The legendary trainer Eddie Futch once said:
"Muhammad Ali was a great performer and great fighter.
But like most great fighters he had a flaw. They do things
a certain way for so long that when you start to take advantage
of that flaw they can't drop the habit. I knew this about Ali. He pulled straight back from his punches. And I know he did not like
to throw uppercuts. When he threw one he had no way to escape the
counter punch. Now, he was so quick that most fighters couldn't
take advantage of it. Ali didn't throw the uppercut often, but when
he did he threw it standing straight up. That left him defenseless.
To entice Ali, I made Joe get lower, to get into a deeper crouch.
That forced Ali to throw the uppercut. Then I told Joe to go over
the top of the uppercut with the left hook."
-Due to Ali's quickness Frazier's team (Durham and Futch) devised a
sound stragety to solely focus on the body, rarely going to the head.
Based on the Ali-Frazier fight went, round for round, it's safe to assume
that The Brockton Blockbuster in his prime, could have beaten the Ali of
March 8th, 1971. Why?
#1- Marciano crouched lower than Frazier; Marciano could have just as easily duplicated the strategy team Frazier done---plus would have received less shots back, as this would have made Marciano far more difficult to hit. Marcinao was EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO HIT. Archie Moore, one of best all-time punchers said that Marciano was the first fighter he ever fought who he just could not land the left hook on.
#2- Marciano's left hook was one of his greatest weapons, though vastly under rated in comparison to his right which was the main KO punch; take a look at the double left hook that knocked Matthews out into unconsciousness, it was almost as good as Frazier's.
#3- Marciano's body attack was extraordinary. Roland LaStarza himself stated that after the second fight he had with Marciano he "...urinated blood after the fight and for the next whole day and night.". Marciano's vicious body attack is one of the ATG ring assaults; even Ali during the filming of the computer fight said "my whole body ached the next day from this 45 year old fella, and ours wasn't even a real fight." Or if that don't suit your fancy, remember how Marciano's body attack made sparring partner Tommy "Hurricane" Jackson hit the canvas and vomit. Jackson stated that he would never fight Marciano in a real fight under ANY conditions after that.
#4- Conditioning. The LONGEST Joe Frazier ever trained was 8 weeks, for the Thrilla in Manila. Marciano on the other hand, usually trained 4-6 months for much lesser opponents than Ali. It is therefore possible and logical that he would have trained not only his hardest, but longest [maybe 8-10 months] against "The Greatest". Joe was just simply not conditioned enough to have done so, to take that sort of initiative.
#5- Don't worry none about Marciano not being able to cope with Ali's punch rate, Marciano on average threw 85-90 punches a round, and it was not unusual to see him throw 100-110! Again, conditioning plays a role, Marciano NEVER tired! In his first fight
with Ezzard Charles, there was only ONE clinch in 15 rounds, a tactic that was forced by Ezzard Charles! If Ali was tired against Frazier, and Frazier tired against Ali, it's possible Marciano wouldn't have been tired against either man.
#9- Power. Marciano's punching prowess was clearly beyond Frazier's and it never dissipated. He hit just as hard as he did in the first as he would in the last; he could lose every single round, bloody beyond repair, and somehow be able to pull the KO out of his ass to win the fight. If Frazier could hurt this version of Ali, drop him for several "no counts" and an official count in the 15th and NOT FINISH HIM OFF, it's logical to assume Marciano not only could do the same---but more!
#11- No disrespect to Joe Frazier, but if you take away the Ali fights, his greatest wins were over Buster Mathis, Jimmy Ellis, Jerry Quarry, George Chuvalo, Bob Foster and Oscar Bonavena. Is there any doubt that Marciano couldn't beat the same men Frazier did? Compare Mathis and Ellis to Walcott and Charles, Foster to Moore...you can't, not really, considering Walcott and Charles even at that stage of their careers probably could have defeated Ellis and Mathis, Foster was a great LHW but nowhere near Moore's ability and toughness in the HW ranks. Marciano, in essence, would be Frazier's equal, if not superior.
In essence, the Marciano who peaked in 1952-1956, would have defeated the Ali of the March 8th, 1971 "Fight of The Century". Most Ali experts, fans and supporters would say that Marciano couldn't even knock out this version of Ali---and while this bares some truth as Frazier couldn't, Foreman, etc, the reality is all these details combined with the fact that neither man wasn't in top form and condition (Ali/Frazier) and how Frazier played patty fingers through the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th rounds rather than take more initiative---it is NOT out of the relm of possibility that Marciano could have hurt Ali, dropped him enough times that the referee would have seriously considered whether it was really in Ali's best interest to keep taking more.
The flaws against Marciano? Getting cut. If the "washed up" Ali could cut Quarry, the feat could be duplicated again against the Rock. What of his reach? I personally think if Marciano crouched as low as he done, made Ali throw the uppercuts, he still would have connected, as Ali's infighting was just as vulnerable as his inept abilities to get away, to defend the counter after throwing an uppercut.
Besides, Marciano would have hit ANYWHERE he possibly could non-stop, Ali no doubt couldn't stop to think or defend but try to get away and use the jab. PLus, Ali couldn't dance for 15 rounds anymore, those days were gone forever. All he could do is take it and hope to find a way out of his predicament. His own toughness and ability to improvise in even the most difficult of situations helped him edge by many of his later opponents.
How about the rope a dope? It certainly didn't work for Ali against Frazier in the first fight, and the same trick most certainly didn't help Roland LaStarza in the second fight he had with Marciano. Too conditioned, too much power. If Ali continued to stay in that position, he'd eventually get seriously hurt, his arms would break, if not blood vessels burst and the limbs become useless, just like LaStarza.
Prediction?
Ali loses via decision to Rocky Marciano; Marciano seals the victory by not only being the aggressor throughout, but winning 8 rounds to Ali's 6 with 1 round even. Marciano manages to drop Ali twice in the last round, the first a no count, the second a count of 5. Marciano has two deep gashes around his eyes and swollen badly, the fight almost halted in the 14th due to them.
Compare the Ali-Frazier round system scores with Frazier winning at least 10 rounds, the 8-6-1 scores on Marciano-Ali is rather generous, but considering how the Ali fanatics say Marciano was much shorter, slower, shorter reach, etc you have to figure in that Ali would have the advantage in alot of the rounds even at this stage of his career, but factor in all things against him (Ali) listed above, Marciano is still the favorite.
