Does anyone else believe that Rocky Marciano's record was not exactly "so special"?

[MELLY-MEL...]

49-0 is 49-0..its not like he fought bums..he fought everyone there was to fight

bingo!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dondi330]

Dammit, where is that guy. There was an old article of a guy who said, Marciano's opponents were badly beaten before they got in the ring with him.

Id like to see that article!
I have always felt that it was a strong possibility that they influenced alot of his fights.
I mean seriously and realistically, in my life time I have never seen certain ethnic groups dominate a certain sport and NEVER do it again. Makes one wonder.
I mean Jordan dominates, but before him black men dominated the sport and after still do.
Hockey dominated by whites in general, before Wayne Gretzky and afterwards, and we can go on and on.
An Italian dominates and never again(but dominates during the late 40's and 50's) during the Italian Mafias worst and strongest eras) and in the East Coast mostly New York and Rhode Island cmon!

[dondi330]

Marciano was a good fighter, but not the spectactular wrecking ball his fans make him out to be.

He's been dropped by smaller men (Former Middleweight Archie Moore), older men (Jersey Joe Walcott), and damn near finished off by journeymen (Ted Lowry).

He only gets his accolades because of his "0".

I'd pick Frazier, Tyson, Liston, Foreman, Shavers, Norton, Holmes, Ali, Louis (prime, not the prehistoric version Marciano mopped up), and a ton of others over him any day of the week.

Most of them would knock the **** out of him, to be quite honest.

I agree.

bingo!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not very realistic are you?

[larry x]

Marciano was a good fighter, but not the spectactular wrecking ball his fans make him out to be.

He's been dropped by smaller men (Former Middleweight Archie Moore), older men (Jersey Joe Walcott), and damn near finished off by journeymen (Ted Lowry).
He only gets his accolades because of his "0".

I'd pick Frazier, Tyson, Liston, Foreman, Shavers, Norton, Holmes, Ali, Louis (prime, not the prehistoric version Marciano mopped up), and a ton of others over him any day of the week.

Most of them would knock the **** out of him, to be quite honest.

but he got up everytime..thats what makes a champion

[ßringer]

I agree.

For real, Marciano vs. a prime version of any of the Heavyweights I mentioned above would be a fucking beatdown. Rocky would be dealt a clinical ass whippin' by any of those men, with the exception of possibly Spinks.

Wlad and Vitali would also annihilate and embarass him.

So would a ton of other guys I could name, but won't.

The list of Heavyweights who'd hand Rocky his ass on a silver platter is in the dozens.

[El Dominicano]

Id like to see that article!
I have always felt that it was a strong possibility that they influenced alot of his fights.
I mean seriously and realistically, in my life time I have never seen certain ethnic groups dominate a certain sport and NEVER do it again. Makes one wonder.
I mean Jordan dominates, but before him black men dominated the sport and after still do.
Hockey dominated by whites in general, before Wayne Gretzky and afterwards, and we can go on and on.
An Italian dominates and never again(but dominates during the late 40's and 50's) during the Italian Mafias worst and strongest eras) and in the East Coast mostly New York and Rhode Island cmon!

It was an article posted by a user on boxingscene. I can't believe I forgot his name, he doesn't post that often, a very unbiased Mayweather fan. Anyway, he talks about Roach alot if that is a clue

Really trying to remember

[ßringer]

but he got up everytime..thats what makes a chmpion

Yeah, he got up, and won.

Doesn't change the fact that a majority of the men he faced were born before they invented dirt, and even some of them managed to drop him and damn near finish him off.

Rocky had all he could handle with a Light Heavyweight Journeyman named Ted Lowry.

Glenn Johnson would probably knock his fucking block off.

[larry x]

im sorry 49-0 delt with adversity and still won..he deserves respect no matter who you believe can beat him...fact is..he was never defeated so he was doing something right

[Dynamite Kid]

Does anyone else believe that Rocky Marciano's record was not exactly "so special"?

Considering the records of his opponents, the ages of the great fighters he fought, and something I don't really hear people discuss too much.
The influence and strength of the Italian mafia during the time of his reign.
The Mafia was at its peak *strength* while Marciano was winning.

*Strength meaning they were ruling recklessly and not so silent. Killings, racketeering, extortion to loan-sharking, prostitution, drugs and alcohol, robbery, kidnapping, and murder. Makes one wonder if they had some influence in his fights.

I mean it is fine to forgive the negative and criminal actions of a people, but let us never forget.
This is not a hate thread, just a realistic viewpoint with definite possibilities to discuss.

I watched a preview to the Larry Holmes vs Carl Williams fight and at that point Holmes was close to breaking Marciano's record. Basically Holmes said he had been through Marciano's resume and discovered that some of the fights he had were not officially sanctioned fights, and that in effect he(Holmes) said he had technically already broken Marciano's record.

[ßringer]

im sorry 49-0 delt with adversity and still won..he deserves respect no matter who you believe can beat him...fact is..he was never defeated so he was doing something right

Yeah, fighting the mummified remains of a few once great fighters, and feasting on a slew of nobodies during his down time.