Marciano

[Kid McCoy]

I just dont like when people try to downplay someone so great just because his record was spotless. People seem to hate the guys who are undefeated but you have to give them respect.

"Just look at Rocky Marciano's record. Nobody beat him. You can't take that from him. Only because he depended solely on his left hook do I rate Joe Frazier below Marciano. Marciano could hit with both hands." -George Foreman

"As you see, I didn't make the list... The first time around, George Foreman was too mean and too crude. The second time around, too sophisticated and too publicity conscious to exploit his power..." -George Foreman

George Foreman's Heavyweight list-

1. Joe Louis
2. Rocky Marciano
3. Jack Johnson
4. Muhammad Ali
5. Joe Frazier
6. Jack Dempsey
7. Mike Tyson
8. Sonny Liston
9. Floyd Patterson
10. Evander Holyfield

Honorable Mention:
Max Baer
Ezzard Charles
Jersey Joe Walcott


Second only to another ATG on Foreman's list.... Joe Louis.

To be fair, Big George also rates Tony Galento as one of the greatest boxers never to win a title!

[them_apples]

I just dont like when people try to downplay someone so great just because his record was spotless. People seem to hate the guys who are undefeated but you have to give them respect.

"Just look at Rocky Marciano's record. Nobody beat him. You can't take that from him. Only because he depended solely on his left hook do I rate Joe Frazier below Marciano. Marciano could hit with both hands." -George Foreman

"As you see, I didn't make the list... The first time around, George Foreman was too mean and too crude. The second time around, too sophisticated and too publicity conscious to exploit his power..." -George Foreman

George Foreman's Heavyweight list-

1. Joe Louis
2. Rocky Marciano
3. Jack Johnson
4. Muhammad Ali
5. Joe Frazier
6. Jack Dempsey
7. Mike Tyson
8. Sonny Liston
9. Floyd Patterson
10. Evander Holyfield

Honorable Mention:
Max Baer
Ezzard Charles
Jersey Joe Walcott


Second only to another ATG on Foreman's list.... Joe Louis.

Foreman also said that Lennox Lewis was the greatest heavyweight of all time, goes to show you where he's at.

[F l i c k e r]

hahaha, alright you got me there. But Marvin Hagler has no faults(in his head) with what he says...

"Naturally, the first thought that comes to mind would have to be Muhammad Ali. He was a tremendous athlete and he was the man for the sport. He brought the highlights, the money and everything to the sport, especially the art, the real good art of boxing. Ali is more my time. But before my time, it would have to be Joe Louis or Rocky Marciano." -Marvin Hagler

[Steak]

Marciano is what he is.
a hard puncher with tons of stamina, who used underrated head movement and a swarming attack to slow down opponents until he could catch them cleanly.

He might not have done well against certain other top heavyweights, but if you throw him up against the best Cruiserweights of all time, he would be at least number 2.

Charles and Moore may have been better at lower weights, but they were respectably good at heavyweight as well, so Marciano deserves credit for beating them. and he also beat some decent guys outside of Charles, Moore and Walcott...nothing amazing, but they werent too bad.

I would rate him higher than Dempsey and Jack Johnson, but Im not entirely sure about him being top ten. probebly lower top ten, dunno and I dont feel like thinking about it tonight.

[TheGreatA]

Foreman said a lot of things. But Ali and Frazier also thought that Marciano was one of the greatest heavyweights of all time.

Frazier said Marciano was greater than him, Ali said that Marciano could've KO'd a lot of his title challengers that he had trouble finishing.

Even Larry Holmes after ranting on and on about "Marciano not being able to carry his jockstrap" did eventually admit that Marciano was one of the greatest and stated that no one who wasn't great could not have beaten 49 opponents in a row and retire undefeated.

[Benny Leonard]

Foreman said a lot of things. But Ali and Frazier also thought that Marciano was one of the greatest heavyweights of all time.

Frazier said Marciano was greater than him, Ali said that Marciano could've KO'd a lot of his title challengers that he had trouble finishing.

Even Larry Holmes after ranting on and on about "Marciano not being able to carry his jockstrap" did eventually admit that Marciano was one of the greatest and stated that no one who wasn't great could not have beaten 49 opponents in a row and retire undefeated.

Didn't Ali also say that Marciano fought "Old" fighters and had Charles, Walcott, Moore, and Louis been in their prime they would have won?

Which makes me appreciate it even more because even Nikolay Valuev and Brian Nielsen were so close and they just couldn't do it.

What was Nielson's win streak anyway: 48-0 or 49-0?

[TheGreatA]

Which makes me appreciate it even more because even Nikolay Valuev and Brian Nielsen were so close and they just couldn't do it.

What was Nielson's win streak anyway: 48-0 or 49-0?

49-0.

The Marciano curse got to him in the final round against journeyman ****y Ryan and he had to give up due to severe dehydration, just two minutes away from breaking the record.

It was supposed to be an easy win such as the Holmes-Spinks fight.

[Benny Leonard]

49-0.

The Marciano curse got to him in the final round against journeyman ****y Ryan and he had to give up due to severe dehydration, just two minutes away from breaking the record.

It was supposed to be an easy win such as the Holmes-Spinks fight.

I would really prefer talking about Marciano vs. other fightes under 200 pounds. I think we all can have a better discussion with that.


Marciano vs. Dempsey
vs. Prime Louis
vs. Tunney
vs. Patterson
vs. Holyfield {CW version}
vs. Spinks
vs. James Toney {CW version that fought Jirov

[TheGreatA]

I would really prefer talking about Marciano vs. other fightes under 200 pounds. I think we all can have a better discussion with that.


Marciano vs. Dempsey
vs. Prime Louis
vs. Tunney
vs. Patterson
vs. Holyfield {CW version}
vs. Spinks
vs. James Toney {CW version that fought Jirov

I agree. Marciano never fought any world class contender over 210 lbs (except an old Louis who weighed around 205 in his prime) and with his style I don't really see him having great success against bigger, stronger fighters.

I'm not saying I would count him out against them but as you said, it's better to match him up against fighters his size.

Holyfield vs Marciano at 190 lbs would've been something.

[Benny Leonard]

I agree. Marciano never fought any world class contender over 210 lbs (except an old Louis who weighed around 205 in his prime) and with his style I don't really see him having great success against bigger, stronger fighters.

I'm not saying I would count him out against them but as you said, it's better to match him up against fighters his size.

Holyfield vs Marciano at 190 lbs would've been something.

True, you really can't count anyone out.

Holyfield vs. Marciano would be a great matchup.

One thing I would stress about Marciano was his work-ethic. If I was a trainer, he is one fighter I would talk about with a student to use as an example for a fighter that came in shape 100%, both mind and body for every fight.