BoxRec

An article on ESPN by Jose Torres mentions that Rocky Marciano's manager Al Weill and trainer Charley Goldman 'never engaged Rocky against fighters they thought could beat him' this would suggest that Rocky sidestepped some potential opponents. Does anyone here know who these opponents might have been and when this might have happened?

cocker wrote: ↑10 Jan 2019, 14:54 An article on ESPN by Jose Torres mentions that Rocky Marciano's manager Al Weill and trainer Charley Goldman 'never engaged Rocky against fighters they thought could beat him' this would suggest that Rocky sidestepped some potential opponents. Does anyone here know who these opponents might have been and when this might have happened?

6'3" 200+ lbs Nino Valdez

Yes, that seems feasible, bigger, longer reach and tough hard punching heavyweight. I could be wrong but didn't Archie Moore beat him to get a shot at Marciano?

Yes, that seems feasible, bigger, longer reach and tough hard punching heavyweight. I could be wrong but didn't Archie Moore beat him to get a shot at Marciano?

cocker wrote: ↑10 Jan 2019, 17:08 Yes, that seems feasible, bigger, longer reach and tough hard punching heavyweight. I could be wrong but didn't Archie Moore beat him to get a shot at Marciano?

...Eddie Machen had a couple of fights with Valdes, winning one by TKO.

Who was there to sidestep at that time? Earl Walls? Bob Baker? Nino Valdes? Bob Satterfield? All of them always lost whenever they stepped up and Marciano beat their conquerors. Walls up and retired when team Marciano offered him the 50-0 match. Patterson was still a light heavyweight. There was nobody around. Tommy Jackson ffs was Marciano's sparring partner.

cocker wrote: ↑10 Jan 2019, 17:08 Yes, that seems feasible, bigger, longer reach and tough hard punching heavyweight. I could be wrong but didn't Archie Moore beat him to get a shot at Marciano?

Moore did indeed beat Valdez in an eliminator. Marciano ducked nobody. I don't think his era was a strong one. Depends on how much you rate the versions of Charles and jjw at the time.

Valdez would have been no match for Marciano. That being said, I've always regretted they didn't fight, as it would have given fans footage that would help them visualise Rock against larger, modern heavies. Nino was tough, but I think he would have wound up horizontal and twitching here.

Valdes wasn't much bigger than Joe Louis and even the faded version Marciano fought was probably still better than a prime Valdes.

Al Weill needed to bring something to the table for his 50%.

Has there ever been a champion where this wasn't true? (Maybe Louis?)

For what it is worth, my personal standard: I always felt (for back then) if a champion fought someone in The Ring Magazine's top ten the challenge was legitimate; although a number one ranking for two consecutive years couldn't be ignored. IMO If it didn't offend this standard a champion wasn't ducking, it was his prerogative to choose.