Prime Louis vs Prime Marciano

[Heckler]

Marciano is without a doubt a swarming fighter.

[RockyMarcianofan00]

Marciano is without a doubt a swarming fighter.

he swarmed but he wasn't a complete swarmer he was also a slugger

at times he looks like liston with a stance,

he was a swarmer/slugger

[Heckler]

He was a slugger but also a swarmer... he swarmed into his opponent from a low crouch usually. A 'swarmer' is generally someone that applies relentless pressure.

[Southpaw Stinger]

A 'swarmer' is generally someone that applies relentless pressure

Which Marciano did a lot of!

[SuzieQ49]

joe louis stops rocky marciano. i can see a sad worried allie columbo throwing in the towel to save his warrior of a friend from further punishment.

joe louis is the greatest heavyweight of all time. louis was still a good fighter when he fought rocky and it was a quakity win, but i saw louis try to do things on marciano in there fight that he would have done in there prime.

joe louis was the greatest puncher of all time, marciano wont be able to deal with joe louis handspeed and combinations on the inside.


i do think marciano would floor joe louis early in the fight though

[Brockton Lip]

Anyone have the full fight? I don't have the entire fight.

[QueensburyRules]

Just curious on your takes and critical analyses. This is not to contest either of their places in history, just a curiousity of styles making fights with both men at their best. Marciano at his best vs Louis at his best. Who wins: how, and why?

If this has been done before, apologies.

- -They always gave plenty of credit to each other as was the style of their era of ww2 vets, but when is their prime?

Joe has the hugely longer prime, so let's say Joe' last 5 fights before the war and Rocky's last 3 after the war.

Tough battle early favors Joe, but Rocky storms back with both hitting the canvas.

After that, Joe heavyhanded sharpshooting finally busts up Rock enough that the ref is forced to stop the fight.

[billeau2]

I don't know why it is so inconceviable to people that Louis would Ko Marciano. On paper Louis has the reach, the speed, the power and more weapons to throw. 'Rocky on the other hand is Rocky and that makes him very special.

If I go with my head on this one it seems pretty obvious that Louis would catch Marciano like one of the two strongest hitters in the division would (Dempsey the other one). When did Marciano ever take a punch like that before?

[DeeMoney]

I don't know why it is so inconceviable to people that Louis would Ko Marciano. On paper Louis has the reach, the speed, the power and more weapons to throw. 'Rocky on the other hand is Rocky and that makes him very special.

If I go with my head on this one it seems pretty obvious that Louis would catch Marciano like one of the two strongest hitters in the division would (Dempsey the other one). When did Marciano ever take a punch like that before?

Its somewhat a form of Denying the Antecedent- just because something hasn't happened they assume that it can't happen.

It happens all the time in sports: Michael Jordan never lost in the finals, so people assume he never would/could. Dan Marino never won a Superbowl, ergo he never would/could. Its asinine, but in a lot of people's minds its air tight logic.

Marciano was never knocked out, so in people's minds he never would/could be.

[billeau2]

Its somewhat a form of Denying the Antecedent- just because something hasn't happened they assume that it can't happen.

It happens all the time in sports: Michael Jordan never lost in the finals, so people assume he never would/could. Dan Marino never won a Superbowl, ergo he never would/could. Its asinine, but in a lot of people's minds its air tight logic.

Marciano was never knocked out, so in people's minds he never would/could be.

Green K. Great post. I agree and you explain it in a way that it can be clearly understood as a possible "blind spot" when we analyze these things.