Was rocky marciano overated?

Question

he was 5 foot 10 185 -190 lbs good chin good punch but he fought alot of older men during his time as heavyweight champion

Answer 1

yes he was good but not great

Answer 2

Marcianio fought bums all the way up to his 40th fight, and then fought aging Louis. Louis was finished as a fighter, and was only fighting because he owed IRS money.

His biggest wins was against older Walcott and a blown-up light heavy Archie Moore, who was already in his 40s.

His "undefeated" recored is definitly padded. He had great people handling him.

As a great trainer once said, "show me a fighter that has never lost, and I'll show you a fighter that hasn't fought anyone."

Answer 3

They were older but still prime. Great chin, the best conditioned boxer ever, the most heart ever. He was a freak. He was light and could fight full blast for 15 straight rounds without tiring. Even though he was small, his legs and forearms (where you get your power) were of a 220 pound fighter. Spin it anyway you like (and anti-Marciano people love to spin against him), but the fact is that he KO'd 4 of possibly the top 10 fighters ever.

Answer 4

No, Marciano wasnt overrated. He was undermatched.

Marciano copensated for his size with a work ethic that has been unparalleled in boxing to this day. His endurance was such that he could throw EVERY SINGLE punch in a fight with everything he had. Imagine that...throwing every punch with all the force you have..for fifteen rounds.

Yes, the heavyweights were smaller back then, especially with the growth hormone mammoths that have come out lately. But Marciano did not duck anyone. He fought everyone there was to fight at the time. Unfortunately he came along in a narrow period where there really wasnt any prime powerful "stand out" talents to compare him to. He fought some great fighters who were close to or maxed out there age. But Marciano didnt go out of his way to NOT fight someone. I just dont think that was in his make up.

Truthfully, I believe Marciano would have rather get knocked on his a$$ rather than say he ducked. He was a soldier...he liked fights...even bad ones. At 187 he never...EVER took one backward moving step. He never circled..he never backed away..no matter how badly he was eating them at the time. EVEN WITH the serious lack of competition he had to face (this wasnt the prime 70s competition)..thats an admirable thing to say about a fighter.

Marciano fought everyone there was to fight...and had he fought IN the seventies..amongst the Joe Frazier/Foreman/Ali/Quarry/Shavers generation...he STILL would have been a champion. Although I dont believe he would have retired undefeated.

The man epitomizes everything you want about a fighter.

Answer 5

Yes! With all due respect, Marciano was a crude fighter with no skills.  He was simply a very powerful puncher with loads of stamina and lots of charisma.

Answer 6

Yes, Rocky was (and is) overrated. Look at a film of him fighting Don Cockell and say how good you think he was. And look at his record.

Answer 7

"Oh there they go. There they go!  Every time I start talkin' 'bout boxing, a white man got to pull Rocky Marciano out their @$#%. That's their one!  That's their one!  Rocky Marciano!  Rocky Marciano!  Let me tell you something once and for all -- Rocky Marciano was good, but compared to Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano ain't @$#%!"  

"He beat Joe Lewis' @$#%."  

"That's right, he did whip Joe Lewis' @$#%."  

"Joe Lewis was 75 years old when they fought!"

"I don't know how old he was but he got his @$#% whupped."  

"Joe Lewis had come outta retirement to fight Rocky Marciano.  The man was 76 years old.  Joe Lewis always lied about his age.  He lied about his age all the time.  One time Frank Sinatra comes down here and sat down in this chair.  I said, 'Frank -- you hang out with Joe Lewis.  Just between me and you, how old is Joe Lewis?'  You know what Frank said?  Just between me and you, he said, 'Hey, Joe Lewis is 137 years old.' 137 years old!"  

"No, man, you ain't never meet no Frank Sinatra."  

"@$#% YOU!  @$#% YOU!  AND @$#% YOU!  Who's next?"

Answer 8

not in the least, he was a great champion at the time the division needed him.