Who is better between Larry Holmes and Rocky Marciano? Another word can Rocky beat all the contenders that?

Question

Larry had to defend against like Shavers, Norton, Cooney..etc..and vice versa can Larry survive against Jersey Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles..etc...

Answer 1

Galactus and Big E get a thumbs ups for  very well written answers.  I would like to point out that Archie Moore had more KO's than all of the Holme's opponents mentioned had fights.  You can add all the KO's those mentioned produced in their careers, and combined they didn't KO as many people as Archie did.  The point being is Moore was a puncher on par with anyone in history, the last thing a fighter loses is his punch, and Rock beat three all time greats each of whom was in a lot better shape then the Ali Holmes faced.  

That said, Rock would have to KO Larry, there is simply no way for Marciano with a 68' reach to out box Holmes.  The argument as to whether that would have happened will never end, and everyone has their opinion pro or con.  I think Shavers was the best of the Holmes opponents you named, and if Quarry could beat Earnie, Rocky could beat Earnie.  Marciano would most likely beat them all.  Larry Holmes had trouble with smaller mobile boxers, and Spinks was no where near as talented as Ezzard Charles.  I think Charles would have given Larry more trouble than Walcott would have.  Larry would have been able to out box Jersey Joe Walcott and win a close, hard fought decision.  I really believe Holmes/Charles  was a coin toss that could go either way.

Over all the physical advantages of Larry Holmes give him a slight edge over Rock, it's difficult to get past the 68 to 80 inch reach differential and the 40 lb. weight difference.  Rock didn't have the size of most all time greats.  Nobody questions Rock's heart, determination or punching power, the question is could he get past the jab and defensive counter punching of the modern heavyweights?  I say Rock would have beaten all but the very best of the modern big guys.  Lennox Lewis's chin  would have been exposed, and I give Marciano the edge.  Larry Holmes got past Shavers, so Larry's chin would have held up with Rock, and Larry would have most likely given Marciano serious problems.

I think Holmes was slightly better, but it is a razor thin edge between two of the very best of the heavyweight division.  I don't think Larry would KO Rock, and if cuts didn't cause a stoppage, Rock would see the final bell.  

Holmes would take the decision easily, Rocky would need a KO for any hope of a victory over Larry.

Answer 2

Larry was much better than Rocky.  The Easton Assassin would have TKO RM in 8 rounds.  Marciano got the job done every time, but against limited competition, or old, fading champions.  The Holmes from 78 to 82 would have made RM look like a sparring partner.  Watch Holmes's first fight against Shavers and you'll agree.  Shavers, Witherspoon, Norton, Cooney, Smith were better than anyone Marciano fought.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pR2Ff8pC9...

Check that out before you dismiss LH.

Answer 3

Whaaaat??? Holmes was great....but Marciano was one of the GREATEST. Possibly THE GREATEST. No boxers should even be mentioned with him except  Ali, Jack Johnson, Joe Louis, and maybee a couple more.

Answer 4

Rocy Marciano was far better he beat all the fighters put in front of him. They talk about getting inside of Holmes jab and his mobility but if you beat crafty fighters like Ezzard Charles,Jersey Joe Walcott and Archie Moore. I dont think Holmes style would be to hard to figure out.

Answer 5

Marciano, while an all-time great himself, would have too much trouble finding Larry to hit him. . . and eating that Holmes jab all night would give the Brockton Blockbuster a real bellyache. . . . . I pick Holmes to outmanuever Marciano in an all-time great matchup.  I wish, magically, it could have happened.  I'm not alone with this wish.

**I have to add, that I'm both proud of and humbled by some of the writing submissions on this topic.  We have some future pro boxing writers in here. . . . .

