What is the latest date Rocky could have been champion and made 6 title defenses?

Comeback and won the title from the champion and then made another 6 defenses? It really depends how much he slides and he was on the slide in '55.

 

Well if Marciano wouldn't retire, I think that he would face the winner of Patterson vs. Moore.

I belive that Floyd was to fragile even for older Rocky.

Then youy have guys like Bob Baker #2 in 1956, Tommy Jackson #3, Nino Valdes #6 and Willie Pastrano #5 and 6'3 John Holman #6. I think that Marciano would beat all of them and choosed to fight like 2 of them in 12 months.

In 1957 beside Patterson the highest ranked HW was Eddie Machen and I think that he could draw big upset decisioning Rocky. We don't know how would Marciano look at 34 but I think that he wouldn't be better when he was 32. Machen was fast, smooth, skilled and could take a punch.

But if Rock chooses to fight someone else like Folley (toughest aside of Machen), Harris, DeJohn or even Ingo he would still be champion.

I don't count Liston, cuz I don't belive he would get title shot at Marciano.

So I think he keeps his belt until facing Machen or fighting other fighters till he clocks like 35 so till 1959.

 

Difficult to say. The upgrade in competition once he was fighting for the title was drastic. Winning the championship in 1953 or 1954 means that much less wear and tear, so a later crowning extends his career longer.

Patterson didn't move up until Marciano moved out. I don't believe D'Amato would have ever considered having Floyd challenge Rocky, who weighed considerably more than 200 pounds when he took up boxing. Patterson reigned during a weak era for heavyweights. Liston took the title in 1962. There's no way Sonny ever gets a shot at Marciano, nor do I think Rocky would ever have been around long enough for it to become an issue. (I don't see Liston earning a shot prior to 1959 at the absolute earliest, when Marciano would have been 36 or 37.)

Realistically, the most substantial challengers in the late 1950s would have been Folley and Machen. I think the tougher Machen gets a shot at Rocky first, behind his undefeated record. Marciano defended twice yearly. There's a reasonable chance Roy Harris gets a shot off his upset of Pastrano, as he actually did following Pastrano and Besmanoff. Does Marciano retire as champion? I think he does. Nobody came close to beating him after he dethroned Walcott, and I don't see any way he opts to continue on after gaining win number 50, not with his bad back. The latest year that would be his last? I'd guess 1958. The best dark horse candidate to upset him? Harris snapped a 22 fight unbeaten streak by Pastrano. If Willie could get to Rocky before Roy, we know that he would have been sticking and moving for a decision all the way. If one minimized being hit by Marciano, on the back, kidneys, arms, ect...and was geared for the long haul, maybe he'd have a chance.

 

OK I thought you were talking in his time frame, so we get a Prime Rocky going for a title and facing any mix of top10 contenders or the no1-no3 contender time and again?

In terms of lineal champions I think he beats Patterson, Ingo and I think he beats Frazier, L Spinks, Ali-post Frazier 3, M Spinks, Moorer, Briggs, Schulz (if you count him), Rahman. I don't think he beats Wlad, but he has a shot of doing so, especially if he bulked up maybe using steroids - most modern HWs are on PEDs so lets give Rocky the same starting blocks as everyone else

I'm sure he could have found a few weak top10 contenders to make 6 defenses but if he was taking on the no1s and no2s to make defenses against he wouldn't notch up many defenses

 

Okay, now that you've clarified this, I'd say he'd definitely be able to dethrone post Manila Ali, and generate at least six successful title defenses (as Muhammad actually did against Coopman, Young, Dunn, Norton, Evangelista and Shavers). Leon Spinks would get crushed by Rocky.

I also like Marciano's chances between 1985 and 1995, although my familiarity with the post championship distance era is admittedly diluted. Beyond 1995, I can't really venture much of a guess, although Lennox drinks tea with his pinky extended, and the Klitschkos look like dweebs.

 

Sometime in the 2000s

 

Mid 2000s easily with Ruiz and Byrd around. Arguably the worst HW era and there have been bad ones. The Klitchkos were out of the picture for a while with Vitali's retirement and Wladimir's losses to Sanders and Brewster.

 

I think that after Lewis retired and VK was out of the way he could have run riot.

 

Marciano could have pull it off in any era after his retirement if the cards fell right in his hands.

Perhaps he could have gotten a green Clay were a older Sonny Liston failed, maybe. We knver will know.

I give Marciano a shot in the mid 1970's, asumming he got past Holmes 2 times, the early 80's to mid 80's, Perhaps the mid 90's with Holyfiled,/ Bowe, and sort of past it Tyson.

And of couse Lewis's retirement, and before the rise of the Kilt brothers.

That is the best shots I give Marciano to repeat the feat. No promises, anything can happen, one punch can determind a winner or loser, so its all guess work.