Prime Ali vs Prime Marciano: Who wins?

[JimEarl]

It's a cruiserweight vs a prime (I'm assuming) adaptable in style heavyweight. But with that said I wouldn't be at all surprised at a classic matchup between these two everything already said considered.

[LoadedWraps]

It's a cruiserweight vs a prime (I'm assuming) adaptable in style heavyweight. But with that said I wouldn't be at all surprised at a classic matchup between these two everything already said considered.

You can call Rocky a cruiser looking at it by today's standards weight wise, but the man was a cerebral fighter and had power in both hands that most HW fighters will never have in one. The man was a phenom.

[The Old LefHook]

Marciano did not melt many men with one punch. There is the one famous one, upon which so much of his legacy as a powerful puncher rests. No doubt he had great power. I do not see him lift fat men off their feet with body puches, though, like Louis did. What made Marciano's punch remarakable was that he could still throw it at its hardest late in the fight. He had that kind of stamina.

[them_apples]

Yes, it'd be a great fight. You only have to watch Ali vs Chuvalo 1 to realise how good it could be. Prime Ali wasn't always super mobile or elusive.

Marciano brings similar pace to Frazier but a much more effective right hand.

Ali himself said that Marciano could possibly have been his most difficult opponent, he was impressed by even the old Rocky in their simulated computer fight sparring sessions.

I personally think that Ali wins a decision or a late rounds stoppage on cuts. But it'd be exciting and certainly competitive.

Ali vs chuvalo 1 was a complete and utter beat down, one of the most one sided beatings Ali ever dished out. Rocky moves his head more than Chuvalo so I am not saying this is how the fight would be played out.

[them_apples]

You can call Rocky a cruiser looking at it by today's standards weight wise, but the man was a cerebral fighter and had power in both hands that most HW fighters will never have in one. The man was a phenom.

I agree, and he was a cruiserweight in a day where you only trained down in weight, constantly trained for stamina as well. They wouldn't let a boxer touch weights or anything back then that put on useless mass. Rocky looked about 250 when he blew up and got fat, if not more - which is right on par with todays fatass heavyweights.

Rocky ran 12 miles a day in hill country, which offered him great stamina and recooperation, and kept his weight low. Most of the heavyweights today don't even do a 1/4 of that kind of road work. If Chris areola ran 12 miles every day he would be 200 lbs and 6'4. Just look at his hands and wrists. small. Not a big boned guy and not a lot of natural muscle mass like a Foreman or Tyson.

[LoadedWraps]

I agree, and he was a cruiserweight in a day where you only trained down in weight, constantly trained for stamina as well. They wouldn't let a boxer touch weights or anything back then that put on useless mass. Rocky looked about 250 when he blew up and got fat, if not more - which is right on par with todays fatass heavyweights.

Rocky ran 12 miles a day in hill country, which offered him great stamina and recooperation, and kept his weight low. Most of the heavyweights today don't even do a 1/4 of that kind of road work. If Chris areola ran 12 miles every day he would be 200 lbs and 6'4. Just look at his hands and wrists. small. Not a big boned guy and not a lot of natural muscle mass like a Foreman or Tyson.

[Deepgame]

Huge marciano fan but I have to go with ali, rocky had a similar style to sonny liston & to be honest I'm not sure rocky beats joe louis in joe's prime.

[LoadedWraps]

Huge marciano fan but I have to go with ali, rocky had a similar style to sonny liston & to be honest I'm not sure rocky beats joe louis in joe's prime.

If you were a Marciano fan you would know he is a deceptively slick fighter with a granite chin, a high ring IQ, and deadly power in both hands. He also had the conditioning of a horse. He would muscle Ali to the corner and savage him.

[Mr.MojoRisin']

Ali would rule the early rounds and depending whether or not Marciano could catch up in the later rounds would dictate a decision. No doubt that Marciano only has to land one clean punch to end the night for Ali. Ali has a chance of stopping Marciano on cuts but don't forget Marciano could play dirty as well and liked it when the going got rough.

[JadeaKallen]

Rocky Marciano had the fighting style to beat Muhammad Ali. Come forward, cut off the ring and go to the body then the head. He would struggle at first but if he could survive the first few rounds his superior stamina would turn things around.

If they fought after Ali's three and a half year break, Marciano would have an even better chance of winning as Ali had a tendency to get lazy as a fight wore on and allowed his opponents to work.

I don't think either could knock the other out. Marciano could win by decision. I think Five times out of ten Rocky would win.

George Foremen would destroy Rocky Marciano every time though.