Thread: What if Marciano hadn't retired?

If we say that Rock fought until 1959 which would have him retire at 36, and take out the management issues what fights were out there for him to make and how would he have faired? Obviously there is Patterson and Ingemar....Floyd is a great fighter but eventually would get his bell rung after out boxing Rock for several rounds...Ingemar was a slugger and would get KO'd inside two rounds....I think that Liston is to young, who else would have been there from 1955 to 1959 for Marciano to fight, and how is was there anyone out there that could have put an L on his record?

Originally Posted by VanChilds

If we say that Rock fought until 1959 which would have him retire at 36, and take out the management issues what fights were out there for him to make and how would he have faired? Obviously there is Patterson and Ingemar....Floyd is a great fighter but eventually would get his bell rung after out boxing Rock for several rounds...Ingemar was a slugger and would get KO'd inside two rounds....I think that Liston is to young, who else would have been there from 1955 to 1959 for Marciano to fight, and how is was there anyone out there that could have put an L on his record?

I don't really see an "L"...maybe a 58-0 record......but remember he didn't retire because he was even remotely fading...he retired because his wife made him.....

Rocky would ahve stopped everyone until he ran into a young Sonny Liston, who would have been too strong and too big. What a fight but remember Rocky could have made light-heavyweight and Liston was a monster.

whenever i think of rocky i think of those crushing double left hooks he threw... man was that a shot...

i have no idea if he would or wouldnt have lost though... probably not he was a young 36 he didnt start boxing until real late... so he could have fought in his prime 3 more years...

his mom gave him h*ll for boxing too....

Originally Posted by Fire

whenever i think of rocky i think of those crushing double left hooks he threw... man was that a shot...

i have no idea if he would or wouldnt have lost though... probably not he was a young 36 he didnt start boxing until real late... so he could have fought in his prime 3 more years...

his mom gave him h*ll for boxing too....

you're riht on about that....His mother and wife did the old double team action on him...he was constantly being hasseled about it....that takes something out of you....

He might have had too many problems with Floyd's speed and ability to punch. Marciano had been put down a few times, and he had been outboxed a few times. I also think Marciano would have been destroyed by Liston.

Originally Posted by Taeth

He might have had too many problems with Floyd's speed and ability to punch. Marciano had been put down a few times, and he had been outboxed a few times. I also think Marciano would have been destroyed by Liston.

Agreed Patterson had some of the fastest hands ever in hw history very underrated speed but his chin was made of glass Patterson would be able to outbox Marciano for few rounds but then he would be koed while ahead on points but imo Liston would destory Marciano his jab and overall boxing skills i think are way too much for Marciano.

Originally Posted by Big Jack

Rocky would ahve stopped everyone until he ran into a young Sonny Liston, who would have been too strong and too big. What a fight but remember Rocky could have made light-heavyweight and Liston was a monster.

I agree with that Big Jack cc for the good post.

Oooo thats a good what if.... maybe a rematch with Archie Moore. The only other few I can think of around then he didnt beat up already were Patterson, Liston, Johanssen, Zora Folley, and maybe Maxim. I think he would have beat them all because they were pretty young at that time Liston and Pattersone would have given him good fights. Imagine the bombs in Marciano Vs. Liston, thats a hard fight to pick theyre both brawlers with that one shot power.

So outside of Patterson, Ingemar and a very young Liston is there anyone else from 56-59 that he would have fought...what at about LHW who was at the top of the food chain at LHW in those years?

Originally Posted by VanChilds

If we say that Rock fought until 1959 which would have him retire at 36, and take out the management issues what fights were out there for him to make and how would he have faired? Obviously there is Patterson and Ingemar....Floyd is a great fighter but eventually would get his bell rung after out boxing Rock for several rounds...Ingemar was a slugger and would get KO'd inside two rounds....I think that Liston is to young, who else would have been there from 1955 to 1959 for Marciano to fight, and how is was there anyone out there that could have put an L on his record?

Obviously Rocky saw an L coming
Probably Patterson with his superior reach,maybe Johanson with his similar style and superior power

Originally Posted by Trainer Monkey

Originally Posted by VanChilds

If we say that Rock fought until 1959 which would have him retire at 36, and take out the management issues what fights were out there for him to make and how would he have faired? Obviously there is Patterson and Ingemar....Floyd is a great fighter but eventually would get his bell rung after out boxing Rock for several rounds...Ingemar was a slugger and would get KO'd inside two rounds....I think that Liston is to young, who else would have been there from 1955 to 1959 for Marciano to fight, and how is was there anyone out there that could have put an L on his record?

Obviously Rocky saw an L coming
Probably Patterson with his superior reach,maybe Johanson with his similar style and superior power

Floyds longer reach lol
For the record Rocky even to this date has the shortest reach of any heavyweight champ , so any future oponant was lickly to have longer reach

Originally Posted by Big Jack

Rocky would ahve stopped everyone until he ran into a young Sonny Liston, who would have been too strong and too big. What a fight but remember Rocky could have made light-heavyweight and Liston was a monster.

Yeah, Rocky would have walked through Patterson and Johannsen ........ Cleveland Williams could have given him some problems, though as well?

I think Liston was the first 'modern heavyweight' in terms oif size and skill.

Liston wasn't very young in the late 50s. It's been a matter of some debate as to how old he really was when he fought Clay/Ali, but if anything was thought to have been older rather than younger. In the late 50s, he would have been at least in his mid to late twenties (he was born in 1932 according to boxrec), and had defeated the likes of Cleveland Williams and I think Folley etc. He would have been old enough and experienced enough to have taken on Marciano.

Like others, I would have favoured him over the Rock. I know it's heresy to some, but I think Marciano's record if you consider quality at the top level isn't so impressive. He fought an ageing Walcott in his (Marciano's) 43rd fight to take the title, and was behind until the (admittedly great) knockout. He only made six defences, of which one was against Walcott, and three were against ageing, blown-up lightheavies (Charles x 2, and Moore).

I say RObinson goes up to heavyweight and beats him.