Where Do You Place Rocky Marciano in Your Heavyweight Top 10?

[Holywarrior]

Luis
Ali
Holmes
Marciano
Johnson

Granted I can only go off documentaries, YT videos and just who I prefered stylistically, I'm not gonna pretend I was there to live the era for the earlier fighters. I love Joe Luis because of what he stood for for race and also Ali done a similar thing not too long ago after.

I try not to concentrate too much on resume and wins, I know alot of fighters back then came back to avenge losses and adversaries, and that can stand for more than keeping an 0.

I'm 23 so don't even worry about it, youtube vids are all we have these days (not a bad thing)

You didn't like Lennox?

[LoadedWraps]

Marciano is the GOAT.

Well said.

[MPX309]

I'm 23 so don't even worry about it, youtube vids are all we have these days (not a bad thing)

You didn't like Lennox?

Yeah I'm British, so naturally I love Lewis, and he's had a dominant position in the heavy weight for a long time, but I kinda see him as a different sorta fighter, I can't explain it.

Top 10/15 though

[Holywarrior]

I think he deserves more credit for beating Louis than he gets, and Louis is my favorite heavyweight. Obviously Louis wasn't prime when he fought him but he was still the favorite to win at the time and Marciano pulled off the upset.

I forgot to mention this. Louis was favored to win. That's how beloved he was.

[badnewsbrown]

He never fought a top fighter in his prime, so how can he be an ATG?

[bklynboy]

Nobody has these written down lists so they take a minute to think about it and then give you an answer. It's not like they carefully compared all the best heavyweights of the last 100 plus years with each other. I know I have never made these kinds of lists. I think he was probably one of the 15 best heavyweights of all time. I would also rate him the best light heavyweight of all time even though he never fought at that weight. Rocky often weighed in at 180 to 185 pounds in street clothes after a hearty breakfast. He could have weighed in striped down on an empty stomach and easily made 175.

Marciano usually walked around at around 200, same as Joe Louis. They trimmed down for a fight in way nobody at the heavyweight division does today. I saw pictures of Joe Louis looking hard at around 200 and his trainer Blackburn was trying to get another 5-8 pounds off. This was for a fight in the late 30s. After Schlemming and before Conn.

Marciano was 5'11'' - the same size as Tyson.

[Holywarrior]

Marciano usually walked around at around 200, same as Joe Louis. They trimmed down for a fight in way nobody at the heavyweight division does today. I saw pictures of Joe Louis looking hard at around 200 and his trainer Blackburn was trying to get another 5-8 pounds off. This was for a fight in the late 30s. After Schlemming and before Conn.

Marciano was 5'11'' - the same size as Tyson.

Tyson would kill Marciano. Literally in like 4 rounds IMO

[bklynboy]

You don't have Larry Holmes in your top 10??? That is absurd...

Back to topic, Marciano would be anywhere from 10-15 I'm not sure... I don't think anybody can criticize the Klitschkos for having a weak division then defend Rockys!

I agree that Marciano is in the 10-15 spot. It's true that the division after Archie Moore, Ezzard Charles, Joe Louis and Jersey Joe was weak. But even those older versions were damn good.

Jersey Joe was like Bernard Hopkins. He thought he would destroy Marciano and came out of the fight saying Marciano was much better than he thought he would be.

Re Larry Holmes - I think he's a sure TOP 10 heavyweight of all-time.

[bklynboy]

You just can't say, because he fought soooo many faded fighters.

He didn't just fight a faded Joe Louis, the guy was waaaaaay retired, and over the hill. And you didn't have any PEDS that has lead to this magical mexican old man boxing revival.

Frankly, Marciano fighting Joe Louis was a disgrace, and Rocky should be ashamed.

Marciano hit very hard, and had a great chin, but the Ali that fought Liston would've embarrassed him, schooled him. But then again, that Ali would've beaten anybody.

What are you talking about. Did you see the fight? Did you see the interview? Rocky was damn near crying about taking out his idol.

Rocky was closer to Joe Frazier fighter than you think. He would be hit (as Frazier was hit) but then what? He would hit you. I'm not saying he would beat Ali. I have Ali beating him but he wasn't a bum.

Louis wasn't out of shape. He fought 8 or 9 times in the two years leading up to the Marciano fight taking out ranked fighters along the way. Now was Joe Louis way past prime? Yes. But was he a bum. Hell no.

[bklynboy]

Tyson would kill Marciano. Literally in like 4 rounds IMO

I agree. Tyson is a BAD matchup for Marciano. Tyson would destroy Marciano. Marciano only lasts past the second round because of a great chin.

I just put in his size because people think he was a little guy. Well if he was little so was Tyson. In those days they trained to fight 15 hard rounds.