Answer 6

Rocky Marciano is one of my favorite champions.  But people tend to exaggerate a bit when it comes to him.  You have to remember that he wasnt a very big man.  To his credit,  Rocky walked around at about 210lbs (little known fact).  He chose to melt down to the lower weight in order to be more effective, given his physical limits.  Who's to say he couldnt fight at a higher weight than the 188 he usually fought at.  In fact I think,  if he fought someone like Frazier,  he would have come in at a heavier weight,  like about 192-195.  That's plenty for Rocky to trouble any fighter before Lennox, depending on the style.

PFP Rocky is certainly one of the strongest men to ever fight.  Still,  when you're talking about fighters who stand 6'5" and weigh 245 (Lennox)  its hard to realistically imagine Marciano beating such a boxer.  

Larry Holmes was the right size to fight the gargantuian fighters and still bang with those smaller than him or his size.  He would have beaten all of Marciano's best opponests.  Walcott and Charles would have given him a good fight.  However,  both were past their prime when they faced Rocky,  no fault to the Rock, who fought the BEST AVALIABLE competition.  Louis and Moore would have been too old.  Holmes would beat both easily.

Marciano, on the other hand,  would have struggled with some of Holmes' opponents.  Again,  size DOES matter in this case.   If you look at Jamil McCline, you will see that some big men just cant fight.  McCline has no heart.  But not all big men are so ''mousey''.  

Look at some of the other men Holmes has faced.  Mike Weaver,  Earnie Shavers (twice).  Reynaldo Snipes, Gerry Cooney, Tex Cobb.  I wont name Norton because, though he was good,  I think Rocky would have knocked him out in 6.  

I think Rocky would have struggled with many of the others Holmes faced.  He'd best them but it wouldnt be easy.  He'd have a lot of trouble with a man Cooney's size.  He would beat them all but not as easily as Holmes would beat his opponents.  

If Holmes could work the jab early enough,  he could stop Rocky late.  However,  Holmes wasnt as mobil as Ali.  if Rocky can work past that jab,  which is very possible but certainly not easy,  he could catch Holmes with a series of blows late in the fight and stop him.

Though it was certainly great, It wasnt Rocky's chin that saved him all the time, It was his Iron Will,  Conditioning, and Heart.  Tyson actually had a slightly better chin, believe it or not.  Rocky's knockdowns were due to single punches (Walcott and Moore).  However,  examine.  Neither could punch like Razor Ruddock,  who failed to Knock Mike down.  Mike's losses were more a result of his poor stamina,  not a weak chin.  

Mike, however, could never match Rocky's Will, Stamina or Heart.  That is what made the difference with Rocky.  You could knock him down.  Keeping him down was an entirely different story.

Answer 7

Hard to say although Holmes very underrated-he fought the best of his time and beat them all.

Answer 8

Larry Holmes was considerably bigger and taller than Marciano. His sledge hammer jab would have been tough for Rocky to deal with, as it was for everyone else he fought. I think the thing that would be difficult for Rocky to overcome is the 14" reach advantage. That would also present a problem for Rocky against a lot of the modern heavies of today. I also believe it's the one thing that Klitschko has over his opponents right now. A tall guy with a large reach advantage and a good stiff jab, is hard to overcome for a shorter fighter.

All that being said Larry was out on his feet against Renaldo Snipes and Mike Weaver. These aren't immortals. If Rocky lands a bomb, I don't think he would let Holmes escape as those two did. Rocky was a great finisher.

I would pick Holmes by dec, but Rocky would definitely have the punchers chance!

Answer 9

Holmes would have worked the jab & stopped Rocky around round 10.   Plus Holmes while the world champ was knocked down on several occasions but never out.   He was clocked by Earnie Shavers & it looked like he was done & he popped right up & stopped Shavers.   Holmes wouldn't have had a problem with any of Rocky's opponents because of his size & boxing ability.  Plus Rocky fought no one in their prime worth mentioning.  

