David Tua vs Rocky Marciano

[boxing_fanatic_87]

I know Tua never won the heavyweight title, and Marciano was the only unbeaten Heavyweight Champion and all of that. But style's make fights. I Think Tua knocks out Marciano in 6, in a great slugfest and this is why. Marciano was the best heavyweight of his time without question...but what does that mean really? His toughest opponents are Ezzard Charles ( former Light Heavy ), Archie Moore ( former Light Heavy ), Jersey Joe Walcott ( old ) and Joe Louis ( old ). Tua was a big strong heavyweight with a rock solid chin ( never down ) and he also never got cut. Tua was also devastatingly powerful when he could connect, and Marciano wasn't exactly a slick defensive fighter, he out-toughed his opponents and wore them down with his own power. I doubt very much he does that to Tua. I think it would be a great fight while it lasted with both men winning rounds and Marciano getting off the canvas a few times before it was finally stopped or he was knocked out for the count. Cuts stoppage is also possible in favor of Tua.

[Goodnight, Irene]

Part of your argument hinges on who Marciano beat? LOL!

Get real, mate. Now do an analysis of the superior opposition you imply Tua defeated by way of critiquing Marciano's opposition.

Louis, Charles, Walcott, Matthews, LaStarza, Moore --- chicken-feed, apparently, in the face of Ruiz, Rahman (fvckin' barely, I might add), Maskaev, Izon & co

Marciano would make soup out of Tua's ribs.

[boxing_fanatic_87]

You have to consider the style's of the two fighers. Yes I know Tua's record doesn't have the biggest names either. However his style and size advantage would in my opinion be too much for Marciano.

[Goodnight, Irene]

What style advantage are you speaking of, precisely?

[Syntax Error]

In all honesty, although p4p, Tua & Marciano are not even on the same planet, size wise, this is a cruiserweight -v- a heavyweight.

Now I know that Rocky was an exceptional 'cruiserweight', but surely Tua would be too big for him?

With Rocky's aggressive style, I could see Tua decapitating him.

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

You have to consider the style's of the two fighers. Yes I know Tua's record doesn't have the biggest names either. However his style and size advantage would in my opinion be too much for Marciano.

- Problem being it's a match that can never be, thus the debate ends up in a sling-off between traditionalists who hold that Bob Fitzsimmons could beat every heavy today and the new agers who insist bigger and stronger the magic elixir to heavyweight success.

The irony is that both Rocky and Tua never got any credit for their boxing skills because of their power. Tua boxed particularly beautiful against the irresistible force of Ike, and Rocky had some very clever almost imperceptible slickness and offensive moves that get lost in his aggressive style which was more obviously over the top crude.

I like Tua in this, but he has little experience in dealing with a smothering, bobbing and weaving attack with some of the most compact punches in heavy history. Tua has also suffered in his career because of management problems that have left him high and dry without fights for long periods of time. Lot of talent down thrown down the drain with Tua, whereas we saw the best Rocky had to offer.

[Martin Sosa Cameron]

Rocky knocked out Tua in no more than three rounds

[dempseyfire]

Tua is one of the most OVER-RATED heavyweights of all time.

For a short, short-armed guy, the Ibeabuchi fight showed even his in-fighting skills were paltry.

Tua may have some success early but by round 5 he's huffing for air by the pace Rocky would set and by the 10th he'd be ready to go.

Tua was no naturally bigger than a 215lb Tyson but simply weighed more throughout his career b/c Pacific Islanders seem to have real problems controlling the poundage (see Samson Po-hua)

[Ezzard]

This is a classic modern size and power versus old school stamina and endurance.

Tua is dangerous early on and Marciano will be there in front of him. If he doesn't close the deal early he'll be exhausted trying to keep up with Rocky in the mid to later rounds.

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

This is a classic modern size and power versus old school stamina and endurance.

Tua is dangerous early on and Marciano will be there in front of him. If he doesn't close the deal early he'll be exhausted trying to keep up with Rocky in the mid to later rounds.

- Tell us when Rocky's muscling style prevailed over a 230 lb slab of granite chinned muscle?

Rocky's gonna be gasping for air if he tries that head on tactic. Tua was able to move the nonstop Ike slab of muscle around the ring without running out of gas. Lewis thought enough of his power to keep him on the end of his jab and maintain a healthy distance.

I see the usual dismissal of Ruiz by the usual goldie oldie, but in 50+ fights Ruiz has never been close to being put down save the nuclear blast he took from Tua. Tua beat prime, near prime contenders and champs of a considerable size larger and stronger than Rock's comp. Legendary names for Rock, sure, but not competitive in the current heavy division.

Tommy Burns is a little guy who could hold his own against Rocky and give him some major problems with his youth and footwork, whereas the upright boxing Fitz likely gets destroyed fairly quick. It's just silly to match little former champs against today's behemoths unless they have demonstrated a special quality as Dempsey and Louis had against big guys. Tua had an extremely dense bone and muscle structure beyond the norm, yet was fairly fluid and quick when he was at 225-235.

Just don't see how the Rock can do it, a bridge too far.

[Robinson]

I dont see Marciano having an easy night against a peak Tua.

[Collins2000]

Tua looked fat and clueless while losing every round to Lennox Lewis.

[Robinson]

Yes he did. Not fat, but he looked hopeless.
I suspect Tua struggles against alot of boxer
types especially those with some size.

Marciano is not a Lewis as such.

