What was Marciano's best performance?

[rjj tszyu]

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!!

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.

[brocktonblockbust]

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.

[Master]

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.

[brocktonblockbust]

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.

[Master]

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.

[brocktonblockbust]

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.

[Master]

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