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

[RINGG]

I think if these two guys were to fight Foreman would be arrested after the fight for manslaughter. Rocky's style is perfect for him.

[GJC]

Thinking about it you know who would be a perfect opponent for Foreman? A fighter who relied on foot speed to get himself out of trouble who had lost a significant amount of that speed in a slow ring on a hot night. He'd be in even more trouble if he wasn't known as a big hitter too. Fade his reflexes a fair chunk and he'd be toast, surely? Interesting sport this

[Wild Blue Yonda]

Thinking about it you know who would be a perfect opponent for Foreman? A fighter who relied on foot speed to get himself out of trouble who had lost a significant amount of that speed in a slow ring on a hot night. He'd be in even more trouble if he wasn't known as a big hitter too. Fade his reflexes a fair chunk and he'd be toast, surely? Interesting sport this

They do call it the, "Theater Of The Unexpected," but I'd be jaw-to-the-floor stunned if Marciano somehow beat Foreman. I just cannot see even a sliver of hope here.

[GJC]

They do call it the, "Theater Of The Unexpected," but I'd be jaw-to-the-floor stunned if Marciano somehow beat Foreman. I just cannot see even a sliver of hope here.

I and everyone but Ali were picking our jaws off the floor after Zaire! Anyone who says they picked Ali is lying lol. 1950s from round 8ish of a high tempo fight onwards Marciano is a live dog in there IMO

[Wild Blue Yonda]

Agreed about Ali-Foreman, but I think you'd concur that Marciano can utilise absolutely nothing Ali did to blunt Foreman. No rope-a-dope, no right hand leads...he's only got a Frazier-esque assault pattern to initiate, & I cannot see any way that would pan out well for him.

There are fighters with a similar approach, but more hitting power & a sharper, quicker, altogether more explosive delivery (Dempsey & Tyson, for instance) who even then, I would give little chance to. Really, Marciano is the least likely candidate in this style to best Foreman, along with Frazier.

The closest thing to a swarmer at HW who might have had a good chance against Foreman, IMO, would be Jeffries. He just may be the exception, but it's an awful hairy proposition.

[GJC]

Wouldn't argue that this is not a good match up for Marciano, there are circumstances I'd give him a chance but I'd be keeping my money in my pocket

[Great John L]

No he wasn't at the top of his game but he was hardly a has been either. An even older Frazier was still good enough to demolish a Quarry who was coming off dominant wins against Shavers and Lyle, and to fight like hell for 14 rounds against Ali in Manila.

And by the same token, Walcott was almost 40 with over twice as many fights as Frazier when he fought Marciano. Was he at the top of his game? Yet far from being blasted out in two rounds like Frazier was he knocked Rocky down, hurt him a couple of other times and gave him a pasting for the first 12 rounds.



You make it sound as if Foreman was about to collapse with exhaustion after three rounds with Chuvalo. Funny that those mostly ineffectively punches still had Chuvalo (according to Don Dunphy) "spitting blood" and taking an "awesome battering" and had his manager and his wife yelling for it to be stopped. Like I said it's not much to go on if the case for Foreman losing is based on a fight he won in dominant fashion.

He didn't win in dominant fashion. He missed all of his big hits on the ropes, he was barely evens winging, and Chuvalo was just taking them all. If Chuvalo, a way lesser fighter than Rocky could haave George tired and weary and still take all his shots, Marcianom who's stronger and more resilient, with better defense and an awkward style could do the same. Foreman had weaknesses, and nobody can KO Marciano in an early. He has too much stamina and durabiltiy. George won't hit Rocky often enough and Rocky could take George's pucnhes anyway, and Rock George with endless rock hard punches. Rocky was a better puncher and hurt more.

[joseph5620]

He didn't win in dominant fashion. He missed all of his big hits on the ropes, he was barely evens winging, and Chuvalo was just taking them all. If Chuvalo, a way lesser fighter than Rocky could haave George tired and weary and still take all his shots, Marcianom who's stronger and more resilient, with better defense and an awkward style could do the same. Foreman had weaknesses, and nobody can KO Marciano in an early. He has too much stamina and durabiltiy. George won't hit Rocky often enough and Rocky could take George's pucnhes anyway, and Rock George with endless rock hard punches. Rocky was a better puncher and hurt more.

Are you sure you saw this fight?

[Kid McCoy]

He didn't win in dominant fashion. He missed all of his big hits on the ropes, he was barely evens winging, and Chuvalo was just taking them all. If Chuvalo, a way lesser fighter than Rocky could haave George tired and weary and still take all his shots, Marcianom who's stronger and more resilient, with better defense and an awkward style could do the same. Foreman had weaknesses, and nobody can KO Marciano in an early. He has too much stamina and durabiltiy. George won't hit Rocky often enough and Rocky could take George's pucnhes anyway, and Rock George with endless rock hard punches. Rocky was a better puncher and hurt more.

Was Chuvalo taking all those shots or was Foreman missing them all? You can't have it both ways. The video of that fight has just been posted. Maybe you can point out all these ineffective punches and where Foreman looks tired and weary, because I can't see them.

Yes Foreman had weaknesses, unfortunately Marciano is not the one to exploit them. Rocky hard to hit? Have you seen pictures of him after his fights? An old Joe Louis broke his nose and knocked his front teeth out. Ezzard Charles had his nose hanging off. Walcott knocked him down and hurt him several times and earlier in his career Keene Simmons had him so badly hurt he was wobbling around the ring so let's not pretend Rocky was bulletproof.

If a small, aggressive 185lber who could be hit and hurt and who went life and death with smallish, older heavyweights charges in his usual fashion into a much larger, stronger, more powerful slugger (a type of fighter he had no history of beating) then I can only see one outcome and it isn't a nice one from Rocky's point of view.

[Wild Blue Yonda]

At what point is Chuvalo competitive with Foreman, since the latter didn't win in dominant fashion?