What was Marciano's best performance?

This is actually a question not for us Rocky fans, whoever we are, but actually for the Marciano-detractors who make a few good arguments which I will admit does add some questions into the Marciano which cause some curiosity or even doubt some times.

Even the Marciano detractors must find a performance which they would consider to be Marcinao's finest effort. Just wondering what that would be in the eyes of others.

I personally feel he really worked his ass off more than ever against Walcott in their first fight, I used to be and still am awed at the punishment Frazier took against Ali and kept comin', but clearly Walcott was a harder more jolting puncher than Ali, and he really jolted the lights out of Rocky for 12 round there. What an effort by Marciano of will and determination to win. Some body shots in the 6th and 10th rounds that Jersey Joe landed would have made most modern fighters quit. Seriously, watch the tape.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-v4O...eature=related

You could argue that Marciano had already peaked out by the time he fought Jersey Joe, I would put his life and death struggle with Carmine Vingo or his battering of highly rated contender Rex Layne up there as two better performances by him to be honest. Everyone has heard of the title fight against Walcott, but that doesnt mean it was his best performance (ie Ali versus Foreman or Ali versus Cleveland Williams!!)

Beating Jersey Joe the second time.

How ould you rate Rocky's performance against Ezzard Charles?

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Originally Posted by brocktonblockbust

How ould you rate Rocky's performance against Ezzard Charles?

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Considering the blood, AMAZING. Losing that amount of blood as surely got to have been weakening him and if it was to happen today the fight would have been stopped. Charles must have had razor blades in his gloves to cut Rocky like that.

heard from head of Giordano's Bakery (est. 1898 Nutley, NJ) that Rocky's brother told him personally half a pint of blood was lost just from the nose injury between rds. 6 and 8. Youre right, no way that fight continues nowadays.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMzb-6q_syc

Retiring at the right time. Because I'm pretty sure Sonny Liston would have whipped him.

from 1953 (Liston's 1st fight) til Marciano retired, Sonny Liston fought opponents with a combined record of 131-77-23. I wouldnt call that great enough competition to be able to deal with the Rock. Then from 1956 til the end of 1958 (Marciano would never have fought beyond Fall 1956/Spring 1957) Sonny Liston's opponents' records were 153-89-12. He didnt fight anybody decent until April 1959 in Cleveland Williams. So if he had fought Marciano say in Spring 1956, he would have had a very poor chance of winning. He wasn't ready to face the Rock, nor was Floyd Patterson.

For my likings the 1st LaStarza fight was amazing.

yeah some people swear Roland won it.

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Originally Posted by brocktonblockbust

yeah some people swear Roland won it.

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It was pretty damn close...
I felt Rocky closed off the fight slightly better than LaStarza.

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Originally Posted by brocktonblockbust

from 1953 (Liston's 1st fight) til Marciano retired, Sonny Liston fought opponents with a combined record of 131-77-23. I wouldnt call that great enough competition to be able to deal with the Rock. Then from 1956 til the end of 1958 (Marciano would never have fought beyond Fall 1956/Spring 1957) Sonny Liston's opponents' records were 153-89-12. He didnt fight anybody decent until April 1959 in Cleveland Williams. So if he had fought Marciano say in Spring 1956, he would have had a very poor chance of winning. He wasn't ready to face the Rock, nor was Floyd Patterson.

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Liston VS Marciano could have been great BUT, I think too many read too much into Liston from his domination of Patterson. Patterson was tailor made for Liston and I think he would have been the same for Rocky too. I think Rockys ability to take a shot would have broken Listons heart and I think his power would have hurt Liston too.

I remember seeing an old clip of Liston on Rockys old TV program and it looked like they were on the verge of scrapping on the set. Rock certainly didn't look in the slightest bit worried about Liston like many of his opponents seemed to be.

would have loved to see that man. I say if Ali could smoke Liston with that backward-moving anchor punch, then Marciano would KILL him with even a glancing Suzie-Q!!

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Originally Posted by brocktonblockbust

would have loved to see that man. I say if Ali could smoke Liston with that backward-moving anchor punch, then Marciano would KILL him with even a glancing Suzie-Q!!

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I don't know about you but I think Tyson and Liston had similarities in the fact that when things were going well for them they seemed virtually invincible, but if a talented fighter stood up to them and showed they weren't afraid they just seemed to fold as the fight went on.

absolutely, rjj tszyu. I agree. Its called the Bully Syndrome. Once you crack their delicate ego, they collapse like the WTC buildings which, by the way, WAS AN INSIDE JOB.

The Rock would take Liston's shots and return fire. Sonny would be puzzled for sure, I can see him in the 3rd or 4th round start to mentally unravel. Rocky would devastate him to the body. Marciano KO5. For a short bit it may have been a precursor to Foreman/Lyle.

I heard the rumour that Rocky could have carried on but wanted to retire because of contractual issues, wife nagging and not the bad back.

screw that wife then, that Goombah shoulda known better than to marry an Irish :)
just joking okay fellas :)

He DID have a fucked up back though. Charlie Goldman said : "After the Moore fight, Rocky was at his hotel in Manhattan and around midnight he calls me up and he says 'Charlie, I'm done. My back is shot. I can't even bend it.' So I told him to get some sleep and we'd talk about it the next day."

No doubt Archie Moore had Marciano bobbing and weaving so much his back simply gave out. You know that style of fighting like Marciano of Frazier, those motherfuckers don't last too long, there's too much work to constantly get inside, ducking and getting low to the floor, it must tear the fuck out of their lower back after a few years. Archie had a lot to do with it. Rocky was throwong like 110 punches a round in that fight from the 6th round to the 9th. And he was missing like 70% of the shots because of Moore's defense.

I truly believe his back may indeed have suffered a setback in that fight. But Goldman demanding 50% of everything surely discouraged him as well from continuing.

Would have loved to see him fight a 1956 Liston. By 1957 I think Patterson would have been too quick and too much for him, since he woulda been 34 almost at that point. I dont see a 34 year old Marciano beating what, a 23 year old Floyd Jumpin' Patterson.

Did not realise about the day after event from his last fight. I am sure he was desperate to make it 50 and must have had loads of offers. I do know he started training when Johansson beat Patterson, but by then even he realised he could not do it any longer.

youre right abut him training in secret after Ingemaar beat Floyd. He trained a full 7 weeks, then quit it. Official reason from Rocco hmself for stopping training:

"INABILITY TO GET INTO FIGHTING SHAPE."

Yeah, I hear ya Rock. 36 going on 37 at that time. Don't we all know its too fucking late at that point. I sure did. And THAT was a decade ago.

Ain't it a bitch when your body will not do what your mind tells it to do.