Who Was The Hardest Puncher Marciano Met?

I'd still say Walcott was the hardest puncher Marciano fought, being asked to pick one.

 

I think we are sleeping on Charles here as well. Maybe not overall as dangerous a hitter as Moore or Walcott, but some impressive results.

He put Elmer Ray, Satterfield, Oma, Reynolds, Wallace, and Pat Valentino down for the count with his left hook. He also dropped and hurt Walcott with his left hook.

He even battered the super durable Joe Baksi into quitting for the only stoppage loss of his career.

 

Ezzard Charles was a formidable fighter and a capable hitter but my perception of him is that he tended to land a lot of accurate shots. Like Holyfield. Yes, no joke as a puncher, but more an accumulation-hitter, or combination fighter.

The simplest definition of punching power is the amount of effect produced from one punch. Or the less punches the better.

 

He has that perception but watching some footage, I think there is some genuine underrated one punch power in that short left hook. Certainly the accuracy and timing of it more than brute force, but the effect is the same.

 

But Lavorante collapsed and was carried from the ring on a stretcher.

 

-In order to have an idea on Moore's power, its fair to contrast to him to others known for their punching power. You simply don't want to do this because its already been pointed out that Lyle is going to come up short and you just can't have that.

-I've addressed these points already.

 

That would suggest that Moore's punches had some effect.
Has anyone here seen this fight ?

 

They certainly did. Lavorante was said to be sagging in the ropes after an uppercut at the time of the stoppage. He would return to the ring later in the year before going into a coma and dying from head injuries.

It was not filmed, but here's the round by round: I can't post the link because its from another boxing forum site.


The Young Gaucho vs. The Old Man"

Alejandro Lavorante {Age; 25 years, 5 months} would be involved in his most important fight of his career.

Alejandro had a record of 19-2-0 {15 KO's}, and was now ranked #4 Ring Magazine. The young, athletic
and handsome Argentinian was regarded as one of the Top 'hitters' in the Heavyweight Division.

Both of Alejandro's '2' Decision losses were 'disputed' and highly debatable, and both were in the other fighter's
hometown.

Alejandro had a busy year in 1961, with '11-Bouts, going 10-1-0 {8 KO's}.

The tall and lanky Argentinian was coming off an 'impressive' win {KO 2} over dangerous 'Philadelphia Bomber' -
Von Clay 3-Months earlier {December 29, 1961}.

Paul 'Pinky' George {Manager} >
"This fight will give us 'National' recognition. A win, and we're home-free for a Championship bout. Even a loss
will not hurt Alex. He's the most exciting Heavyweight fighter out there."

"Alex has been working hard. He's out at 6:00 AM every morning running. He will 'end' Archie's career by
stopping him. It will be by a Knockout

Archie Moore and Alejandro Lavorante signed for this fight on January 20, 1962.

This gave both fighters ample time {9+ Weeks} to prepare for their March 30, 1962 bout
at the Sports Arena in Los Angeles.

Archie stated that he would come in at 192 lbs.

Alejandro was projected to come in at 208 lbs.

Archie would bring with him >
Experience, skills, and cagey defense, along with his 'Bag-of-Tricks'. There was a question about his age, and lack of proper conditioning.

'The Mongoose' would be giving up youth, size, speed and power to his Argentinian opponent.

Alejandro was involved in an intense Training Camp, where he would box 7-Rounds per Day for 9-Weeks, totaling over 400-Rounds.

Alejandro would have the big advantage in >
Youth, size, speed and power - but would be giving up a lot in experience, natural skills and defense.

Friday ~ March 30, 1962

Sports Arena ~ Los Angeles California

Attendance ....... { 13,552 }
Gate Receipts ... { $122,678 }

The Fight

In Round 1, Alejandro came out to Center-Ring and unleashed '2' left-jabs. Archie blocked one, and slipped the other. Despite
being {6' 3 1/2} and having a 4 1/2" Height advantage over Archie, it was Archie who had the longer Reach advantage {75" to 73"}.

Alejandro then tried a left-hook, and missed as Archie slipped the punch. Archie then countered with a hard left-hook to Alejandro's chest.
Alejandro look 'perplexed' and took '2' steps backwards, as he could not believe that he missed with all his punches on a 'open' Archie Moore.

