Sonny Liston (1958) vs. Rocky Marciano (1952)

[WAISTCMyself2332?]

Here's my take on this match:
Rocky would try to take the fight in the early rounds, much like Floyd Patterson, who tried to get inside Liston's jab. But unlike Patterson, Marciano is a much harder target to find. Sonny Liston is missing a lot of his jabs, as Marciano slips under them and Liston starts to get frustrated. Sonny may not be dominating the fight, but he is winning rounds.

In the middle rounds, Marciano is cut, but he endures the injury and continues to box Liston. Action is not present much in the middle rounds. In the later rounds, Sonny floors Marciano twice with left hooks, respectively (which was Liston's best offensive move, next to his jab; both his left hook and jab are one of the best of all-time) on his way to a late-round knockout or unanimous decision.
What do you think goes on in this fight?
Vote above:

[Kalan]

WHOOOOOOOOA BABY!!!! ... You're dreaming if you think Patterson was easier to hit than Marciano... Gee whiz dude, Archie Moore decked Marciano and hit Rocky with a tremendous number of right counters... Archie started his professional career as a Welterweight... Archie's punches didn't bother Rocky a whole lot more than they bothered Patterson... Moore nailed Rocky a lot, but hardly hit Patterson at all -- and he got knocked out a lot quicker ... and you know Archie was knocked out a few times in his career with that leaky cross-armed defense of his.

Liston by KO in 2 rounds... How well do you think Michael Spinks would have done if he ever fought Mike Tyson??? ... No Light Heavyweight ever beat him.

[Kurgen22]

Looking at this its a hard call, going with the Rock by KO because 1952 Marciano was much more experienced than 1958 Liston. Also Sonny was not as filled out so his strength would not be a huge advantage. Looking at Weights being about 190 for the Rock and 195 for Sonny.
Sonny still had the huge reach advantage, but an experienced and superbly Conditioned Marciano would work him over, tire him out and chop him down by the 8th.
If it were 5 years later Sonny's Size and Experience would leads to him stopping the Rock on cuts.
This wouldnt be Liston's night though.

[WAISTCMyself2332?]

Guys I made a new forum on this fight. Go check the newer one out.

[WAISTCMyself2332?]

Liston's fight against Bethea was one of his best fights despite a lack of experience. It may have even been his best performance ever, at least that's what I've heard people say. '63 Liston wasn't his absolute prime. Which was probably 1959-60.

[WAISTCMyself2332?]

WHOOOOOOOOA BABY!!!! ... You're dreaming if you think Patterson was easier to hit than Marciano... Gee whiz dude, Archie Moore decked Marciano and hit Rocky with a tremendous number of right counters... Archie started his professional career as a Welterweight... Archie's punches didn't bother Rocky a whole lot more than they bothered Patterson... Moore nailed Rocky a lot, but hardly hit Patterson at all -- and he got knocked out a lot quicker ... and you know Archie was knocked out a few times in his career with that leaky cross-armed defense of his.

Liston by KO in 2 rounds... How well do you think Michael Spinks would have done if he ever fought Mike Tyson??? ... No Light Heavyweight ever beat him.

Check out my newer forum on this fight, and comment your opinion there.

[Kalan]

Looking at this its a hard call, going with the Rock by KO because 1952 Marciano was much more experienced than 1958 Liston. Also Sonny was not as filled out so his strength would not be a huge advantage. Looking at Weights being about 190 for the Rock and 195 for Sonny.
Sonny still had the huge reach advantage, but an experienced and superbly Conditioned Marciano would work him over, tire him out and chop him down by the 8th.
If it were 5 years later Sonny's Size and Experience would leads to him stopping the Rock on cuts.
This wouldnt be Liston's night though.

You're full of poop... Liston's weights for his last 3 fights of 1958 were 212, 212.5, and 211. HIs average weight for the entire year was 209 and he was rock hard... so your 195 story is complete BS... Marciano's prime weight was 184 to 185... He was a little chubby at 187-188 and never got up to 190 for any championship fight... He wasn't as big as Patterson who weighed 194.5 for Liston 2... but still looked like a little midget.

Weight needs to be functional to be effective.. Guys add tons of weight when they fight a bigger man and think that's going to work.. Michael Spinks beefed up to 212 for Mike Tyson, but it didn't do wonders for his punching power or speed... Joe Frazier weighed 214 for George Foreman, but he didn't have a 214-pound man's resistance to punishment.. He was FAT.. Anybody can eat on weight -- but when a naturally big man with great power starts blasting you it's your natural frame size and resistance you're born with that's going to save you if you know how to fight. You can beat big guys who can't fight all day.. But a good big man beats a good little man.. That doesn't change because Kell Brook beefs up to 176.

[Syntax Error]

I don't like the Rock's chances in this at all.

He was tough as hell, but Liston was a brute & much bigger too.

I'd be inclined to go for a Liston TKO late.

[ClivePatrickLyons]

Liston survive's afew rocky moment's to KO Marciano in 5

[gilgamesh]

I think Sonny Liston would bust Rocky Marciano up with the jab, and drop him a few times on the way to a knockout victory in the 5th or 6th round. I think this would be a pretty bad match for Marciano.

[evrenb]

I would go for Marciano on this one. A brutal fight but he wouldn't be intimidated as Patterson was. He would believe in his ability and hang tough as he always did. Liston didn't always react well to a guy standing up to him and who wasn't intimidated by him. Much in the same way that Tyson was affected when someone stood up to him. Marciano last two round stoppage or points...

