Rocky Marciano (1951) vs. George Foreman (1991)...

[Nelson Gateau]

Marciano. George couldn't hurt Alex Stewart or Tommy Morrison, and remember that the guy that Thunder KO'd in seconds went 12 with him, as did big Lou Savarese. Marciano won't have to run as much as Tommy did so he will be able to land his power shots and he wears George down and beats him to a bloody pulp.

But we're talking the 1991 foreman who was still a man on a mission. not the somewhat unmotivated 1995-1998 version who was really just hanging around for the tyson money.

Also i dont understand the tommy morrision analogy. Are you saying Rocky marciano would dance and move for 12 rounds and only counter?! Plus tommy was a lot lighter on his feet and taller and had a longer reach than Rocky! Rocky was no fred astaire on his feet? he would have to michael jordan foreman from a distance!

No . Marciano would only stand and trade as thats the only hope he had and it was his bread and butter. and that why he would be consumed in the furnace within 4 rounds.

I already clarified my post and what I meant by the Morrison analogy. No, I didn't mean that Rocky would dance and move for 12 rounds, but he had world class chin, toughness, and power, and combined with the little bit of boxing skill that he had it would have been enough against a Foreman, who while still formidable, was not the wrecking machine of his youth, was fairly easy to hit, and who not long after this time frame got pasted by Alex Stewart!

[Robinson]

Foreman was able to hurt and KD Stewart, he was just unable to put
Alex away. Stewart fought a hit and run battle, and often the shots
that did land on Stewart were usually landing as Alex was backing
away.

Lets also not forget that Foreman in '94 was able to score one of the
more 'epic' come from behind victories against a decent HW-LHW
in Moorer.

[The Great John L]

Re- Orlin Norris I thought he beat Tucker as well. I enjoy watching
Norris in action, it is an ashame he never went on to greater things.
I would not mind starting an open scoring thread for Norris-Tucker
to see how people had it.

Norris at his best could be used as an example of how short fighters can negate the jab of much taller opponents. His jab was amazing for a guy listed as 5-11, but who was probably closer to 5-9.

[The Great John L]

Foreman was able to hurt and KD Stewart, he was just unable to put
Alex away. Stewart fought a hit and run battle, and often the shots
that did land on Stewart were usually landing as Alex was backing
away.

Lets also not forget that Foreman in '94 was able to score one of the
more 'epic' come from behind victories against a decent HW-LHW
in Moorer.

At his best, Stewart was target for world class HWs. Certainly not a terrible fighter, but nothing better a gate keeper, and his biggest failing was his defense.

Yes, George did pull the Moorer fight out, but that was the only world class HW he beat in his second career, and he was being schooled right up until his version of the anchor punch.

[Robinson]

Re- Orlin Norris I thought he beat Tucker as well. I enjoy watching
Norris in action, it is an ashame he never went on to greater things.
I would not mind starting an open scoring thread for Norris-Tucker
to see how people had it.

Norris at his best could be used as an example of how short fighters can negate the jab of much taller opponents. His jab was amazing for a guy listed as 5-11, but who was probably closer to 5-9.

Agreed. I really enjoy watching Norris. It is an ashame his career did not
unfold the way it 'could have'.

[The Great John L]

Re- Orlin Norris I thought he beat Tucker as well. I enjoy watching
Norris in action, it is an ashame he never went on to greater things.
I would not mind starting an open scoring thread for Norris-Tucker
to see how people had it.

Norris at his best could be used as an example of how short fighters can negate the jab of much taller opponents. His jab was amazing for a guy listed as 5-11, but who was probably closer to 5-9.

Agreed. I really enjoy watching Norris. It is an ashame his career did not
unfold the way it 'could have'.

He was as slick as snail sh*t. Maybe if he would have gotten a fair shake against Tucker he might have gotten more respect, but I tend to think that he was recognized as a hard to beat guy and was therefore avoided.

[Bricks]

orlin norris i never really held in the same regard as qawi or toney.

Why not? Is it because he actually beat a number of top 10 HWs?.

Let's see, Snipes, Ferguson, Page and the Tucker rip off. He did lose to Cooper, but that fight was a complete shutout for Orlin until he hurt his leg and couldn't continue. Qawi wasn't even a HW, and when he fought Foreman he had gained about 30 lbs since his last fight. It was a pay day.

Norris was several steps above Qawi as a HW and actually knew how to get by a taller fighters jab, which Toney has never figured out. .

I dont hold Norris in the same regard as Toney or Qawi as a fighter.
Im not rating Qawi here on his career as a fighter overall, and as a pound for pound LH/Cruiser fighter stepping up to HW, Im rating him on the same basis as one would a roy jones stepping up to fight Ruiz.His performance against Foreman was good considering he was ill prepared.

Quite how you work out that Toney didnt know how to get by a taller fighters jab is incomprehensible. You should study Toneys career in depth? His entire career as a 5ft 9inch shorter guy he has shown himself to be adept at slipping jabs and countering taller fighters. Watch the iran Barkley,Mike Mccallum or Prince Charles Williams, or Holyfield or Jirov fights for starters..I wont even mention the Rahman fight.

As for Orlin, im glad you realise he did actually lose to Bert Cooper the same Cooper, Foreman crushed.
As for his victories you cite over Snipes,Mcall, Ferguson and Page.
Greg Page had just lost to a 87 year old Joe Bugner and was going through the worst patch of his career due in part to drug issues outside the ring. He had lost 6 fights in 3 or so years when he lost to Norris. Ferguson and Mccall were considered journeyman at the time Norris beat them. They had 7 defeats between them.Snipes was over the hill.
THat record does not compare with Toneys or Qawis. Again you cant really rate Qawi as a HW based on one fight and Im not.

Orlin Norris was a terrific boxer and ended up with a incredible record of 57 wins and 10 defeats he beat a lot of name HWs and transcended 3 eras of the HW division. He is a credit to the game in every way and i agree with you he won that Tucker fight and it really should have been a springboard but he can be proud of his record few people achieve what Orlin did. Real Class act