Did Marciano win the title from a bum who was past his prime?

Question

Did Marciano win the title from a bum who was past his prime?

Answer 1

Taking the title from older men:

You would think Marciano was the only champion who recieved his title shot against an older opponent, to hear some critics howl. Let's take a little look at boxing history and see if anyone else beat up an old man to become the champion. Hmmm....

Marciano was 9 years younger than Walcott

But wait...

Dempsey was 13 years younger than Willard

James J. Jefferies was 12 years younger than Bob Fitzsimmons

Louis was 12 years younger than Braddock

Ali was 10 years younger than Liston

Holmes was 6 years younger than Norton

L Spinks was 11 years younger than Ali

Tyson was 14 years younger than Trevor Berbick (WBC Champion)

Tyson was 12 years younger than James "Bonecrusher" Smith (WBA Champion)

Jim Corbett was 8 years younger than John L. Sullivan

So, the average age difference for these championship fights was 11 years. Rocky therefore had less of an age factor advantage than Dempsey, Jefferies, Louis, Ali, Spinks and Tyson.

Non-title fights:

Marciano was 10 years younger than Archie Moore

But wait....

Ali was 19 years younger than Archie Moore!!!

Patterson was 21 years younger than Archie Moore!!!!

Joe Louis was 9 years younger than Max Schmelling. (Max KO'd Joe and was later KO'd by him)

Louis was 12 years younger than Jack Sharkey

Ali was 8 years younger than Henry Cooper

Ali was 7 years younger than Patterson

Seems to me these facts speak louder than anything else. Marciano's age difference is actually lower than most of the other legends when they won their titles.

Their was a ten year age difference between Moore and Marciano, significant but not nearly as bad as some of the above, and they are more well known than Marciano.

Check this out, Floyd Patterson was 21 years younger than Archie Moore and KOed him by the fifth round. This happened after Marciano KOed Archie Moore.

It looks like the trolls are out in force again giving me thumbs down for no good reasons