Prime Ali vs Prime Marciano: Who wins?

[travestyny]

As regards to Marciano vs Frazier weight actually is meaningful. You have one guy who was never lighter than 203 lbs against a guy whose best fighting weight was 185 lbs.

A good big man almost always beats a good smaller man. Advantage Frazier.

There are videos on YouTube showing Marciano's skills but that alone doesn't mean anything...there are also videos showing Smokin' Joe's technical abilities as well. Defensively he was better than Rocky, becoming very difficult to hit clean under Eddie Futch's tutelage.

Awesome video. Thanks for sharing, bruv!

[HOUDINI563]

That’s completely untrue. There is a 100 plus year of boxing history to look back upon. A 17 pound weight difference in the hwt division at an elite level is meaningless.

Frazier’s inability to use his right hand to good effect would be crippling against most any prime ATG hwt champion. This was a huge defect.

Fraziers defense was much easier to time than Marciano. Much more predictable. Frazier also tended to not close distance quickly and get hit on his way in as a result.

Joe himself stated his right hand was poor. He also stated his legs were slow.

Joes only advantage over Marciano was hand speed.

[QueensburyRules]

--- Size matters, hence 17 weight classes and uncounted catchweights and incessant calls to further split the heavy division.

As to skills, lotta overlap in Rocky and Frazier skills. The fact that a no hope Euro like Rudy Lubbers could take it to Ali with impunity leads me to conclude Ali was always gonna be troubled by a short, crouching style enhanced by good power and chin not to mention self belief.

[johnbook]

--- Size matters, hence 17 weight classes and uncounted catchweights and incessant calls to further split the heavy division.

As to skills, lotta overlap in Rocky and Frazier skills. The fact that a no hope Euro like Rudy Lubbers could take it to Ali with impunity leads me to conclude Ali was always gonna be troubled by a short, crouching style enhanced by good power and chin not to mention self belief.

What trouble?

Sure looks like Ali just wanted the workout.

[johnbook]

Rudie Lubbers found "homeless in the wilderness." It says Ali had a bad right hand when they fought. That explains it.

[ShoulderRoll]

That’s completely untrue. There is a 100 plus year of boxing history to look back upon. A 17 pound weight difference in the hwt division at an elite level is meaningless.

Frazier’s inability to use his right hand to good effect would be crippling against most any prime ATG hwt champion. This was a huge defect.

Fraziers defense was much easier to time than Marciano. Much more predictable. Frazier also tended to not close distance quickly and get hit on his way in as a result.

Joe himself stated his right hand was poor. He also stated his legs were slow.

Joes only advantage over Marciano was hand speed.

Frazier had an exceptional career for being a supposed one-handed fighter. That "defect" certainly didn't cripple him against the great Ali.

You and I seem to share the same thoughts on many of the old time fighters. But on this one I guess we are just going to have to disagree and be on opposite sides of the fence.

[HOUDINI563]

The facts are the facts. Frazier HIMSELF stated his right hand was a work in progress as late as before his bout with Ali in 75. Frazier HIMSELF stated his legs were slow. These were very well understood defects of Frazier’s abilities during his time. Of course he overcame these defects via his ATG will to win, determination and killer instinct. (although I don’t rate Joe as a top ten ATG).

I do believe Marciano vs Frazier would be a war while it lasted. Joes hook against a fighter who fought lower and smaller would be greatly nullified while Marciano’s right hand would land all night. Marciano’s right beats Joes hook to the punch for the KO win in ten hard fought rounds.

[LoadedWraps]

As regards to Marciano vs Frazier weight actually is meaningful. You have one guy who was never lighter than 203 lbs against a guy whose best fighting weight was 185 lbs.

A good big man almost always beats a good smaller man. Advantage Frazier.

There are videos on YouTube showing Marciano's skills but that alone doesn't mean anything...there are also videos showing Smokin' Joe's technical abilities as well. Defensively he was better than Rocky, becoming very difficult to hit clean under Eddie Futch's tutelage.

Rock would land a clean right hand right on Fraziers forehead in the middle of a weave that would put him down on his culo and have him questioning his career in boxing at that very moment.

Ali would be in trouble, he wouldn't be able to slow Rock down, and his legs would be taken away early by Marcianos other-worldly body work.

[YunG_Fighter]

Ali would dance around Marciano.

[ShoulderRoll]

Rock would land a clean right hand right on Fraziers forehead in the middle of a weave that would put him down on his culo and have him questioning his career in boxing at that very moment.

Ali would be in trouble, he wouldn't be able to slow Rock down, and his legs would be taken away early by Marcianos other-worldly body work.

There are few fighters as overrated as Marciano is in my opinion.

To some people he wins every mythical matchup you can think of. But boxing cognoscenti in his day didn't regard him as highly as the current generation seems to, they would never rank him above Jack Dempsey for example.

I tend to trust their opinions and my eyes. So I just call it as I see it.