Marciano vs Dempsey

[DaveTheWave]

It's probably been done and done again, but I'm new here so humor me. Who's it gonna be over 15? Either guy could knock the other down early, both have big power, both come foreward, one cuts real easy... Dempsey might get there faster, but The Rock hit plenty hard- I go back and forth on this one, so I'm just curious to see the input from all you experts.

[McGrain]

I pick Dempsey to win this one.

I think these guys are both going to be doing what they always do and I pick Dempsey to shade it for accuracy and therefore chances.

Dempsey has no rythym to his approach, so Marciano really would be doing what he seems to be most celebrated for doing - hitting arms, gloves etc., for much of the time.

Dempsey will KO Rocky before Rocky can get to Dempsey I think.

[Joe E]

dempsey liked moving forward and that was marcianos' game.the rock would get cut[surprise]but cuts never bothered marciano.jack had better foot work and was a better boxer but so were walcott,lastarza,and charles.i think marciano out muscles dempsey over 15 and takes a close decision.

[Jack Dempsey]

I see this as a pick 'em fight, but I could see cuts being a factor in this and Dempsey has the upper hand in that repsect

[Duodenum]

Virtually everybody who personally eyewitnessed both Jack and Rocky in their fighting primes picked Dempsey in a hypothetical matchup. The Rock generally had to get set to deliver his bombs, in a pugilistic representation of trench warefare. Jack was much more of a mobile blitzkrieg specialist. Rocky boxed out of a crouch and slow advance, while Dempsey employed a moving crouch, continually bouncing on his toes with knees also bent, while at his peak. The right uppercut Jack kayoed Firpo with was quite the rocket launcher, while he certainly also had a faster and harder hook than the one Jersey Joe dropped Rocky with.

As tough as the Rock was, he might still be on his feet late, when the referee intercedes to save Marciano from further punishment. When Rocky dethroned Walcott, if that was the Dempsey of Toledo in there with Marciano instead, Jack might have forced to match to a halt by the point in the bout where Rocky won the title. Because of his heart and ruggedness, I'll grant Marciano the benefit of a doubt here.

Dempsey TKO (RSC) 14 Marciano

[FlatNose]

This would be a battle of attrition.Dempsey was no fancy dan.In a long , drawn out slugfest, the sturdier, more durable Marciano takes a close decision, but no one recognizes him after Dempsey re arranges his face.

[janitor]

This is one of the few fights that I am sincerely glad that the timelines never permited.

One or both of the participants would get hurt badly and they would likley both be damaged goods afterwards.

[Bad_Intentions]

marciano DECISION.

[McGrain]

marciano DECISION.

That Jack would drop him is almost a dead cert given the lesser punchers that put the Rock on his backside - you really don't think a guy like Dempsey would be able to put the finishing touces on a knockdown in, say, the 10th?

[Minotauro]

Rocky late his cardio would make the difference also I believe he had a better chin. Marciano TKO 14.

[robert ungurean]

Dempsey by KO

[RAMPAGE0017]

Marciano would be too much of an animal for Dempsey.

Marciano - 4th round KO.

[Ted Stickles]

I think Rocky would take him late in the fight i dont know if Dempsey had the stamina to fight as long and hard as the Rock could( his cardio was incredible).......It would have been an all out war

[Bummy Davis]

Rocky after 10 and a wonderfull war

[thunder06]

Jack Dempsey said " what everyone forgets is that Marciano can punch harder than any day heavyweight. I have scored my share of knockouts but more often than not my opponets had to be knocked down repeatedly. The same is true of Joe Louis. MARCIANO only needs one solid smash and it is all over.That is why i think he is the hardest hitting heavyweight ever."

Dempsey was faster and busier and had a slightly better defense and boxing ability. Rocky was stronger and sturdier. Punching power? Rocky's seemed more consistent, but Jack could let unleash a murderous punch, too.