On the other hand Rocky would have struggled with Shavers, Cooney, Michael Spinks & Norton.   Someone said that if Rocky was fighting right now he would still be undefeated.  Are you kidding me!!!   The heavyweight division is watered down right now but Rocky was too short & small to beat the Klitchko's,  Lennox Lewis would have destroyed him &  prime Mike Tyson would have KO'd him in about 4 rounds.   Rocky is way overrated!!!!

Answer 10

Rocky was unstoppable. Even if he boxed today he would probably still go undefeated. He rose above and beyond all of his opponents. Larry Holmes was one fight away from tying Marcianos undefeated win mark and he blew it. Rocky was overly dedicated to boxing and he trained constantly. He is said to of had the strongest right AND left hook combo which was devastating even in the later rounds.

"Marciano's punch was tested and it was featured in the December 1963 issue of Boxing Illustrated: "Marciano's knockout blow packs more explosive energy than an armor-piercing bullet and represents as much energy as would be required to spot lift 1000 pounds one foot off the ground."

He had pretty much the strongest chin of any boxer as well.

"If Marciano's jaw isn't made of iron, it's at least made of poured concrete."-Arthur Daley.

Answer 11

Marciano of course is the man who refused to lose.  He was undersized and had a short reach yet he still won and usually by knockout.  He was like a pitbull never taking a backward step in the ring with great power in both hands, tremendous endurance and stamina.  I really think he could have fought 40 round fights with the condition he was in.  He would have fought at closer to 200 lbs if he were fighting today some 12-15 lbs heavier than in his career.  His workout regimen was amazing.  49-0-0 43 kayo's and he did beat superior boxers Charles and Walcott among others.  Larry Holmes was greatly under appreciated because of the Ali legacy but what a great fighter he was too and had one of the best jabs in boxing history.  I'll say this, if Larry couldn't beat Michael Spinks, no way could he beat Marciano even though they have different styles and styles make fights of course.  Marciano would have slowed Larry's rapier jab with thudding shots every where he could hit Larry and everywhere Rocky hit you, hurt!  Larry would win the early rounds but Marciano would catch him late in the fight like he did against Jersey Joe Walcott and win by 14th round technical knockout in a great fight between two great champs!  Marciano in my opinion would have knocked out Norton who did not have the strongest chin and would have have endured Shavers shots and finally knocked him out too.  Cooney would have actually been the easiest for Marciano because he wouldf have got inside and inflicted heavy damage and knocked him out too.  Holmes would have been in tough fights with either Charles or Walcott as they were both great fighters and boxers.  Remember Walcott got robbed of the decision against Louis and gave Marciano a real hard fight.  Charles gave Marciano his toughest fight and was a tough customer too.  I believe that Holmes would have won against either but in close fights.

Answer 12

Mobility would have been the story to this fight, had Larry Holmes ever fought Rocky Marciano, and its also where I would give Holmes the disadvantage.

For the most part, I think the only fighters that could beat Marciano are the ones that could negate his power by keeping him at bay.

Lennox Lewis could do this because he was VERY good at fighting like a big man. He LIVED to jab and take a step back...forcing you to have to walk forward and take more. Then as the puffiness started up he would turn it into a straight one two punch. Hes just too big, not too skilled...too big.

Holmes on the other hand...I really cant give him the advantage on this. Holmes' jab was excellent, but his mobility was something he got from Ali (bouncing on his toes) and it was a watered down version of it.

Marciano could generate so much power BECAUSE of how fast he turned his feet and his hips, squaring his shoulders when he threw. He would have the faster feet...and he force it to be a fight in a closet. Holmes couldnt keep him off forever.

Now this point is where Blog and I agree. Michael Spinks basically had his way with Larry Holmes...and Michael Spinks was NOT a true heavyweight. Mike Tyson showed that when he trashed him.

So although I will be the first to say that Marciano is overrated...I wouldnt exactly put Larry Holmes WAAAY above Ezzard Charles in skills. Larry Holmes would have a horrible night against Marciano.