Archie then spent the rest of the Round moving in low, and countering with left-hands to Alejandro's chest area. Late in the Round, Alejandro
tried to move inside and opened up, but he was met by sneak right-hand 'Bop' to the chest than had him backing up.

In Round 2, Archie set the 'tempo' by using stiff left-hands into Alejandro's mid-section. Each time that Archie moved in close, he would then
tie up Alejandro in knots. Archie then added a steady variety of punches into Alejandro's body.

In Round 3, Archie continued to frustrate Alejandro with inside mauling and by landing body punches. By Rounds end, Alejandro looked
completely frustrated, as he could not penetrate Archie's cross-handed defense.

Thru 3-Roonds, it wall Archie Moore {3-0-0 in Rounds}.

In Round 4, Alejandro was more successful, as he let his left-jab go. Archie was content to lay back and counter, while looking to drop in
a sneak-right 'Bop'.

Midway thru the Round, Alejandro landed a nice 'left-right' and then caught Archie with a solid left-hook just under his left-eye which
caused a bruise. As Archie tried to come forward, Alejandro landed a 'jarring' right-hand to the jaw that shook Archie.

But Alejandro did not follow up, and let Archie recover.

In Rounds 5 and 6 >
The action was fairly 'even' over the first 2-Minutes. But Archie was the better man over the last 30-Seconds of each Round, as Alejandro
looked a bit tired at the Bell. Archie closed at each Round by working Alejandro's thin-body with a steady flow of left-hands and right-hands
to the chest.

Scoring at the end of Round 6
* Referee - Tommy Hart ........ 3-2-1 {Even}
* Judge - George Latka ......... 4-1-1 {Archie Moore}
* Judge - Lee Grossman ........ 5-1-0 {Archie Moore}

In Round 7, Alejandro gave his best effort over the first 30-Seconds, and then faded. Archie slowly moved forward and worked Alejandro's
body and upper chest with straight punches. Then Archie backed off, and lured Alejandro in. As a 'tired' Alejandro moved in, Archie countered
with more of his sneak-right hand 'Bops'.

Archie Moore 'never' floored Alejandro Lavorante.

The 'truth' is,

In Round 8, Archie started to really whack Alejandro. Archie gave him a thorough thrashing in this Round, and had
Alejandro bewildered and completely flustered at the mid-way point in the session.

By the end of Round 8, Alejandro was thoroughly whipped and looked exhausted.

In Round 9, Archie pounded Alejandro with a relentless body-attack. Alejandro was wobbled several times, and was
getting pounded so bad, that the crowd screamed for the bout to be stopped at the {2:00 Mark}. But late in the Round,
Alejandro made a miraculous rally, and scored with some heavy-punches over the last 20-Seconds, before wobbling
back to his corner completely exhausted at the end of the Round.

At the start of Round 10, Alejandro came out on 'wobbly legs' and was completely exhausted. He should have never
been allowed out for Round 10.

Moments into the Round, Archie landed a few solid shots into Alejandro's mid-section, and backed him up. Then Archie
slowly moved in, and let go with a 'salvo', capped off by a hard right-hand to the Heart that had Alejandro 'out-on-his-feet'.

Then Archie landed a hard left-uppercut to Alejandro's chin that spun him into the Ropes where he sagged.

Referee - Tommy Hart jumped in and stopped the bout at {0:38} of the Final Round.

It went down as a TKO 10.

Fight Purses >

Archie was guaranteed $35,000 against 35% of the Gate Receipts which were $122,678.

Archie walked out with ........ $42,910.

Alejandro Lavorante was to get 25% of the Gate Receipts.

He walked out with ............. $31,555.

 

Interesting read. thanks :good

 

Really Lavorante sounds like he was a really tough customer, especially if he rallied back before the final round like that. And standing up to such a body attack from Moore, but the final uppercut sounds nasty, it was after a body punch so he likely got bowed over into it, and was left dangling on the ropes.

Bragging rights regarding "flooring" is a mute point, he was out and effectively finished as a top fighter.

 

Reg Gutteridge.

In his book "the big punchers" he devoted a chapter to Archie Moore.

 

I think flooring someone counts for something, but often when I watch a fight I see some of the most effective punches don't floor the fighter, they have a different effect.

Also, knockdowns vary considerably too.
Saying a fighter was "floored for a five count" doesn't tell us much. Was he badly hurt ? shaken ? seeing stars ? Or was he just knocked off balance?

That's why footage is important. and failing that, detailed reports.