Prime Ali vs Prime Marciano: Who wins?

[HOUDINI563]

Size difference really wont enter the picture. A great crouching fighter will negate this difference by fighting small and low.

Thing is TECHNICALLY Walcott, Charles, Moore were all Ali’s superior. They were not greater than Ali but technically better fighters.

The other thing is the game you just played can be done with any fighter. Frazier took Ali to hell over three bouts with really just one punch and a bad left eye, Cooper nearly put Ali’s lights out, etc etc.

The closest fighter to Marciano that Ali faced was Frazier and Rocky was clearly Joes superior. One has to believe Marciano has a very good chance of beating Ali if Frazier did as well as he did over three bouts.

Ali himself felt Marciano had a good chance of beating him stating that indeed Marciano was Frazier’s superior. Ali commented that even playing in the ring with Rocky he could barely lift his arms he was hit so hard.

[Canelo and GGG]

Marciano was a very underrated boxer, he was unconventional and awkward but had decent defense, and could hit you from any angle. Ali wouldn't be able to make Rocky respect him and would get bullied.

I respect you as a poster dude, but even Foreman couldnt bully Ali, Rocky was smaller not only in height but also in weight, Ali is just not good match up for rocky.

HWs of 40s were much smaller Then boxers in 60s and 70s.

[Scopedog]

Anyone who even feels the need to ask this question doesn't know jack, Ali would have run rings around Rocky

[SheenLantern]

Ali's jab slashes Rocky's face up.

Ali on cuts.

[QueensburyRules]

--- Ahem, mo' much ado over nut'in is it still?

They fought twice, Rocky winning in North America and Ali in Europe and the Isles.

Dunn and dusted boys, now back to your super hero doll sets.

[billeau2]

Size difference really wont enter the picture. A great crouching fighter will negate this difference by fighting small and low.

Thing is TECHNICALLY Walcott, Charles, Moore were all Ali’s superior. They were not greater than Ali but technically better fighters.

The other thing is the game you just played can be done with any fighter. Frazier took Ali to hell over three bouts with really just one punch and a bad left eye, Cooper nearly put Ali’s lights out, etc etc.

The closest fighter to Marciano that Ali faced was Frazier and Rocky was clearly Joes superior. One has to believe Marciano has a very good chance of beating Ali if Frazier did as well as he did over three bouts.

Ali himself felt Marciano had a good chance of beating him stating that indeed Marciano was Frazier’s superior. Ali commented that even playing in the ring with Rocky he could barely lift his arms he was hit so hard.

This first point is one of the more misunderstood things about Ali and Jones, among others... They relied on doing things their own way and could, for the most part, get away with it. Everything you said about Frazier I agree with... Frazier, being a great fighter in his own right was able to have the confidance to hang in there, take a lot of punishment, knowing that at some point he would step forward and Ali would step straight back into his own "Suzy Q" so to speak...

Marciano was more unrelenting, had more stamina, more weapons, and was also knowledgable that if he took shots he would get a chance to deliver. Marciano and Frazier both were better technically than given credit for imo.

[HOUDINI563]

True but Marciano was technically superior than Frazier and had KO power in both fists. Rocky was always parrying, blocking, ducking, rolling, leaning out and in, feinting. Much more versatile than Frazier.

[ShoulderRoll]

Frazier would have mopped the floor with Marciano. I don't think it's a good comparison at all in trying to determine how Rocky would do against Ali.

George Foreman was obviously superior to both of them. It goes without saying.

[HOUDINI563]

If Joe had a right hand he would have had a better shot to beat Marciano.

[ShoulderRoll]

Prime Frazier wasn't an old man or a blown up light heavyweight. Like most of Marciano's greatest wins.

He was a legitimate heavy who weighed 204 lbs at his lightest. And the idea that he was a one-handed fighter gets overblown. He could crack downstairs with both hands quite well.

That's why he was only ever beaten by two men in his career, Ali and Foreman. Those are two legends so there's no shame in that.