Every good fighter that fought Rocky was able to go toe to toe with him and slug it out. Charles, Walcott and Moore traded with him successfully. Busted him up pretty bad actually, before they themselves were taken out. Even blubbery Don Cockell was able to fight head-on with Rocky, (although he was badly beaten) so I see no reason why Dempsey couldn't have a large measure of success there as well.

I guess it would all come down to Rocky being able to withstand Jack's furious assault long enough for his own strength to come through to flatten the Manassa Mauler in the later rounds. That's usually how he did it. My guess is that he would in this fight as well, but I wouldn't bet on it. Not at all.

I would however, pay for a ringside seat! Rocky by TKO in 10 or 11. :happy

[Maxmomer]

Dempsey by TKO, late.

[fists of fury]

I personally feel Rocky's imense stamina and ruggedness would be the deciding factors here. He'd look like a train hit him, but he'd be the winner on points over 15, maybe even by late stoppage.

[Duodenum]

Jack Dempsey said " what everyone forgets is that Marciano can punch harder than any day heavyweight. I have scored my share of knockouts but more often than not my opponets had to be knocked down repeatedly. The same is true of Joe Louis. MARCIANO only needs one solid smash and it is all over.That is why i think he is the hardest hitting heavyweight ever."Dempsey could be a pretty modest fellow, and he was always dedicated to the promotion of the sport which made him famous (as has been Ali). It can sometimes be useful to "read between the lines" of a self-effacing quote like Jack's about Marciano's power. One reason Dempsey sometimes had to score multiple knockdowns is because so many of his shots were knockdown punches, indicating tremendous punch-for-punch power.

Dempsey fractured the ribs of Willard and George Godfrey (in sparring). The final knockdown he scored in the first Brennan fight caused KO's legs to lock up and break. Dempsey was the first boxer to floor or knock out many of his opponents (and the only one to ever drop Tunney). Marciano pretty much picked on people his own size, but Jack was a giant killer.

Rocky certainly needed only one solid smash twice against Walcott, and against Layne, and for my money, the double hook kayo he coldcocked Mathews with was the finest single performance instant of his career.

It bears repeating that Tunney stated he was only able to get three or four clear openings against a badly shot Dempsey, and even at his best, the Rock missed a lot of punches. Against Toledo Jack, the Blockbuster would be missing even more than usual. Most of the damage Tunney did to Dempsey was with his jab, not one of Marciano's more useful weapons.

Dempsey would not be attempting to bull Marciano backwards as Layne tried to do, and Rocky would not have enjoyed the enormous handspeed advantage against Jack that he had over Rex.

I've already picked Dempsey, but a key element of this matchup might be who is able to fight shorter. Jack would be spending more time than usual shadowboxing in his four foot cage, to try getting under the Blockbuster's overhand right. If he found that he couldn't get under the shorter Marciano, he could revert to using his superior reach and mobility from longer range, a boxing style he was perfectly capable of employing against an opponent of Rocky's stature.

[Maxmomer]

Duodenum, love reading your posts on Dempsey. Very informative.
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[rekcutnevets]

I think this fight would sort of resemble a heavyweight version of Hatton vs. Tszyu. Hatton being played by Marciano.

I've picked against Rocky in a few head to heads lately, but this time is different. I think Dempsey was the better athlete, was faster, and may have even been more vicious at times. I still think Dempsey would be the one that has to give ground to Marciano. I believe Dempsey faster hands would win him the first 4-6 rounds, but he would begin to tire after that. I think Rocky would bull him to the ropes, this is when the reference to the aforementioned Hatton vs. Tszyu type fight begins.

If the fight were schelduled for 10 rounds, I'd make it close to pick 'em and favor a draw.

12 rounds, Marciano by decision.

I am assuming this is 15, and I don't see Jack making it that far. Marciano by tko 13th or 14th round.

[Maxmomer]

Most people seem to think Dempsey would tire over a 15 round war. What do people base this on? Did Dempsey have poor stamina? Looking at his record I see he only went the full 15 rounds once and won by decision. Are people just assuming?

