Ali vs Marciano

[Pretty Boy1]

I think no one would touch a peak Ali. Joe Louis may make for a competitive fight, but like against any man, Ali's speed was too great, he'd dance for 15, popping and moving. Ali always had issues with short fighters with solid left hooks, cos he wasnt technically great (jab wasnt straight down the line etc). But such were his gifts of speed, heart and reflexes that he'd triumph.

What about a prime Mike Tyson? Would he touch a prime Ali?

[JAB5239]

the 70s version of ali faced better fighters. that's when ali had some of his greatest victories, after the exile.

also i agree that the 60s version of ali was hurt and dropped by lesser competition than rocky, but i could also use the arguement that the Rock was hurt by old faded fighters, who were also smaller. so that's something to think about.

Nice rebuttal counselor.

I think Marciano was more off balance than genuinely hurt by most of his knockdowns. On top of that he always cameback to win.

Im not trying to say Marciano would beat Ali, Only that he would give himself a very good shot of doing so. He came back from adversity to many times to just count him out in my opinion.

[Boogie Nights]

With an elbow...



You're right. Marciano could be the first to stop Ali....

didnt look like an elbow to me, just nice crisp punches.

marciano couldnt stop 40 something joe walcott for 12 rounds, before joe became a stationary target

[fight_professor]

What about a prime Mike Tyson? Would he touch a prime Ali?

Hell no. Mike was a bully, I am a fan, but he dominated folks psychologically. Ali would destroy him with mind games like he did any one who went down that path. Ali would just dance, like v Liston or Foley, and frustrate Mike behind the jab. Many cats arent clued to the fact that Ali had 2 different types of jab, one was like a patter, gauging and marking, the other a hard punch in the face.

After a few rounds of missing, MT gets vexed, and implodes. Ali by KO in the latter rounds.

No doubt in my mind, in Larry Holmes mind or Angelo Dundee's mind.

[Pretty Boy1]

Hell no. Mike was a bully, I am a fan, but he dominated folks psychologically. Ali would destroy him with mind games like he did any one who went down that path. Ali would just dance, like v Liston or Foley, and frustrate Mike behind the jab. Many cats arent clued to the fact that Ali had 2 different types of jab, one was like a patter, gauging and marking, the other a hard punch in the face.

After a few rounds of missing, MT gets vexed, and implodes. Ali by KO in the latter rounds.

No doubt in my mind, in Larry Holmes mind or Angelo Dundee's mind.

Can't argue with you there! Ali would be too fast and smart for him and Tyson would get rather frustrated, then I would fear for Ali's ears!!

[Hester65]

didnt look like an elbow to me, just nice crisp punches.

marciano couldnt stop 40 something joe walcott for 12 rounds, before joe became a stationary target

It was an elbow from an uppercut that grazed his nose.

Walcott was 38, not 40 something. Marciano was never tired in any fight, at any time. You say Ali could tire him because there's a first for everything, so I can say Marciano could stop Ali because there's a first for everything.

[fight_professor]

If it was possible to take Tyson's natural gifts of power and speed, and pair them with Frazier's heart, such a fighter would be the best match for Ali. He'd have the extra speed and power JF lacked, and the heart that Tyson lacked.

Futch in the corner, to strategize.

Joe Louis would give Ali a great fight too.

[fight_professor]

It was an elbow from an uppercut that grazed his nose.

Marciano was never tired in any fight, at any time. You say Ali could tire him because there's a first for everything, so I can say Marciano could stop Ali because there's a first for everything.

Tell me how Marciano would beat a peak Ali. Lay out the strategy for me.

[Hester65]

Tell me how Marciano would beat a peak Ali. Lay out the strategy for me.

Read my first post. I said Rocky would get beat by decision. I was simply typing back exactly what Boogie typed first; a factless opinion.

[Boogie Nights]

It was an elbow from an uppercut that grazed his nose.

Walcott was 38, not 40 something. Marciano was never tired in any fight, at any time. You say Ali could tire him because there's a first for everything, so I can say Marciano could stop Ali because there's a first for everything.

the records of walcott's birth date were said to be inacurate, which was said about a lot of fighters in those days. Walcott could, or could not have been past 40. The theory was pointed to that he was.The point being, he was still an old man, who was in the stages of his last couple of fights. In fact the rocky rematch was his last.

i think it's more believeable to say that Ali had a better chance of stopping rocky, than the other way around. Rocky's chin was pretty good, but he was never hit by foreman, shavers, or frazier. Even in later stages of his career Ali proved that he could tangle with pressure fighters like bonavena, frazier and norton. rocky didnt bring nothing to the table that ali havent seen.

rocky could be cut, aside from walcott, he never fought anyone who used fast combination punching.