[dempseyfire]

Tua wasn't soft and flabby vs Lennox??? Where is this re-writing of history?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MqGVuAv6V4

Any man 5'10 should not be anywhere over 220.

Byrd is not naturally any bigger than Marciano and he schooled Tua. I know Marciano isn't nearly as slick as Byrd but Byrd doesn't have anything near the power to get respect like Marciano has.

Marciano would grind Tua down into bacon bits. Tua's lone 20% chance is landing a perfect shot early before Marciano is warmed up.

[Collins2000]

Yes he did. Not fat, but he looked hopeless.
I suspect Tua struggles against alot of boxer
types especially those with some size.

Marciano is not a Lewis as such.

Kym, he looked to be carrying 30 pounds of useless blubber to me.

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

Tua wasn't soft and flabby vs Lennox??? Where is this re-writing of history?

- Tua's 245 looked to be as cut as Lewis' 249.

You've already been exposed as knowing precious little about fat. Tua only 5-9 or so, but he's got bigger arms, legs, and bigger across the back with a heavier bone structure than Lewis.

You touted up a close decision of lethargic Chambers over Peters as a fighter in shape beating a fat fighter, so I had to provide photographic evidence that it was Chambers rolling in the fat, not Peter.

So what, both Lennox and Tua could stand to lose 10 lbs, big whoop about nothing for guys this size and it had no bearing on the outcome.

It's fairly well established a fighter doesn't always have to cut down to be effective, most especially at heavy. Dempsey and Louis also a bit doughy looking in their latter days, and Ali in terrible shape for too many of his fights to remember. And Big George.

[dempseyfire]

You are an idiot BRR and a liar to boot. Point to once when I said Chambers was in shape.

If you are going to claim Tua is naturally a bigger man than Lennox Lewis, please, be my guest.

[HomicideHenry]

Rocky knocked out Tua in no more than three rounds

I dont see that happening. Tua always had an iron jaw. Lewis couldnt knock him out, Ibeabuchi couldnt knock him out, Rahman couldnt knock him out. IMO, if Marciano was to beat him, it would be in the later rounds by a TKO, but not a KO.

[NazNaci1]

Tua has been dropped before and I am not sure he would be good enough to get Marciano out of there early and tbh thats what Marciano's strength was. Countinous, hard punches for each minute of ever round.

He would wear Tua down for a mid to late round stoppage.

[Robinson]

Tua was flabby, and it seems for the most part he has that
look.
He does not have the style, or skill...perhaps talent whether
tactical or applied to deal with a man like a Byrd or Lewis.

Marciano is not that style of fighter, he is a proud warrior
that comes in to the ring in superb condition, with a massive
heart. He stands and fights or hunts his prey down.
What happens when he does not back Tua up, who does have
the helmet like head to take a good blow, what happens when
Marciano feels the return fire and power that Tua does have.

I think, while Marciano is the better man, with greater character
and perhaps courage. He sadly does not have a good chance
in this one, should say both men come in at peak condition.

I like Marciano better, and I have never really been a big Tua
fan. But....

In any case, its hard to say when you have hard hitting men.
Tua did show good sustainable condition in say the Ike fight,
I dont care what any one says two 240ish lbs of power hitters
going back and forth is extremely taxing.

I can see either man winning this one, Marciano by dec or perhaps
Tua by a stoppage, either on cuts or the ref's compassion.

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

You are an idiot BRR and a liar to boot. Point to once when I said Chambers was in shape.

If you are going to claim Tua is naturally a bigger man than Lennox Lewis, please, be my guest.

- The inference was obvious when you completely ignored your eyes and chose to crack on one of the participants to the exclusion of the other who was most obviously the fattest.

Same deal with Tua/Lewis with both appearing to be in similar condition to the eyes, yet you focus your ire on one to the exclusion of the other.

Tua clearly has denser bone and muscle structure than Lewis both by the eyes and running a simple comparison of their weights through out their careers eith a pounds per height comparison.

[enrique]

Tua-Marciano??????????

Used Pinto Vs Ferrari

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

Tua-Marciano??????????

Used Pinto Vs Ferrari

- Must not know what elite hot rodders can do with used, beat up Pintos.

Can make any Ferrari look like a slug. They often feature articles on "beaters" who are made up as "sleepers" for that expressed applied purpose. Win bets, girls, and leave a lot of embarrassed red faces in their wake.

[boxing_fanatic_87]

I'm pleased to see this started such a debate, I've noticed a few people made the comment about Tua's being fat against Lennox, bare in mind when I mentioned the fight between Tua vs Marciano I meant, Prime well conditioned Tua vs Prime well conditioned Marciano, not fat Tua vs Marciano. Also I realize this fight can never happen and it's all just speculation, but I've always found it quite amusing in comparing fighter's from back in the day vs fighter's of a later era, and no I don't always favor the modern fighter. I just envision the way the 2 men stack up style wise and so forth. I can't see Marciano knocking out Tua in any way shape or form. Best case scenario, Marciano is tough enough to take Tua's hardest stuff and he could maybe win a hard fought decision. Still though. I stand by my original prediction Tua KO 6 or less.

[Diamond WEAPON]

Tua would knock the crap out of Marciano prime-4-prime. Marciano was a good fighter, tough as hell, and subtly skillful, but the problem is most of his style was based on outlasting and outmuscling opponents, and if you stand right in front of Tua, you're just asking to be flattened. Marciano did have an excellent chin however, so I think it would take Tua a few rounds for those destructive blows of his to really take their toll and land cleanly enough on Marciano to finally put him away, as the bobbing and weaving slows.