BoxRec

I would call this matchup the "opposites of eachother" because jack johnson was all about the art of boxing, while marciano was the art of the rock.

Rocky Marciano 1952 vs Jack Johnson 1909

johnson 6'1 205lb
marciano 5'11 185lb

- i been thinking about this matchup for sometime

Johnson 15 unanimous Marciano


- This is a bad style matchup for rocky. johnsons style was a lot like walcotts except even worse, johnson liked to tie up and was incredibly strong and tough on the inside making it harder for rock.

this fight would have a lot of clinching, but marciano will have a lot of trouble trying to bull around the muscular johnson like rock did his other opponents. johnson however also wont be able to use rock as a rag doll like he did stanley ketchell in the clinch.
i think johnsons defennsive style will give the aggresive non stop punching but innaccure marciaano fits, and johnson will counter rocky the whole fight. rocky will manage to land blowss on the inside but johnson will control the fight, and also land the telling punches and counters. johnson has a deadly right uppercut which i can see him hurting marciano with. if rock gets in with one of his hard rights, i can see him flooring johnson. johnson would not toy or play with rock, or else he will get careless and be knocked out.

this fight will be a battle in the clinch and inside, by give the defensive mastermind master boxer johnson the edge because hes strong enough not to get pushed around by rocky, and has fast handspeed and will land alot on the inside then push rock away and counter on the outside as rock came in. he will need to be careful not to battle to much on the inside, or rocks non stop punching might wear him down.

great fantasy matchup from a slugger vs boxer

like alot of fighters Johnson fought, Marciano would get inside of Johnsons reach. Unlike those other fighters, Marciano would not be manhandled by Johnson's clinching and infighting. It may come late in the fight and after tons of punches but Marciano's power would eventually prevail. Johnson may not have had a glass jaw, but it sure wasnt granite.
Marciano ko 11.

>>>Unlike those other fighters, Marciano would not be manhandled by Johnson's clinching and infighting.<<<

So are you saying that you thinki Marciano had more power than Jim Jeffries? Jeffries is probably the strongest heavyweight to ever step in the ring, yet his strength did not benefit him a bit against Johnson! Willard was a very powerful man, but it took him 26 rounds to muscle Johnson. Frank Moran was a very strong man as well, but his power had no avail! Johnson would box Marciano's ears off and though I doubt any could knockout Marciano, Johnson had as good a chance to do so as anyone. Johnson was not only a far, far superior boxer, but he was also bigger and stronger than Marciano. The only chance the "Rock" would have would be to land a punch as he did to Walcott, only problem...Johnson was a lot more defensive and harder to hit than was Walcott!

No big surprise I know, but I agree with Barry and BB here. Johnson too talented all around for Marciano. I feel it would play out a lot like Johnson-Burns, but Marciano was a lot tougher and more powerful than Burns. Johnson would box, counter, and move in a boring decision win. I don't see Johnson hitting the canvas, but Marciano may take a brief visit from one of Johnson's powerful uppercuts. 12-3 in rounds, but if put over 15 Johnson may step it up and stop Marciano on cuts or TKO around the 19th or 20th rounds. Marciano would not be a very recognizable man after eating a lot of counters. Overall, a pretty easy win for Johnson, though he is more cautious than usual because of Marciano's power.

And nice to see I won you over on this fight. I remember debating this with you a while back. Maybe that means theres a chance of winning over The One .

So are you saying that you thinki Marciano had more power than Jim Jeffries

At the time Jefferies fought Johnson, absolutely.

Johnson was a lot more defensive and harder to hit than was Walcott!

I dont agree with this. Walcott moved around the ring alot better than Johnson. Most of Johnson defensive skills came in the clinches. He didnt use as much lateral movement as Walcott and was more of a leaner. Marciano would eventually get inside like alot of fighters did , but he would have the weapons to make Johnson pay.

yea, i studied the fighters a lot more and i felt bad style matchup for rocky. i defintley see this fight going the distance, i cant see johnson stopping him. rocky never had a fight stopped on cuts, so i wont start now. even in a 20 ound fight, becausse marciano had such good stamina.

- johnson just has to make sure he doesnt get careless or caught with a right like he did ketchell

Johnson can be seen employing beautiful lateral movement vs Ketchel and Moran. You don't see it much in most of his filmed fights b/c vs those opponents, Johnson possessed such a speed advantage that he didn't need to go away from his opponents much. He could stand in the pocket, parry and counter and then tie them up where he could get in sweet shots to the body and uppercuts.