Crssbones wrote:Dempsey in 2. Patterson would be intimidated by Dempsey and did not have the chin for Dempsey power. Patterson would have had to been the champion because Dempsey would not have granted Patterson a title shot. Better fight would be Dempsey vs Marciano.
It may've worked the other way around, too. Can you imagine if Dempsey were a title aspirant during Patterson's first reign in the late 50's? Can't see D'Amato letting his boy take that fight, given his protective streak at the time.
Dempsey-Marciano would've been an instant classic, with knockdowns on both sides. My vote goes for Dempsey --- he did most things better than Marciano, had faster hands, better two-handed power, a broader & more refined skill-set, & a comparable chin & heart. He'd have stopped Marciano on cuts, I think.
Dempsey TKO7 Marciano. Marciano down once in the first, once in the third. Dempsey down once in the fourth. Beautiful bout.
... Not by any strtch of the imagination... 