What did people think of Brian Nielsen matching Rocky Maricano's 49-0 record?

I recall it got a mention, but there was more to it, when Marciano got to 49-0, he was on top of the division, the man, the king. When Nielsen got there, He was still under the likes of Tyson, Holyfeild, Lewis, Foreman, and as we were about to find out old Holmes, So it really was not the same.

 

It was an awesome record and I think he deserves SOME credit for it. But it’s also somewhat dubious. There was word of some of those fights being fixed and needless to say it was heavily padded.

 

It was a big deal in Denmark, where Nielsen was hugely popular.

Thank God he lost fight #50... what a joke it would have been, if he had actually broken Marciano's record!

 

It wasn't that big a deal.

Valuev approaching it was somewhat significant.

 

No.

The fight took place before the internet. Unless you actively traded VHS tapes with people around the world, you didn't really see or hear about fights like that in the States.

Several months later, it might show up in a "results" list in the back of a magazine.

Heavyweights from the US used to go over there to take bigger fees to take dives because they knew most fans in the US would never see the fights (like American actors in Japanese commercials back then).

Some ended up getting caught and charged for fixing a sporting event.

It was pretty seedy.

 

I hate Brien Nielsen SO MUCH. I urge everyone to watch his fight vs. Bonecrusher Smith where he headbutted Bonecrusher's face inwards and then when Bonecrusher complained about it, they stopped the fight and called it a TKO for Nielsen--he legitimately broke Bonecrusher's face with that headbutt and it was deemed a punch somehow even though Bonecrusher was able to continue just complaining about the foul. Or when he took his first loss vs. Ryan, they were propping him up and giving him extra time despite Nielsen being completely exhausted and unable to stand, throw punches, or do anything. Or when Witherspoon took one of the clearest dives of all time vs. him. This man's career is a sham, I don't think he was ever rated aside from some weird youtube commenters who reckon he was somebody. Best thing he ever accomplished was getting beat up for like 8 rounds vs. an unmotivated and shot Tyson.

 

I think there is an argument to rank Nielsen at least equal with Marciano.

 

how would he have done facing both Charles and Walcott twice

 

Apparently he would have done great.

 

It was only thought of as interesting because it matched Marciano's number. No one thought it meant anything special. Also, beating Marciano is not about winning your first 50 fights, it's about fighting more than 49 times, winning all of them (sorry Finito) and then retiring. Until the fighter is retired, the story is unwritten.

I really thought Chayaphon Moonsri (Wanheng Menayothin) was going to do it. He was 54-0 and the story was that he was going to make the 13th and final defense on his WBA strawweight title and then retire. Moonsri couldn't do it. He lost a close decision and has just one win in his four fights since then.

 

Heavyweights are the obvious comparison and you could certainly be right. I always thought it was about being a champion who retired with an unblemished record. Others have done that but no one else had as many as 49 wins, at least not that I know of.

 

What happens if Marciano DOES not fight Walcott for the title, but still gets his 7 fights in to go 49-0 and retires as contender Marciano and not champion Marciano??? I don't think Marciano would be remember as well today. Even if Nielsen did go win his 50th fight, and just retired, are we going to put Nielsen with the all time greats??? Marciano is rated where he is at today as a great, not because of his 49-0(Though it helps) but more because he ruled a era and was king of that era.

 

That's hilarious. There was nothing about Nielsen that was a big deal. On his way to the "magical" 49-0 he got a gift decision against Larry Holmes that was far worse than the robbery Spinks "won" against him in their second fight.