Max Baer vs. Rocky Marciano

[Russell]

Lets say Baer's in top form, in shape, confident.

Winner?

[ChrisPontius]

Marciano, rather comfortably. He'd just keep raining punches on Baer's chin and body. Baer might get a few in, but not enough to make a stand. I think it would look a lot like Baer vs Louis, only this being a bit more of a steady beatdown instead of the quick, sharp combo's of Louis.

[janitor]

There wouldnt be anythig comfortable about this fight.

It would be an evil slugfest with sombody possibly ending up damaged goods the next morning. Both guys have a style that would play into the others hands.

Marciano would most likley win but he might have to pay a high price, and it wouldnt be prety if Max chose to make a fight of it.

[Longhhorn71]

There wouldnt be anythig comfortable about this fight.

It would be an evil slugfest with sombody possibly ending up damaged goods the next morning. Both guys have a style that would play into the others hands.

Marciano would most likley win but he might have to pay a high price, and it wouldnt be prety if Max chose to make a fight of it.

If Baer really knew how to box....he might beat The Rock.

Two of the most powerful right hands being thrown at each other.

Baer 6ft 2-1/2" with 81 inch reach. 215 lbs

The Rock 5'10", 68 inch reach 190 lbs.

The stats don't look too good for the Rock if long range scud missles
are raining down on you.

[bestdefense117]

It'd be a great fight Max Baer has the greatest right hand in boxing history and Rocky Marciano is very smart. I would like to see it.:!:

[JIm Broughton]

Marciano by tko around the 8th or 9th. Max could bang for sure but he lacked the one punch that he would need against Rocky, a good stiff consistent left jab. Trying to measure Rocky with an outstretched left in the hope of landing a big right won't work IMO. Marciano would outwork Max and discourage him over the long haul and eventually end it halfway through the match.

[mr. magoo]

I'd go with the Rock, but I think Baer's guts, power and savage style could be potentially dangerous for Marciano. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Baer decked him once or twice and left him with a busted up face before the Rock overtook him a bit later.

[Russell]

Is anyone considering that this is the rarely seen motivated, in shape Baer, as opposed to the lazy version we got a lot?

[Mega Lamps]

At their best I'll pick Marciano to win by late stoppage in a brutal hard fought war. Not many can have a war with Baer and survive.

[Sardu]

Marciano by mid to late round knockout. Baer was a tough cookie but he ain't winning this one.

[Bummy Davis]

Marciano, rather comfortably. He'd just keep raining punches on Baer's chin and body. Baer might get a few in, but not enough to make a stand. I think it would look a lot like Baer vs Louis, only this being a bit more of a steady beatdown instead of the quick, sharp combo's of Louis.



:good I see it pretty much he same but Baer may get Rocky mad with a few of those hard right hands, Max could fight and hit when he was on but he as off more than he was on

[McGrain]

I underate Rocky Marciano.

Depends. Depends on how true it is about Rocky being "easy to hit and hard to hit clean" - and what it really means. Baer hits hard enough to stop Rocky, i'm pretty sure of that, so whatever the meaning of Rocky's apparent elusiveness is the key.

Personally, I think Baer could get him.

[Senya13]

Baer by mid-round stoppage. A harder hitter, with chin as good as Marciano's, both sluggers with not very much skills, so it'll only be a contest of punching power and toughness.

[Holmes' Jab]

Marciano, close UD. Too much workrate fo Baer to handle.

[hdog]

Marciano's ability to fight small gets him under Baer's right. His work rate would have Baer gasping for breath by about the fourth. Then it gets real ugly.

[Russell]

Baer's stamina was amazing at it's best.

[RoccoMarciano]

Baer's shots land on a granite chin! Rocky would likely grin at blows that wouldn't harm him in the slightest.

Superior boxing ability prevails. Rocky by pulverization in round 8.

[dpw417]

Rocky's (very) often underated defense is demonstrated in this match-up with the tall right hand bomber...I like Marciano by 11th round TKO...Although smaller, Rocky has the leverage to put Baer on his back foot IMO...and Baer would have extreme difficulty punching down with the right hand. Marciano is not given any credit for his aggressive defense it seems(?)

[Sonny's jab]

Marciano would crowd him, he'd come inside that big looping right hand of Baer's. Baer has the physical equipment to beat Rocky, but not the polished tools.
Baer could definitely hurt him and put up a good fight for a while.

Baer had some nights where he was "on", fierce and serious, and brave, no quitting or clowning in him. But I doubt he ever had the sheer determination TO WIN, the pathological phobia of losing, that Marciano possessed. In some rounds I can imagine Baer drifting into "survival" mode, or hoping for the one big punch, while Marciano just goes hell-bent.

[Maxie's Gal]

Lets say Baer's in top form, in shape, confident.

Winner?

Every time somebody does a Baer vs. XXXX, and say Baer's "in the best condition of his life" yada yada, "who wins?" y'all use existing films to compare Max to the other fighter. Those films are typically Baer vs. Schmeling, Carnera, Braddock, Louis, Nova.

I'm curious whether any of you have actually read accounts of Baer vs. an opponent in the years 1929, 1930 ? The pre-Campbell and including Campbell bouts.

Max Baer of 1929 and 1930 in a boxing ring was not quite human. He not only had the thunderous right, he excelled with his left, and with fighting inside. The newspapers of the time literally wrote "he punches hard with either hand." His right wasn't always the fist that KOd his opponents then. Were there some opponents during those years that outboxed him ? Certainly.

But just for once on these Baer vs. XXXX, I'd like to see somebody argue from the perspective of Baer in 1929-30. THOSE were his savage years.

I don't know enough about the other fighters to argue the particulars, but when you use the same films over and over as evidence, Max ain't gettin' a fair shot in the discussion.

Regards,
Cat
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