Top 10 all-time 185 lb. fighters?

[marbleheadmaui]

I think a prime Ezzard Charles could have given Rocky some trouble and what if Joe Louis starved himself to get down to that weight.

A prime Charles would slap him silly. Marciano arguably fought in the weakest hev division in boxing history. By today's standards, that pretty lame. Its not his fault but it is what it is. Moore was essentially shot, Charles was terribly battle worn and Walcott was what 42, 43, 44? Nobody knows but he was waxing Marciano before Suzi Q saw the open door.

Ftr I think what Marciano did was great but objectivity if applied would suggest that theirs probably 20 or more light-heavyweights post Marciano with a good shot at beating him let alone some of those from his own era.

Geeze I'd like to see that list.

Harold Johnson was great but little reason to thinjk his chin was good enough.
Willie Pastrano might have had a shot, but man he could do nothing to discourage the Rock.
Jose Torres was stopped by the Ox. Now he was a great puncher, but he was a middleweight. No shot.
I love Dick Tiger but come on.
Bob Foster has a shot, but his chin never held up against the big boys.
John Conteh? He has a shot. Very slick guy. He'd be on his bike all night.
Victor Galindez? Bye bye Victor.
Saad Muhammad. I love the guy but everybody hit him and I see no reason to believe he could take it. But he could keep the Rock honest.
Marvin Johnson? Hit hard enough to keep Rocky honest. Be a brawl as long as it lasted.
Qawi. It'd be a bloodbath but this is a bad matchup for Qawi.
Spinks. He'd win every round until Rocky knocked him out.
Virgil Hill. Next.
Evander. The toughest matchup for the Rock on this list I think.
Roy Jones. Jones would win the first 5-6 rounds. Then he'd make on of his routine footwork mistakes and he'd wake up three weeks later.
Darius. Good fight, Rocky wears him out and stops him late.
Calzaghe. I think this is a better matchup than most would say. Calzaghe is a tough guy and he could punch and was an extraordinary athlete. But how does he stop Rocky from coming? Can he cut him?
BHOP. No shot. Not active enough.

I mean I'd favor Rocky in every one of those fights except Evander.

Give me a few to ponder I mean seriously I think Harmon, Hall, Tarver, Griffin and Johnson would give him issues.

Anyway lets assume prime in all hypothetical.

I'm drawing a complete blank on "Harmon." Help?
Griffin as in Montell Griffin? That looks to me like a three round fight.
Richard Hall certainly had the height and wingspan to be a problem and I'm scratching my head to remember if the Rock rant into a competent southpaw. But Hall used to just run out of steam didn't he? Wouldn't Rock pressure him into exhaustion? I don't have great Hall memories though.
Tarver has the long lefty thing going but has he ever been active enough to win rounds against a guy like Marciano?

[Mr140]

Tell you the truth think Evander would knock him out or stop him by cuts. Rocky's a tad overrated his era was the worst there every was in the history of the heavyweights all his wins or against shot fighters.

[greynotsoold]

I don't know if it would be true to say that everybody Marciano fought was shot...Coming into their fight Kid Mathews was on a 51 fight win streak. LaStarza was 37-0 in the first fight, 53-3 in the second. Rex Layne had gone 17-0-2 coming to fight Marciano. Moore went 37-3-1 after that fight, losing to Ali and Patterson. The third fight, in Italy, I don't know that he tried to win that fight, but he certainly tried in the rematch in New York, for $100,000.
For the life of me I can't figure out why Holyfield is considered so good. Tough guy, a lot of heart. Mediocre puncher, pretty good left hook, so easy to hit, and, other than the first Tyson fight, never too smart in the ring.

[Mr140]

If Holyfeild fought in Rockys time he would of destroyed the comp. If Rocky was in his era i can't say the same not sure if your old or just favor older fighters. Just seem to me that you overrate the past a tad to much. i mean in ever post of yours seems favor the older generation might just be me.

[generalbulldog]

If Holyfield could take power shots from Foreman, Tyson, Bowe, Lewis, I say he can take Rocky's power. As someone pointed out Holyfield can do extremely well in Rocky's era, but do you see Rocky competing in Holyfield's era? Rocky against Tyson, Bowe, lewis, old Foreman, etc. I don't think he can take anyone of them.

[Mr140]

People you mention grey were nobodies the only named fighters he beat were shot to shit. The one in the best shape was Wallcot and his ass was like a 1000 years old by then and he almost won.

[brocktonblockbust]

Arnold Raymond Cream (January 31, 1914 – February 25, 1994), better known as Jersey Joe Walcott, was a world heavyweight boxing champion.

That means in September 1952 when Marciano beat his ass, he was 38 years old.
George Foreman, let's remember, won the title at 46. 38 years old is not a spring chicken by any means, but ......

[brocktonblockbust]

it aint 1000 years odl, and it aint 41, 42, 43 years old either. Get real.

[Mr140]

They were never sure of the real date of his birth if you read the bio most said he was older.

[Mr140]

Also Foreman was hell a better fighter then Wallcot anyhow i didn't even bring Foreman up dude.

[greynotsoold]

I don't know that Holyfield would have done well in Marciano's era. He got knocked out by Toney, who handled him very easily, very one-sided fight. Yes, Holyfield was 40 but Toney was 35, and a fat middleweight to boot. After the fight Evander said he would never have beaten Toney because he couldn't figure out how to hit him. Bill Miller, he trained Toney from early on, was a disciple of the Ezzard Charles/Archie Moore/Walcott style of fighting.
Or look at it this way...put a 40 year old Evander (ko'd by Toney, easily) against 40 year old Archie Moore, who dropped Marciano and gave him a tough fight, and then went 37-3-1, defending the LHW title and fighting for the HW title. Or a 36 year old Moore against a 36 year old Ali, or the Walcott that fought Marciano against the Ali that fought Berbick. Same age.
I definitely have a bias towards old fighters because they were better fighters. The trainers were better and they were able to fight more often, which I am sure todays fighters would do, if there were opportunity to fight twice a month.

