Dream fight. Rocky Marciano vs Joe Frazier. Who wins?

Question

15 rounds in their prime.

Marciano

Hgt: 5'11"

Wgt: 190

Total bouts: 49

Wins: 49

Losses: 0

Draws: 0

Ko's: 43

Times Ko'ed: 0 times

Frazier

Hgt: 5'11 1/2"

Wgt: 205

Total bouts: 37

Wins: 32

Losses: 4

Draws: 1

Ko's: 27

Times Ko'ed: 3

Answer 1

This would be an alltime barn burner of a classic! When people talk of Marciano they critique him for being ''small'' and that the larger heavyweights would have smashed him. I always thought Frazier was much like Rocky in size and he smashed some big heavyweights in his day, so its not really the size of the man its the size of his heart. And these two had arguably more heart than any 2 fighters ever. Each would eat 5 punches to land 1. This is what  the sweet science is all about. Both punched like wrecking balls, had stamina like marathon runners, trained relentlessly and always came forward without taking a backstep. The fun part of it is neither really cared about defense. Their will and power would carry them.

Now to the fight, it would be a pitch battle of attrition, this would be the Frazier who hadn't been thru the last fight of his trilogy with Ali or smashed by Foreman, this would be the young hungry bobbing and weaving Philly warrior who cleaned out the division and beat Ali.

Marciano would be the Rocky who crushed opponents on his way to the top, beating  Charles, Walcott,  Moore,Cockell before calling it a career. I often wonder had he not retired at 32 and contiued for just 3 more years and defeated Johanssen and Patterson would people look at him higher than they do.

For this fight it would be toe to toe for every round, no clutching, no rest, 3 minutes of nonstop action every round. By the late rounds the war would take its toll on Frazier I feel. He himself said he couldn't have beat Rocky and was asked about Marciano one time concerning a dreamfight with Ali. He told the reporters that he put Rocky behind only Louis alltime. And if he (Frazier) could beat Ali, Marciano would crush him.

''The Brockton Blockbuster'' by late kayo in a war of wars.

Answer 2

Joe Frazier Joe Frazier Joe Frazier !!!

Answer 3

ACEMAN---

you stole my thunder.

My answer would have looked something very similar to ACEMAN's answer so I will not waste your time with writing a long answer.  Rocky would win for the reasons ACEMAN wrote.

Answer 4

Joe was a straight ahead pressure fighter with a deadly left hook, but Joe had some glaring defensive flaws and took a lot of punishment.  No pressure fighter in history was better than Marciano, not ever Joe, and eventually Marciano would have KOed Joe.  To beat Rocky, you had to move, if you stood in front of him and tried to press, he was in his element.

Marciano by KO late and ugly.

Answer 5

The Brockton Blockbuster

Answer 6

i also go for "the rock".....bonavena couldn't finish frazier, but marciano would.................mid round stoppage.

Answer 7

Joe Frazier. He had tougher fights and a harder left.

Frazier in 10.

Answer 8

In some respects there couldn't be a better match up.  There really isnt that much difference in size between the two.  Frazier is more bottom heavy than Marciano so his extra 15 pounds would not make a great difference.  He could use his lower body strength to back Rocky up in the clinches but if he's not punching than he might find himself in trouble.

From the start I will say that there would be two differences that stand out.  Everyone thinks that, because of his style, Frazier was a KO artist.  He knocked out a lot of men.  However, most of his KO wins were the result of him out lasting and wearing his man out.  

Rocky did the same.  However, at any given time, he also landed ONE bomb and put guys to sleep.  The other difference is that Rocky could do it with either hand.   Frazier rarely hurt anyone with the right.  

One more difference.  Though Frazier bobbed and weaved a bit more than Rocky,  he didnt take a punch as well.  Look at the Bonavena and both Ali fights.  Joe was wobbled a hand full of times in his career.  Joe fought toughter competition but he lost to them.  IF you take out Forman and Ali things look a little more even when it comes to quality of opposition.

Both men are used to going forward and giving no ground.  Walcott, tho a defensive fighter, is closer to Frazier than any of Joe's opponents would be to Marciano.  Chavalho might compare to Rocky in terms of toughness but he couldn't hit like Rocky.  

Frazier might have an edge in hand speed.  I can see him scoring an early knockdown with a sweeping left hook that Marciano never sees coming.   He hurts Rocky early as he has never taken a shot like that.   IT takes Rocky a few rounds to adjust.  By round 6 Frazier is ahead on points but Rocky has not slowed any.

In round 8, while in close, Rocky lands a short inside right to the jaw and scores his own knockdown.  Joe is clearly hurt and goes down again in the same round.  He survives the bell but he's in deep trouble.

Perhaps only Rocky has as big a heart as Joe Frazier (Evander is up there too).  Joe comes out in round 9, ready to do more work.  He fights evenly with Rock, almost as if he were not hurt.  Rocky is sporting a nasty cut above his right eye.  

They fight evenly for the next 2 rounds when the referee halts the contest  in round 11 to have the ring side doctor look at Marciano's eye.  The fight resumes but Rocky knows he needs to make something happen fast.  Joe comes in and targets the eye.  Here is another difference between the two.   Joe does NOT throw the uppercut the way Rocky does.  

On the inside, Rocky lands a perfect uppercut.  Joe pitches sideways and lands on one knee.  He looks like he's out but once he hits the canvas he's awake again but badly hurt.  The referee allows the contest to continue but Joe is in bad shape.  One final right puts him on his back.  He rises again but the referee stops the fight as Frazier is in no shape to continue.

Marciano by KO in 11

Answer 9

I'd go with Aceman on this one. Rocky by KO between rounds 13 and 15 after a war of attrition.

Answer 10

Rocky Marciano by 12th round KO after get off the floor himself earlier.

Answer 11

This would be a true "dream" fight -- for the fans.  It would  be a brutal match for the fighters, neither of whom knew the meaning of the word "quit."  I would give Rocky the edge because he was a harder hitter (and he had a better right to go with his left), his stamina was incredible, and he had a superhuman will to win.

Rocky's reputation would not have been enhanced by fighting Floyd Patterson, whose greatest defensive skill was ducking -- tough opponents (he and Cus both knew that glass jaws do not mix well with granite fists).  I remember when Floyd won the title by knocking out Archie Moore.  Most of the talk was not about the great young champion, but about how lucky he was that Marciano had retired.

UPDATE:  Great narrative, Galactus!  Very interesting and, I think, very reasonable.

Answer 12

I'll go with Marciano on a late round stoppage on this one. It would be a war.