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Marciano was a/lot more elusive than people think. He emphasized his height (or lack thereof) with that awkward crouch of his.
The way he leaned backwards made it very hard to connect solidly with a right hand. Ali, even though they were play-acting for the most part in their "computer" fight, came out of the affair with a whole new respect for Marciano's ellusiveness as well as his punching power.
I do think Ali's longer reach and much faster hands would have allowed him to land the right where many fighters had difficulty; but I definitely do not think Muhammad would have had an easy go of it. Because of their styles, I think this fight would have resembled the Ali-Frazier clashes.
Marciano would force Ali to move even more than he wanted to because anytime Rock got in close, he would be punching and punching hard....and at anything he could hit.
Ali would build an early points lead; but by the middle rounds, he'd begin to tire a little and some down off of his toes, which would allow Marciano to get off. Over the middle and lager rounds,/Ali would be forced to throw some strong stuff in an attempt to keep Marciano off of him. This would result, I believe, in a severe laceration or two on Rocky's face.
While it is conceive able that Ali would knock the smaller man down, I can't see him keeping him there. What I do/think would happen isAli would target one of he cuts he opened with pinpoint accuracy until the ref had no option but to stop the contest.
This, I think would happen around the 13th in a helluva war.
The way he leaned backwards made it very hard to connect solidly with a right hand. Ali, even though they were play-acting for the most part in their "computer" fight, came out of the affair with a whole new respect for Marciano's ellusiveness as well as his punching power.
I do think Ali's longer reach and much faster hands would have allowed him to land the right where many fighters had difficulty; but I definitely do not think Muhammad would have had an easy go of it. Because of their styles, I think this fight would have resembled the Ali-Frazier clashes.
Marciano would force Ali to move even more than he wanted to because anytime Rock got in close, he would be punching and punching hard....and at anything he could hit.
Ali would build an early points lead; but by the middle rounds, he'd begin to tire a little and some down off of his toes, which would allow Marciano to get off. Over the middle and lager rounds,/Ali would be forced to throw some strong stuff in an attempt to keep Marciano off of him. This would result, I believe, in a severe laceration or two on Rocky's face.
While it is conceive able that Ali would knock the smaller man down, I can't see him keeping him there. What I do/think would happen isAli would target one of he cuts he opened with pinpoint accuracy until the ref had no option but to stop the contest.
This, I think would happen around the 13th in a helluva war.
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