami, Florida, U.S.
62 Win 60–2 Freddie Beshore TKO 4 (10), 2:48 Jan 3, 1951 Olympia, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
61 Win 59–2 Cesar Brion UD 10 Nov 29, 1950 Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

 

I was thinking of the year prior. My apologies!

 

Marciano wouldn't even make heavy today. Let alone the top ten.

 

Some might be contenders in other weights. Like Savold and Bivins. I don’t think they would be heavies today.

 

This is the National Boxing Association ratings released October 9, 1951. Louis and Marciano fought on October 26.

Champion-----Jersey Joe Walcott
1-----Ezzard Charles
2-----Joe Louis
3-----Rocky Marciano
4-----Bob Baker
5-----Clarence Henry
6-----Rex Layne

These are the only men listed on the reprinted ratings.