[Duodenum]

Most people seem to think Dempsey would tire over a 15 round war. What do people base this on? Did Dempsey have poor stamina? Looking at his record I see he only went the full 15 rounds once and won by decision. Are people just assuming?Dempsey and Marciano both went the 15 round distance only once, and both finished strongly, with their Hall of Fame opponents fading at the end. Jack was far more dominant in his defense against Gibbons than Rocky was in his initial scrape with Charles (Ezzard was reportedly ahead of Marciano after 12, while a past peak Dempsey with two years of ring rust took 12 of 15 from Gibbons, who like Charles was a seasoned 15 round veteran).

The latest round in which Marciano stopped an opponent was when he took the title with his one punch kayo of Walcott in round 13. The latest round that Dempsey took out an opponent in was round 12 of his unexpectedly tough title defense rematch against Brennan, when he put KO Bill down for the count with a flurry of bodyshots (indicating excellent late round power).

This match would not be decided because one of them tired out before the other, not over 15 rounds.

[JIm Broughton]

In perhaps the greatest HW brawl of all time I see Dempsey stopping the Rock somewhere around the third or fourth round. This fight will not go the distance that much is certain. Dempsey's philosophy was end it quick before you get hurt. He would pounce on Rocky from the opening bell and would'nt stop until either he or Rocky was knocked out. Dempsey was faster both in feet and hands and his reach was considerably longer. This would allow him to get his shots in first even though the fight would be fought at close range. Rocky's reach, or lack of it would be his achilles heel. He would land some vicious swipes himself to be sure, maybe even drop Jack but Jack would get up and continue to hammer the smaller Marciano until either the ref jumps in or Rocky is ko'ed. A brutal contest no question but Jack was too primal a fighting force for even the stalwart Marciano who would fight valiantly until the bitter end.

[Luigi1985]

IMO Dempsey is a bit overrated, the resume speaks 100 % for Marciano, he had more power, a bit better stamina, better chin. Dempsey´s only advantages would be speed (hand- and footspeed) and skills (combination boxing for example), I see a spectacular and equal fight until the middle rounds, where Marciano TKO´s Jack...

[Maxmomer]

IMO Dempsey is a bit overrated, the resume speaks 100 % for Marciano, he had more power, a bit better stamina, better chin. Dempsey´s only advantages would be speed (hand- and footspeed) and skills (combination boxing for example), I see a spectacular and equal fight until the middle rounds, where Marciano TKO´s Jack...

Took you a while to find this thread.

[Luigi1985]

Took you a while to find this thread.


Well, but I found it now... :D

[Guido]

Virtually everybody who personally eyewitnessed both Jack and Rocky in their fighting primes picked Dempsey in a hypothetical matchup. The Rock generally had to get set to deliver his bombs, in a pugilistic representation of trench warefare. Jack was much more of a mobile blitzkrieg specialist. Rocky boxed out of a crouch and slow advance, while Dempsey employed a moving crouch, continually bouncing on his toes with knees also bent, while at his peak. The right uppercut Jack kayoed Firpo with was quite the rocket launcher, while he certainly also had a faster and harder hook than the one Jersey Joe dropped Rocky with.

As tough as the Rock was, he might still be on his feet late, when the referee intercedes to save Marciano from further punishment. When Rocky dethroned Walcott, if that was the Dempsey of Toledo in there with Marciano instead, Jack might have forced to match to a halt by the point in the bout where Rocky won the title. Because of his heart and ruggedness, I'll grant Marciano the benefit of a doubt here.

Dempsey TKO (RSC) 14 Marciano

Yeah, what Duodenum said.

[Dempsey1238]

All Gibbions did in the Dempsey fight was hold, and allow Dempsey to hit him with body and rabbit punchings. Charles did a lot more. He fought back.

[Little_Mac]

If I could pick one fight that never happened to actually happen, this would be the fight. Hands down nothing else comes close. That being said, I think Dempsey would knock Marciano's teeth out.

Dempsey KO later rounds