When did Marciano fall outside the top ten?

Fair enough, I too tend to focus on h2h more than accomplishments, but I do use a bit of a blended average. For example Louis on a h2h basis might be anywhere between top 5-10 but his accomplishments are such that I would rank in anywhere from 1-3.

And while I'm not a rabid Ali fan, like many posters are, he does rank highly both in accomplishments and h2h, as does, Holmes and Lewis.

Having said that, one can even break accomplishments down to the quality of competion, longivity at the top, title defenses, record against historic show downs (ie Holyfield vs Tyson) etc. and of course their win-loss record.

 

I think the rough and close fights Jeff had with Sharkey, a poor man's Marciano, show us he needed the full 25 rounds to win vs a hard hitting swarming foe. I'd pikc Rocky by decision here

 

Hey dmt, what's up. Where do you have Marciano?

 

Can you find ten heavyweights who achieved more in their careers?

No I didnt think so.

 

I think Marciano is one of 3 best of all tiem, maybe the best. But Liston? One defense as champ, quit on stool to lose title, then lost again, did nothing after.

Holyfield is just around long time, he lost 2 of three to Bowe, was ko'd, lost to Moorer, and strugled with Ruiz.

Foreman would be forgotten if not for old-man type comeback. He lasted 2 defenses as champ. then lost to Young, and struggled with Lyle, was almost ko'd.

 

I think some people overrate him, others underrate him. Most people who underrate him do so because they get frustrated by the people who they think overrate him and place him above other fighters they think are better, so they feel the need to "balance things out". Personally, I think he deserves a spot on any top 10 list, I think anywhere from 5-10 is an appropriate placement. I have him at 8 or 9 usually.

 

To me, Ali and Louis are the only two guys I'd never have out of the top ten. After them you have about twelve to fifteen guys with roughly equal claims to being top ten, Marciano being one of them.

 

I don't know if the intent of this thread was to evaluate Marciano on a head to head list, or on a legacy basis, but if the latter is true, then I'd still have the Rock well rated in my top ten, perhaps even top 5. Although I don't particularly think much of the competition during the early 50's, I can't ignore the fact that Marciano defeated just about every worthy challenger there was to fight, and retired untouched. Such a resume cannot be pushed aside on the mere assumption of falling short in hypothetical cross era dream matches.

 

Bowe is not a top ten fighter he is barely top 15.

 

To not rate Marciano as a top 10 all-time Heavyweight is to not understand the sport and its history. Marciano like Jeffries, Dempsey and in a different way Louis were the foundations of the sport pre 1960, true icons of not just Boxing, not even sport... but the first 60 years of the 20th century.

 

It depends who you ask and how they define it. Most historians who lived to see Marciano did not see Rocky as a top ten guy in the 1960's.

However modern historians tend to see Rocky as a top 10 heavy, with his undefeated record often being given as the #1 reason why.

 

I belive Marciano stands a fairly good shot in upsetting Liston. No one gave a few of the guys that beat Liston any chance.

 

Marciano is in my top five for legacy, and in my top 10 for head to head.

 

Marciano is definately in my top 10 for legacy but on a head to head basis I place:

Ali
Liston
Foreman
Tyson
Holyfield
Bowe
Holmes
Louis
Tua
Ibeabuchi
Wlad
Vitaly
Lewis

as a favorite in a fantasy match up...

My choice is based on styles and not legacy. Even the most ardent supporters of Marciano would have to agree that the above names will more than likely create an air of uncertainty once that opening bell rang.