Jack Johnson (on the day he beat James J Jeffries) v Rocky Marciano (night he beat Louis)?

Question

who wins and how?

Answer 1

Marciano never lost a fight, he had the most competitive drive not to loose out of any boxer I have ever seen.  Rocky wins with a ko in round 10.  His power and his constant pressure he put on fighters would have been too much for Jack.

Answer 2

Jack Johnson sticks and moves, stops Rocky on cuts in the 18th. (circa 1910)

Answer 3

This is a very good fight.  Neither man has ever dealt with the other man's style, though Rocky has come close in the sense that he fought Archie Moore and Ezzard Charles.  Johnson never dealt with a hard hitting pressure fighter like Marciano.  

Take the Johnson who beat Jeffries.  He was at his best then.  However, it doesnt matter which Marciano you take because Rocky was always in shape.  He might have been a bit more seasoned when he best Walcott for the title.  Remember, he fought Louis BEFORE winning the title.  

I have always maintained that Jack is just a bit overrated for being the first Black Champion.  He deserves A LOT of credit,  having to fight during a time when Blacks were denied many human rights.  Johnson wasnt your average dumb boxer.  He was very intelligent and had a lot of White friends,  very helpful during those times.  That made the difference between him and all the rest of the great group of Black fighters.  

Johnson's tough competition came before he won the title.  After, he chose to fight when and however he wished.  None of his challengers are near Rocky's class.  Sometimes I laugh when people compare him to ALi.  Wish due respect, Johnson was great.  However he and Ali were completely different in style.   Johnson didnt have anywhere near the foot work Ali had.  He looked great against the plodders of his day.  There were no Ken Nortons, or Jimmy Ellis' or George Formans.  Here you have a boxer-puncher, a pure boxer and a pure puncher.  

IF Johnson could use his punch and grab style he could certain frustrate Rocky.  He will always be listed slightly above Marciano on some lists.  However,  Im just not too sure he would actually beat Rocky in the ring.  This might surprise some but I view Johnson as more of a poorman's Larry Holmes,  not an early day Ali.  He would beat more fighters than Ezzard Charles would beat.  But how certain is it that he would beat Charles himself?

Rocky fights low in a crouch and he was a lot smarter than most fighters of his type.  Johnson gives him fits but Rocky wont stand there and cooperate like many of Johnson's lesser intelligent opponents.  The problem is that Rocky is busier than any of them.  And he's still standing come round 12, when Jack would begin to slow down.

Jack is a great fighter and probably places in the top 5 overall on most lists,  where Rocky would just make the top 10.  But then again,  you're talking over all.  In the ring,  In the ring there wasnt the great difference in size many people think of.  Johnson was only 6ft 1in, not much of a difference here to Rocky's 5ft 10in.  Jack was around 195lbs.  Rocky was 188.  again, no difference.  

I know today's fighters are bigger but I sometimes wonder how accurate weights and measurements were in those days.

Im going to go out on a limb here because I see the fight in a different way from the way most are taught to view it.  I think Jack's ''jab-n-grab style would frustrate Rocky early.  However, the damage Rocky would inflict in losing most of the early rounds would take a toll.  Jack is winning rounds but he's not slowing Rocky down.  Rocky CAN be beaten.  He can be worn down.  He can be hurt and he Can be stopped.

I just dont think Jack is the man to do it.

Marciano by KO in 14

Answer 4

the aged louis who fought marciano, held his own for the first few rounds. so what would a prime louis have done?

johnson is right up there with ali and louis in the top 3 of all time, and i would pick the galveston giant to thoroughly outbox the rock, tie him up in the clinches and let the bombs go on the outside and  control the infighting as well.

if marciano has trouble with light heavyweight greats as archie moore and ezzard charles, then johnson would make marciano look ordinary.

johnson by decision, whatever the distance.