How big of a chance would you give Marciano against Foreman?

[Steak]

Couldn't disagree more... Foreman has never showed he could fight at a high pressure pace against a low target who is hard to hit, who himself throws vicious bone crushing bombs who routinely went 15 rounds strong.

Rocky Marciano is hardly Jimmy Young? That's funny. I agree that he is not Jimmy Young, but obviously not in the same context as you....

Dont forget something that Foreman could constantly do to nullify infighters: simply push them away. I remember him being strong enogh to flat out push opponents to the ground when they got too close. its simple, but he was surprisingly effective at it.

I actually dont think Foreman would have a good chance at landing huge punches on a guy like Marciano, but Foreman's jab and straight right were hard enough punches as is to get the job done. slower than a Frazier, but within 6 rounds.

[Kid McCoy]

Couldn't disagree more... Foreman has never showed he could fight at a high pressure pace against a low target who is hard to hit, who himself throws vicious bone crushing bombs who routinely went 15 rounds strong.

Rocky Marciano is hardly Jimmy Young? That's funny. I agree that he is not Jimmy Young, but obviously not in the same context as you....

Two fighters beat the 70s Foreman, and neither was anything like Marciano. He's not going to beat Foreman the way Young did, and I very much doubt the rope-a-dope would be a wise strategy either. Marciano never faced anything like Foreman. The closest thing to Marciano that Foreman faced was Frazier (who imo was superior to Rocky) and he lasted less than seven rounds in two fights.

Rocky hard to hit? While I agree that he wasn't the face-first slugger he gets characterised as, I wouldn't go that far. An old Joe Louis knocked out his front teeth and broke his nose. The likes of Charles, Moore, Walcott and LaStarza all inflicted plenty of punishment on him and stood up to those "bone crushing bombs" for many rounds. A 185lb aggressive slugger who started slow and wasn't hard to find against a hard-hitter with about 40lb on him who was at his most dangerous in the early rounds? I can only see one outcome.

[GJC]

Picking up on a few comments I would make the following comments:

A good point about cuts was made, I've always thought if you roll Marciano on a few years he struggles more as he did cut and a more modern ref would stop it. Re Foreman's illegal tactics fair point but Marciano could certainly look after himself and I'm inclined to think that Foreman will be looking for a stricter ref than Marciano

Re could Marciano knock out Foreman? If this fight goes into the later rounds for sure. If Ali can KO a tiring Foreman than a harder hitting Marciano whose work rate was as strong in the 15th round as the first round could for sure.

Could Foreman KO Marciano? Foreman could pretty much KO anyone but lets be fair Marciano spent a total of about 5 seconds on the canvas in his career. OK he never fought anyone who punched as hard as Foreman but you can only really guess as to who could dent his chin as no one ever did.

Frazier = Marciano? To a point but lets be fair stylistic nightmare or not that was not a prime Frazier so if we are talking prime v prime that ones not set in stone.

My view is if the fight is in 1970 then Foreman will land enough to cut Marciano or at least hurt him enough for a ref to stop it before the middle of the fight.
Marciano's era, the ref will let them fight on regardless, ignore cuts and knock downs and turn a blind eye to any rough stuff and it maybe goes into the championship rounds. Then it comes down to heart and stamina which makes Marciano a favourite imo and as someone put it Marciano always found a way to win.

I grew up on Marciano and modern followers saying he's crude isn't a suprise to us older timers, we knew he was crude then . But if it goes to life and death Marciano is going to give anyone a fight.

[The Surgeon]

Joe was done at the time he fought Foreman... His career was over. Either way, it's isn't the same kind of fight anyway. Just because Rocky and Joe are similar in size and build doesn't mean that the fight will play out the same.

Let's not forget that if you were asked this question after Foreman first retired you would probably pick Marciano to knock him out... It wasn't until his comeback that he was talked about as an ATG heavyweight. I know this because I started a thread a while back and many reputable posters mentioned that he was never talked about in an ATG way until his return to boxing.

