I assume this is supposed to say: "Rocky gets beaten badly" as opposed to "Rocky beats Liston badly" :kidcool: Anyway I think Liston wins this one by decision.
Right. Forgot about this one, actually. The fight begins & ends (most likely) with Liston's jabs. I'm sorry to hit on a cliche, but this is the most important punch in Boxing, & so very few threw it any better, or with more commanding presence, than did Liston. While I subscribe to Joe Walcott's contention Marciano was at times much harder to hit clean than he is remembered, the fact remains he was, more often than not, punished for his lack of range, & need to penetrate ring real estate to do damage. It's an awful heavy price to pay when the man you're trying to slip is Liston. Too heavy for almost anyone. Beyond the jab, Liston's left hook was a punch on a level beyond anything Marciano ever had to shake off. His right hand --- the weaker --- well, one only needs watch what that did to Albert Westphal in 1961. It's shudder-inducing. Even at close-quarters, Liston was tremendously powerful, & would make life there difficult for Marciano with his brute strength. On the outside, where most of this fight would take place anyway, Liston is almost completely dominant, IMO. He was just too savage & too damaging when he had his man in available range, & there to be hit, to drop a fight to virtually anyone. This much, & one thing more --- I don't care what anyone says, Liston was one tough nut to crack. He had an excellent chin, & a proven tenacity to walk through firepower when he had to. I don't doubt a war of attrition would've favoured Marciano (his bone-breaking power would indeed damage Liston, & the latter didn't have the lungs or heart to out-gut Marciano down the stretch), but I can't ever see it getting that far. Liston TKO6 Marciano.
agreed, Liston is too tall, too strong, and his jab is too good and heavy to lose to marciano. and as you said, he had an excellent chin, good enough to withstand the occasionnal Marciano blows. What would be your opinion on a fight between marciano and Cleveland Williams, who was a fairly big and quick hw in his prime?
Williams was probably no better, in any real sense, than Rex Layne. A big, strong Heavyweight, with a punch & good finishing skills, but limited elsewhere. I would have to say Marciano outclasses Williams in a bruising battle through about eight rounds. It wouldn't be easy (it never was, if you were Marciano), but when two bangers go at it, I'll take the man with the better chin, conditioning, & grit. Marciano knocks out Williams, IMO. I would not be surprised if Marciano hit the deck early, though.
I think there's a gulf in athleticism and hand speed between Williams and Layne I think marciano has a good chance of beating him, cause williams tend to get really sloppy sometimes, but I would give a slight edge to williams