[Tony1244]

I went for the Rock, but this is one where I could definitely respect an alternative opinion.

Sonny was just there to be hit. Rocky had a good awkward crouch. Sure he got hit in the face quite a bit but he did give awkward angles.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Liston 8 days a week.

[hhaehre]

Liston would bust him up real good. Rocky would probably have to be saved from his own bravery around the midpoint of the fight.

[Boxing Writer]

Liston by KO

[Crease]

The Rock stays low and batters away and Sonny's body. Liston gets disheartened and KO'd.

[Kalan]

Floyd Patterson tried to stay low with Sonny Liston ... so low he was usually on the canvas in fact.. Floyd couldn't get out of the 1st round to save his life... and I doubt if Marciano could last through the 1st... After all, old LHW Archie Moore decked Marciano... Patterson walked right through Archie.

[Crease]

Floyd Patterson tried to stay low with Sonny Liston ... so low he was usually on the canvas in fact.. Floyd couldn't get out of the 1st round to save his life... and I doubt if Marciano could last through the 1st... After all, old LHW Archie Moore decked Marciano... Patterson walked right through Archie.

Comparing Floyd Patterson to Rocky Marciano? Absolutely ridiculous...

Completely different mentalities, completely different styles, completely different men...

[Kalan]

Right! The 2 Heavyweights were nothing alike.

You see, Patterson was taller, faster, and more skillful than Marciano... Patterson threw much better and more accurate combinations than Rocky.. Plus Floyd was an Olympic Gold Medal winner while Marciano was 9-4 as an amateur.. In addition to that, Marciano was clumsy and awkward.. He hit the canvas against the elderly Light Heavyweight Archie Moore, who started his pro career as a Welterweight -- and it took Rocky 9 slogging rounds to KO old Arch.

Also, Patterson got rid of Moore much more quickly and wasn't punched to the canvas like Rocky was... That's why his 2 fights with Liston are relevant.

[BoxBuzz]

Based on this assessment would you pick Patterson over Marciano?

[cfang]

Based on this assessment would you pick Patterson over Marciano?

Rocky would beat Patterson every time. Liston? Well everything seems against him. Kal's views on rocky are as usual simple and incorrect - based on who beat who and that's it. Rocky fought the way he did to use the strengths he had. The will to win plays a huge part also. Liston's two fights with ali really damage his rep. He was decked by a lightish right hand from ali. Rocky hit like a truck. It's a tough one. If Liston is composed he could stop rocky on cuts with that uber jab, if not and rocky does get inside - don't be shocked if rocky springs a upset. One thing is for definite - he was far far mentally tough than sonny,

[BoxBuzz]

Based on this assessment would you pick Patterson over Marciano?

Rocky would beat Patterson every time. Liston? Well everything seems against him. Kal's views on rocky are as usual simple and incorrect - based on who beat who and that's it. Rocky fought the way he did to use the strengths he had. The will to win plays a huge part also. Liston's two fights with ali really damage his rep. He was decked by a lightish right hand from ali. Rocky hit like a truck. It's a tough one. If Liston is composed he could stop rocky on cuts with that uber jab, if not and rocky does get inside - don't be shocked if rocky springs a upset. One thing is for definite - he was far far mentally tough than sonny,

Now don't go callin' Kalan simple....he'll end up tweeting at 3:00 AM

[cfang]

Haha no I'm not calling kal simple, just his method for deciding who is better than who. Often it's based on just one or two fights. I think it's far more complex than just a couple of results. Rocky vs Liston is a tough one to call I think.

[JCarpineto]

I just think styles make fights. Even the great Muhammad Ali got knocked down a few times by lesser opponents. I think Marciano would get hurt a few times during the fight but would eventually KO Sonny Liston in the later rounds.

[Kalan]

"Right! The 2 Heavyweights were nothing alike.

You see, Patterson was taller, faster, and more skillful than Marciano... Patterson threw much better and more accurate combinations than Rocky.. Plus Floyd was an Olympic Gold Medal winner while Marciano was 9-4 as an amateur.. In addition to that, Marciano was clumsy and awkward.. He hit the canvas against the elderly Light Heavyweight Archie Moore, who started his pro career as a Welterweight -- and it took Rocky 9 slogging rounds to KO old Arch.

Also, Patterson got rid of Moore much more quickly and wasn't punched to the canvas like Rocky was... That's why his 2 fights with Liston are relevant.

Based on this assessment would you pick Patterson over Marciano?

I think Marciano retired to avoid Patterson... Floyd was way too fast and skilled for Rocky -- who quit Boxing at 32 with only 6 title defenses rather than face a good Heavyweight in Patterson... Floyd became the next champion by easily disposing of Archie Moore because there was nobody in the Heavyweight Division... Be serious...Patterson versus Moore is not a final box-off for the vacant Heavyweight Title in any decade but the 1950's... Marciano is easily the most overrated boxer of all time...

Remember when Felix Triniadad was 40-0 and ranked the number 1 P4P fighter in Boxing??? His undefeated record was an accident.. He didn't fight anybody really good.. I liked Trinidad as a puncher, but as a boxer he wasn't extremely skilled... Tito was a 2-1 favorite to beat Bernard Hopkins. I thought that was the funniest joke I ever heard in my life.. He was exposed.. Believe me, if Marciano ever fought a good prime Heavyweight, he was History.