Which CHAMPS Beat Rocky?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by mcvey, Aug 8, 2014.


  1. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member Full Member

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    In the light of the lively discussion on Ali v Marciano, I should like to ask which of the heavyweight CHAMPIONS, past and present beat Marciano?

    I'll make a tentative list of my picks ,all choices to be PRIME.

    Ali
    Dempsey
    Louis
    Liston
    Foreman
    Lewis
    Bowe
    Johnson
    Tyson
    Holmes


    Toss up 50/50's
    Jeffries
    Holyfield
    W Klitschko
    Tunney
    Fitzsimmons
    Charles
    Walcott
    Frazier
    V Klitschko
     
  2. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    The ones I would make clear favourites are:

    Dempsey
    Louis
    Liston
    Foreman
    Tyson
    Lewis

    One non champion who I would give a good chance is Sam Langford.
     
  3. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    What rules? The rules of the champions in question, or Rocky-era rules? Sorry but it does matter.
     
  4. Bullet

    Bullet Member Full Member

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    Rocky never gave us anything suggesting that he could beat real big guys, did he ?
    So Lennox, Bowe, Wlad and Holmes, I cannot see Rocky beating those.

    I would make him a favorite against Frazier and Tunney.
     
  5. jowcol

    jowcol Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Of course, you'de have to position EVERY fighter into a proper era comparison, with all the particulars that go with it.
    What would a prime 2000 Rock look like?
    What would a 1921 prime Frazier look like?
    What would a 2000 prime Dempsey look like?
    What would a 1921 prime Lewis look like?
    What would a 2000 prime Louis look like?
    You, quite simply, CAN'T ******* compare fighters from different eras!!!
     
  6. he grant

    he grant Historian/Film Maker

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    NO Ali .. ? Interesting ...
     
  7. Hookandjab

    Hookandjab Well-Known Member Full Member

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    None of them ... maybe.
     
  8. choklab

    choklab cocoon of horror Full Member

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    I think there are a few champions who should start Favorite over Rocky but I would still give marciano a chance over them. Prime Joe Louis, prime Ali. Perhaps others..

    Marciano was not invincible. He would get beat, of course he would, but he would absolutely give whoever beats him a life and death war because he was a great fighter. Regardless of size, Rocky would not be easy meat for anyone in history who might beat him.

    Same for all great fighters in their primes on their best day, they all give life and death losing. Nobody wipes the floor with Ali, Joe Louis, Jack Dempsey, Jack Johnson either although hypothetically they all get beat too in certain fantasy match ups.
     
  9. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member Full Member

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    Fair point 1950's,ie Rocky's era.
    I don't want to be accused of bias.
     
  10. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    This content is protected
     
  11. he grant

    he grant Historian/Film Maker

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    I'll stick to lineal champs and skip the alphabet guys and 80's forward contenders as well ..

    Beat him w confidence:

    Johnson
    Louis
    Liston
    Ali
    Foreman
    Holmes
    Tyson
    Bowe
    Holyfield
    Lewis
    Vitali
    Wlad

    Toss Ups

    Fitz
    Dempsey
    Tunney
    Charles
    Frazier

    I think Langford would have defeated him as well .
     
  12. tommytheduke

    tommytheduke Active Member Full Member

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    Dempsey, Tyson and Lennox Lewis.

    'If you locked all the heavyweight champions inside a room and told them to fight to death, the last one to walk out of that room would be Rocky Marciano'. (Bert Randolph Sugar)
     
  13. Ken Ashcroft

    Ken Ashcroft Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I don't think that Sugar would be right. In fact the others would probably pick on the 'little' guys like Marciano first.
     
  14. Bullet

    Bullet Member Full Member

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    Not sure what is your point mate, because let's be honest, the 'argument from ignorance' is used a lot in classic fights discussions and who is the greatest discussions in general in order to make a point.
    If I suggest that Roy Jones Jr would beat (insert a ATG here) the first thing I would read when quoted was that he didn't prove that or something.
    ps- I'm not saying you do or would do that btw, just using it as an example of how the argument from ignorance is very prevalent in our world.

    If I know what you meant there, you have a point actually in my way to see Boxing, it's more about me not seeing that Rocky had enough to surpass the (huge) size disavantage and stop a real Big guy.
     
  15. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    The fact that he didn’t beat many big heavyweights, doesn’t mean that he would have lost to them, it means that we don’t know one way or the other.

    He might theoretically have demolished them like Jack Dempsey.