Who would Marciano's 50th victim have been?

Would've been fun to see him in with Satterfield in a knockdown drag out classic as long as Satterfield didn't get ko'd off the first knockdown - this could be an exciting one while it lasted - Clarence Henry would've been an exciting one aswell with his punch aswell

 

Hurricane Jackson. Somebody durable, relentless and insane. He'd have gotten the stuffing knocked out of him, but it would have been fun while it lasted. Tommy's rubber rematch SD loss to Jimmy Slade in Cleveland a month after Marciano-Moore shelved the Hurricane's chance for an immediate shot at Rocky, but he rebounded with an MD over a streaking Bob Baker in Pittsburgh the following February, then took out 60-8-4 Welshman Johnny Williams in four rounds just a week and a half before Rocky called it quits. If Rocky had attempted to continue on to win number 50, Hurricane Jackson might have been a promotable candidate for suitable entertainment. Recent wins over Ezzard Charles X2, Norkus in five, Layne in six, Bucceroni in six, and Clarence Henry would have been a decent enough assortment of scalps to sell a shot at Marciano for Jackson. (And don't forget of course that Tommy DID get the first shot at Patterson after decisioning Baker a second time, but over 12 rounds.)

 

I would have liked to see Valdes, Rocky would have chopped him down but Satterfield beat Valdez badly and took out Baker in 1 round and Moore beat Valdes 2X and KO'd Baker so don't know if they were marketable....Satterfield was Ko'd in 2 by Charles and stopped by Moore but I would still have loved to see Rocky vs Satterfield, Valdez or Baker or Jackson and then I wonder if Patterson would step up....I would have loved to see another fight at least but against this opposition he should have gone to 53-0 47 KO's but there would have been a few good action moments IMO

 

3-4? When Rocky retired he said he maybe had 1-2 fights left in him.

 

This is what I also suspect. With his back problems, training was such an arduous undertaking that he might have been able to undertake one or two more all out efforts.

Subliminally (and maybe fully consciously), he would have been fixated on win number 50. There's no way Rocky fails to get to 50-0, no matter the opponent, but after that, I think his focus could well disintegrate. In any event, if his training wasn't going accordingly, he'd call it a day before ever attempting to compete in anything less than peak condition.

 

Whoever he fought next .. To me Rocky looked exceptional against Moore and as lobg as he did not take too much time off no one at that time was beating him ... he was a machine against Moore , brutal !

 

What an absolutely wretched pool for a heavyweight division.

 

Joe Hipp?

 

Yep, the era dwindled down quite a bit into the mid to late 50's. Another factor to retire. No real motivating factor not to.

Pastrano was the lead candidate. Jackson was a hopeful, but he turned out to an absolute loon. Still not out of the question.

 

Could well have been the man who succeeded Marciano - Floyd Patterson.

Floyd would have given Rocky all he could handle for a few rounds,but would have eventually succumbed.

 

Does anyone think Pastrano may have given Rocky fits past his prime?

 

Was Willie Pastrano any good? I don't know much about him.

 

Yes, I think Pastrano would have been miserable for Marciano to chase around for a few rounds, but Willie would not go more than ten rounds until the 1960s, and would have been taking a frightful body beating as the match extended towards the championship rounds. It would have been an interesting challenge, but I think Hurricane Jackson was more promotable at the time, and thus a likelier opponent for win number 50.

 

Rocky always intended to retire because of his fallout with his manager. So it is safe to assume he would have taken a long break after the Moore fight in 55.

But his comeback would not have been against Patterson. From what I have seen, a fight with Ingemar Johansson was all but agreed. Ingemar only had to beat Patterson a second time to make the fight happen. Burt Sugar says the fight was pretty much signed and sealed. But he apparently had no interested whatsoever in Patterson, which is why he didn't come back

 

I think if it had, had happened, it would of been a Moore rematch.