Gene Tunney 1927 vs. Rocky Marciano 1952

[pundit]

Who would win and why?

Btw, Marciano and Tunney are #s 2 and 3 in the boxrec all-time HW rating.

[bill.lockhart]

I like the Rock. This would be a 15 rounder I presume. If an aging Dempsey could drop Tunney, I think Rocky would take him out inside the distance. A 15 rounder would play into Rocky's favour. He would have more time to wear Tunney down. Tunney couldn't hurt Rocky, but Rocky would punish Tunney to the body very badly prior to knocking him out.

[pundit]

I like the Rock. This would be a 15 rounder I presume. If an aging Dempsey could drop Tunney, I think Rocky would take him out inside the distance.

By the same token, if an old Jersey Joe Walcott can outbox prime Marciano for 12 rounds, prime Tunney should be able to do so for 15.

[bill.lockhart]

I like the Rock. This would be a 15 rounder I presume. If an aging Dempsey could drop Tunney, I think Rocky would take him out inside the distance.

By the same token, if an old Jersey Joe Walcott can outbox prime Marciano for 12 rounds, prime Tunney should be able to do so for 15.

I won't argue your point. Well taken. This fight is by no means a lock for either fighter. I just like Rocky's fighting spirit. I think he could break Tunney's will to compete.

[DrDuke]

I'd favour Tunney. Marciano could be outboxed and Tunney could provide that better than Jersey Joe Walcott in his first fight against Rocky before being KOed. Gene also had more chances of not being caught. Maybe he could even deal better with adversity, if he was caught. He had been able to overcome trouble in Dempsey fight after all. But I'm not sure about Gene getting in trouble in Marciano fight, I pretty clearly see Tunney controlling everything with his movement.

[HomicideHenry]

Call me crazy, but I think this is one of those fights that would have most likely have ended in a well deserved draw.

[Duran1970]

Great fantasy comparison

Marciano TKO 14 Tunney

[gilgamesh]

I like Tunney in this fight. I figure he'd have some difficulty down the stretch with Marciano's relentlessness beginning to wear on him, but I think he'd be able to get the better of at least 9 rounds out of 15.

[tiny_acres]

I honestly can think of a more evenly matched fantasy fight.
This would be one of my top 10 dream matches