[generalbulldog]

I don't know that Holyfield would have done well in Marciano's era. He got knocked out by Toney, who handled him very easily, very one-sided fight. Yes, Holyfield was 40 but Toney was 35, and a fat middleweight to boot. After the fight Evander said he would never have beaten Toney because he couldn't figure out how to hit him. Bill Miller, he trained Toney from early on, was a disciple of the Ezzard Charles/Archie Moore/Walcott style of fighting.
Or look at it this way...put a 40 year old Evander (ko'd by Toney, easily) against 40 year old Archie Moore, who dropped Marciano and gave him a tough fight, and then went 37-3-1, defending the LHW title and fighting for the HW title. Or a 36 year old Moore against a 36 year old Ali, or the Walcott that fought Marciano against the Ali that fought Berbick. Same age.
I definitely have a bias towards old fighters because they were better fighters. The trainers were better and they were able to fight more often, which I am sure todays fighters would do, if there were opportunity to fight twice a month.

HW champions back then just like today hardly fought more than twice a year at most 3 times a year once they achieve championship status just like this era unlike the lower weight classes. They sure as hell didn't fight twice a month. And why are you using a 40 year old HOlyfield as your argument as an example that he couldn't hang in Rocky's era? Holyfield was pretty much done at that age. Some guys age more well than others.

The point being ROcky fought a lot of past their prime or shot guys. Joe Louis was 37 and shot. Those other guys like Walcott were in their late 30s with lots of wear and tear, no where near prime. So no it's not an exaggeration that Marciano fought old and shot fighters. That's why his career isn't so impressive compared to say a Ali who was the definition of a modern era HW.

[IamInuit]

Arnold Raymond Cream (January 31, 1914 – February 25, 1994), better known as Jersey Joe Walcott, was a world heavyweight boxing champion.

That means in September 1952 when Marciano beat his ass, he was 38 years old.
George Foreman, let's remember, won the title at 46. 38 years old is not a spring chicken by any means, but ......

Look nobody knew how old Walcott was at the time. His date of birth is even dubious. Fact is he lied all the time about his age. And get real. He never beat Walcotts ass. He was getting his head kicked in until he landed Suzi.

[IamInuit]

I think a prime Ezzard Charles could have given Rocky some trouble and what if Joe Louis starved himself to get down to that weight.

A prime Charles would slap him silly. Marciano arguably fought in the weakest hev division in boxing history. By today's standards, that pretty lame. Its not his fault but it is what it is. Moore was essentially shot, Charles was terribly battle worn and Walcott was what 42, 43, 44? Nobody knows but he was waxing Marciano before Suzi Q saw the open door.

Ftr I think what Marciano did was great but objectivity if applied would suggest that theirs probably 20 or more light-heavyweights post Marciano with a good shot at beating him let alone some of those from his own era.

Geeze I'd like to see that list.

Harold Johnson was great but little reason to thinjk his chin was good enough.
Willie Pastrano might have had a shot, but man he could do nothing to discourage the Rock.
Jose Torres was stopped by the Ox. Now he was a great puncher, but he was a middleweight. No shot.
I love Dick Tiger but come on.
Bob Foster has a shot, but his chin never held up against the big boys.
John Conteh? He has a shot. Very slick guy. He'd be on his bike all night.
Victor Galindez? Bye bye Victor.
Saad Muhammad. I love the guy but everybody hit him and I see no reason to believe he could take it. But he could keep the Rock honest.
Marvin Johnson? Hit hard enough to keep Rocky honest. Be a brawl as long as it lasted.
Qawi. It'd be a bloodbath but this is a bad matchup for Qawi.
Spinks. He'd win every round until Rocky knocked him out.
Virgil Hill. Next.
Evander. The toughest matchup for the Rock on this list I think.
Roy Jones. Jones would win the first 5-6 rounds. Then he'd make on of his routine footwork mistakes and he'd wake up three weeks later.
Darius. Good fight, Rocky wears him out and stops him late.
Calzaghe. I think this is a better matchup than most would say. Calzaghe is a tough guy and he could punch and was an extraordinary athlete. But how does he stop Rocky from coming? Can he cut him?
BHOP. No shot. Not active enough.

I mean I'd favor Rocky in every one of those fights except Evander.

Give me a few to ponder I mean seriously I think Harmon, Hall, Tarver, Griffin and Johnson would give him issues.

Anyway lets assume prime in all hypothetical.

I'm drawing a complete blank on "Harmon." Help?
Griffin as in Montell Griffin? That looks to me like a three round fight.
Richard Hall certainly had the height and wingspan to be a problem and I'm scratching my head to remember if the Rock rant into a competent southpaw. But Hall used to just run out of steam didn't he? Wouldn't Rock pressure him into exhaustion? I don't have great Hall memories though.
Tarver has the long lefty thing going but has he ever been active enough to win rounds against a guy like Marciano?

Derrick Harmon and I 'll stick to my original list of guys that have a shot. Damn even Greb was almost as tall and had a longer reach. I realize most guys he beat were taller with longer reaches but the star players he beat were no longer as bright as they once were.

[Mr140]

Grey you crack me up dude brining up Holyfeild in his 40's like that means anything. The man had stiff hart and hep b by then he had quite a few health problems. A prime Holyfeild and i still stick by this crushes the era Rocky was in and goes on to break his record because he fight longer.