Do you think Marciano could have beaten Ali?

Question

I saw the simulation they made back in the day on youtube and I think its ludicrous. They had Rocky charging Ali like a bull nonstop... I'm like "Those are the people Ali does the best against!" Especially someone who's reach is much shorter than his!

What's your opinion?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XKcGRREcaM

Answer 1

Rocky Marciano was around 5'10" and had about a 67" reach.

Muhammad Ali was about 6'3" and had around 80" reach.



Rocky liked to slug, inside.

Ali liked to box, outside.



- - -



So from the outset it's clear to see who has the obvious advantages and that is Muhammad Ali. He is one of, if not the best, outside fighters or "conventional" boxers of all times. He sets up combinations with the jab - he relies on speed not power - and stays outside...away from punchers and inside fighters.



But being disadvantaged is nothing new for Rocky Marciano who 9/10 is usually the smaller man in his bouts. But did this stop the Rock? Hell no. He beat a lot of great fighters in his time; Louis, Walcott, Charles and Moore. A lot of people say "well they were out of prime," but I always respond - "well what would have changed if they were younger?" In my opinion - nothing.



This being said. Facts are facts and for 13 rounds Rocky Marciano was out-boxed and HUGELY losing to a very old, out of prime Jersey Joe Walcott, and Jersey Joe hasn't got an ounce of the skills Ali had.



Ali managed to beat Joe Frazier 2/3 times and I believe Joe Frazier is a better fighter than Marciano who is tougher and faster - maybe not as strong.



Joe had better headmovement and had quicker hands and feet - and he was out-boxed and lost twice to an OLD Muhammad Ali.



If it is Prime vs Prime and a 1960's Muhammad Ali faces Rocky Marciano then it would be a one-sided massacre. Long jabs and powerful straights would wreck and cut the prone-to-bleeding Rock from Brockton and I see him being stopped on cuts, TKO or RTD from rounds 11-15 by Muhammad.



TKO13 Muhammad Ali

Answer 2

Check out this link:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDaw2QFC1Qg



Ali praises Marciano, now people may say that Ali was just being gracious to his late friend, however Ali was very disparaging about other fighters and about past heavyweight champions chances against him. He called Joe Louis "slow and shuffling" and said Jack Dempsey was " Just a dirty street fighter". However he always praised Rocky Marciano, and remember when he praises how hard Marciano could hit he is talking about when he sparred with the 46 year old Marciano who had been out of the ring for over ten years. A prime Marciano, in a real contest, would have been a much tougher proposition. I used to agree with the general consensus that Marciano would be too small and too slow to stand a chance with Ali, but for a man such as Ali who was so confident and so disparaging of other fighters to say that Marciano may have beaten him, it has given me pause for thought. I do still think Ali would beat Marciano, but Marciano was an awkward fighter with an underrated defense, he hit like a truck and would never say die even if you hit him with a baseball bat! Ali would take a decision because of his size advantages and better movement but he would certainly know he had been in a fight.

Answer 3

1966, Ali goes into Maple Leaf Gardens and fights a guy that profiles pretty close to the Rock. George Chuvalo is 6"0", Marciano is 5 11". Chuvalo s reach is 71 inches, Marciano s was 68. Both fighters have chins like granite slabs.



Chuvalo takes Ali the distance (at the time, the full 15) and loses on a unanimous decision. But Ali takes one of the most punishing body beatings of his career.



Now consider this, Chuvalo didn t have near the Brockton Blockbuster s punching power.



I agree with those who say it comes down to style. If Ali can keep moving and stay to the outside, he can win the fight on the decision. But if the Rock ever corners him, those punches could devastate the champ.



Fight stopped, 13th round. Marciano TKO

Answer 4

No, Marciano was too short, too light and too weak to have beaten Ali at Ali's best. Rocky wouldn't even be a cruiserweight if he were boxing today lol. And some people expect him to beat one of the best heavyweights of all time who stood 6'3" and weighed 210 - 224 lbs at his best lol. I even think Floyd Patterson would have beaten Marciano never mind Ali lol. Marciano got floored and struggled against the geriatric Archie Moore before stopping Moore in 9 rounds in 1955 whereas Patterson outclassed Moore while knocking him out in 5 rounds one year later to become the youngest heavyweight champion at the time until Mike Tyson broke that record in 1986 lol. And Ali was the youngest person to win the title from a reigning heavyweight champion when he beat Sonny Liston in 1964, until Tyson beat Berbick in 1986. Okay Joe Louis weighed 218 lbs when Marciano beat him but Joe was well past his best by then and all the other big guys Marciano beat were big stiffs - no disrespect lol. Max Schmeling's victory over Joe Louis in their first fight was more impressive than Marciano's win over Louis as Louis was well past his best when Marciano beat him whereas Schmeling beat a prime or younger Louis and look what Joe did to Max in their rematch - knocked him out in 1 round lol.

Answer 5

Ali is the fastest heavy weight I have ever seen, and as long as he could keep Rocky outside he is going to win on points.

Unless Marciano can get inside and pound away he is going to be on the short end of the decision, just like he was in the Walcott fight until he knocked him out.

Answer 6

When pigs fly and the devil's minions serve ice water in hell, i'll say marciano has a shot at beating Ali.

Answer 7

Rocky was a better version of joe frazier and hit harder with either hand. Joe beat ali in their first fight and lost two close fights. So, ali would lose all 3 to the rock.

Answer 8

not a chance, bet the house on Ali.

Answer 9

if walcott can outbox marciano, ali does it better. ali by decision.