Prime Ali vs Prime Marciano: Who wins?

[WalkerSmithJnr]

Marciano seems to get really overrated or underrated. He has a chance on work rate Ali wouldn't be able to rest up against him or pull any of his stunts but Ali's speed and chin doesn't make this a great match up for Marciano

[LoadedWraps]

Marciano seems to get really overrated or underrated. He has a chance on work rate Ali wouldn't be able to rest up against him or pull any of his stunts but Ali's speed and chin doesn't make this a great match up for Marciano

I think he is more underrated than overrated.

His chin, power, boxing ability, and defensive prowess are often understated, and people are quick to write him off despite that because of his height.

[billeau2]

I think he is more underrated than overrated.

His chin, power, boxing ability, and defensive prowess are often understated, and people are quick to write him off despite that because of his height.

Marciano much like Armstrong had the perfect build not to be a boxer...So they developed a different style amd heres the irony: Circa even to the late eighties there were three guys who constantly were in the top five fighters of all time and many times the top 3. They were the consumate boxer, Robinson, but right there next to him at number 2 and 3 were two ungainly workhorses: Armstrong and Grebb, neither man noted for his work as a consumate boxer.

No kid, no fighter like a Michael Nunn for example ever started his fledging fight career as a boisterious loute imitating Armstrong or Grebb! Yet when as fine a boxer as I can think of...Gene Tunney, the greatest light heavy to my mind, was beaten it was not even by the immortal dempsey, it was by a windmilling middleweight Harry Grebb...and beaten he was!!

[billeau2]

Marciano seems to get really overrated or underrated. He has a chance on work rate Ali wouldn't be able to rest up against him or pull any of his stunts but Ali's speed and chin doesn't make this a great match up for Marciano

Do you see similarities with Frazier and Marciano?

[LoadedWraps]

Marciano much like Armstrong had the perfect build not to be a boxer...So they developed a different style amd heres the irony: Circa even to the late eighties there were three guys who constantly were in the top five fighters of all time and many times the top 3. They were the consumate boxer, Robinson, but right there next to him at number 2 and 3 were two ungainly workhorses: Armstrong and Grebb, neither man noted for his work as a consumate boxer.

No kid, no fighter like a Michael Nunn for example ever started his fledging fight career as a boisterious loute imitating Armstrong or Grebb! Yet when as fine a boxer as I can think of...Gene Tunney, the greatest light heavy to my mind, was beaten it was not even by the immortal dempsey, it was by a windmilling middleweight Harry Grebb...and beaten he was!!

That also goes to reinforce the old classic: styles make fights. Truer words never spoken.

[Flabble Scrote]

Marciano was not unlike a slightly worse Marco Huck imo, some really bad comp he faced, it was his physical strength and chin that elevated him, scientific approach has moved sport along in light years

[billeau2]

Marciano was not unlike a slightly worse Marco Huck imo, some really bad comp he faced, it was his physical strength and chin that elevated him, scientific approach has moved sport along in light years

Why helloe Elroy is that you? If not let me explain a physiological fact: Scientifically speaking and otherwise Men have been braining each other for as long as we have been here...but unscientifically we hit down, its why our bodies have protection from downward blows....when and if we were hunted it does not make a difference how we are frontally protected and our eyes give us away...we cannot see to the side....Hitting down one would encounter the skull casing and the forehead,,,hardest part of the body, and the blow misses the plexis, groin, eyes and throat, unlike if I hit up.

Scientifically the mark of a trained fighter is firing a punch straight, that is the science that makes boxing, martial arts, etc possible.

[WalkerSmithJnr]

Do you see similarities with Frazier and Marciano?

As in if Frazier gave Ali fits wouldn't Marciano?
Certainly work rate and the style they would bring to the fight.
It is certainly something to consider and depending on your view of whether Marciano is better than Frazier very relevant.
If Frazier can get a W over Ali over 3 fights it isn't inconceivable that Marciano could

[billeau2]

As in if Frazier gave Ali fits wouldn't Marciano?
Certainly work rate and the style they would bring to the fight.
It is certainly something to consider and depending on your view of whether Marciano is better than Frazier very relevant.
If Frazier can get a W over Ali over 3 fights it isn't inconceivable that Marciano could

Thats one way I look at these hypotheticals, you got exactly what i intended to convey...Its just one piece of data and one will find many opinions regarding the primacy of either Frazier or Marciano. I am still debating myself lol about who I think is better. I think there are similarities that would make marciano a good fight for Ali like Frazier was...both guys knew about applying pressure. That beautiful hook Frazier caught Ali with was Joe pressuring Ali enough that Ali moved straight back and not far enough back!

In the singular regard of applying pressure I think both men would give Ali trouble. I don't know who would win though! Ali was fantastic and what a lot of people don't realize is that occasionally a fighter is a large underdog and wins...Ali pulled this off twice!!

Finally, and this is one for a lot of the size queens that post here, Ali was much stronger stylistically against the Liston, Foreman lineage (Foreman was mentored by Sonny and fought in that style). In this case, a smaller, more mobile heavyweight as good as Frazier and Marciano was always going to be a rougher fight for Ali, size be damned!

[WalkerSmithJnr]

Thats one way I look at these hypotheticals, you got exactly what i intended to convey...Its just one piece of data and one will find many opinions regarding the primacy of either Frazier or Marciano. I am still debating myself lol about who I think is better. I think there are similarities that would make marciano a good fight for Ali like Frazier was...both guys knew about applying pressure. That beautiful hook Frazier caught Ali with was Joe pressuring Ali enough that Ali moved straight back and not far enough back!

In the singular regard of applying pressure I think both men would give Ali trouble. I don't know who would win though! Ali was fantastic and what a lot of people don't realize is that occasionally a fighter is a large underdog and wins...Ali pulled this off twice!!

Finally, and this is one for a lot of the size queens that post here, Ali was much stronger stylistically against the Liston, Foreman lineage (Foreman was mentored by Sonny and fought in that style). In this case, a smaller, more mobile heavyweight as good as Frazier and Marciano was always going to be a rougher fight for Ali, size be damned!

When you look at an Ali Marciano fight you have to consider Ali Frazier.
As to who is better out of Marciano Frazier that is tricky. I think that Frazier would beat all of Marciano's opponents h2h and that Marciano beats all of Frazier's wins with the big question mark being Ali.
Don't think Ali ko's Marciano and doubt Marciano ko's Ali so we're looking at a stoppage or a decision.
Marciano was prone to cuts so that leans to Ali but I can see Marciano out working Ali over 15 rounds.
I can see a Ali Marciano trilogy playing out very similar to the Ali Frazier trilogy in that Marciano's best chance would be the first fight, after that Ali might have a plan on how to nullify him. I think it is a fascinating fight and think people do seem to have overlooked a few points. I think the referee's style might be a bigger factor than Ali or Marciano's style. If Marciano got an easy going referee with his rough housing and potential cuts then he has a chance. Refereeing like Perez in Ali Frazier 2 kills Marciano's chances.