Would Rocky Marciano be considered an All-Time Great if not for his record?

[neils7147933]

That question doesn't make any sense. A record isn't just arbitrary numbers split by a dash. It can't change without his fights having changed.

So yeah, if he had lost a bunch of fights, his legacy would be less.

That's what I was thinking when I saw the thread title...

[butterfly1964]

He wasn't the best, I don't know who would say that, but he is without any doubt ONE of the best. Only a complete hater would rank him outside of the top ten at heavyweight.

Are you calling me a hater?

[Kid Achilles]

If you don't consider Marciano a top ten heavyweight then yes.

[hollister]

Just to clear up, towards the end of the Walcott fight he was coming on very strong and if you watch closely he was landing alot of shots of Walcott eve while he was trying to use the ring. So yeah Marciano took a beating in that fight, but he didn't take a beating all the way up until he landed that right hand, I'd say the last two or three rounds he was doing very well for a guy who probably couldn't see much.

[Kid Achilles]

Right, it was no lucky punch. Marciano was coming on strong, and even if he didn't land that punch he would have likely KO'ed Walcott somewhere in the 13th-15th round.