Rocky could knock George Foreman out and I am different from you in that I think George has the wrong style and lacks the tools necessary for Rocky...

Joe Frazier i LOVE but even at his very best i think Foremans all wrong for him. Thats just how i see it, pressure fighter against Mammoth Puncher.



I know theres a big difference between Joe and Rocky but there are simalarities, both short HW's, both guys are at a disadvantage in power and in strength and both only go one way forward

[CarlosG815]

Joe Frazier i LOVE but even at his very best i think Foremans all wrong for him. Thats just how i see it, pressure fighter against Mammoth Puncher.



I know theres a big difference between Joe and Rocky but there are simalarities, both short HW's, both guys are at a disadvantage in power and in strength and both only go one way forward

It's true that George Foreman is a very hard puncher... That is the only advantage that I believe he has over Rocky Marciano and in a boxing match I think a person needs to have more than just an advantage in punching power....

I think Rocky is better than George in the attributes that win fights... Speed, heart, determination, and he wasn't feather fisted either. Maybe he didn't hit as hard as Foreman, I have no way of knowing that, but we do know he did hit very hard.

Ali said that Foreman wasn't the hardest guy to ever hit him.

[The Surgeon]

It's true that George Foreman is a very hard puncher... That is the only advantage that I believe he has over Rocky Marciano and in a boxing match I think a person needs to have more than just an advantage in punching power....

I think Rocky is better than George in the attributes that win fights... Speed, heart, determination, and he wasn't feather fisted either. Maybe he didn't hit as hard as Foreman, I have no way of knowing that, but we do know he did hit very hard.

Ali said that Foreman wasn't the hardest guy to ever hit him.

Think we are gonna have to agree to disagree here bud, im just really confident in my pick.

Oh for sure Marciano could Crack! Just not as hard as George thats all. I dont think theres a huge difference in speed

Yeah i know he said Liston hit harder (tho i doubt it personally) do u know if he said anyone else hit harder?

[Wild Blue Yonda]

It's true that George Foreman is a very hard puncher... That is the only advantage that I believe he has over Rocky Marciano and in a boxing match I think a person needs to have more than just an advantage in punching power....

I think Rocky is better than George in the attributes that win fights... Speed, heart, determination, and he wasn't feather fisted either. Maybe he didn't hit as hard as Foreman, I have no way of knowing that, but we do know he did hit very hard.

Ali said that Foreman wasn't the hardest guy to ever hit him.

Foreman's only advantage is punching power? Some fifteen inches in reach, five or six inches in height, & a weight-pull of about 35lbs. aren't advantages?

Not sure I would give Marciano a speed edge, either. Certainly, the actua; speed of their assault from the opening bell strongly favours Foreman, at the very least.

[Scott9945]

Think we are gonna have to agree to disagree here bud, im just really confident in my pick.

Oh for sure Marciano could Crack! Just not as hard as George thats all. I dont think theres a huge difference in speed

Yeah i know he said Liston hit harder (tho i doubt it personally) do u know if he said anyone else hit harder?

I've been reading Ali interviews for many years. At different times I've heard him claim that Liston/Foreman/Shavers hit him the hardest. All I know is that Shavers had him hurt the worst.

[joseph5620]

I've been reading Ali interviews for many years. At different times I've heard him claim that Liston/Foreman/Shavers hit him the hardest. All I know is that Shavers had him hurt the worst.

Scott that's what I have read too. I have not read anything different.

[CarlosG815]

Think we are gonna have to agree to disagree here bud, im just really confident in my pick.

Oh for sure Marciano could Crack! Just not as hard as George thats all. I dont think theres a huge difference in speed

Yeah i know he said Liston hit harder (tho i doubt it personally) do u know if he said anyone else hit harder?

In an interview sitting down with Tyson and Ray Leonard, Ali said that Earnie Shavers hit him the hardest.