Rocky Marciano VS Jack Dempsey

[Killer Angel]

Prime for prime,who would have won between Rocky Marciano and Jack Dempsey?
Thanks.

[sonnyboyx2]

Dempsey...

[Sugarj]

I'd go with Dempsey too. His sheer speed being what sets him apart from Marciano. His handspeed in his prime was superb (1919-1923)! If he had been captured by the modern camera his handspeed would be mentioned in the same breath as Ali, Tyson and Patterson I'm sure.

Both weighed in around the same weight, both had great chins, heart, distance stamina and workrate. Both hit ridiculously hard for their size too! Marciano may have had a strength advantage but Dempsey had height and reach on his side.

I'd expect Dempsey to take it by decision or by some form of injury to Marciano (nose or eye).

A Marciano win is not out of the question by any means, I'd just favour Dempsey in this matchup.

[Joeyzagz]

Marciano had a much better defense than Jack Dempsey and would be very tough to hit.

Dempsey had a god-awful chin and has been knocked down way more times and even through the ropes by several fighters.

Marciano wins by KO in the 8th.

[Sugarj]

I'm not convinced you're correct on either counts there Joey. Dempsey looked a bit open and wailing against Willard but that aside, his head movement, bobbing and weaving and defense were a fair bit better than Marciano's in his other title defenses.

Chin too! Both these guys had a great ability to absorb blows and come back to win. If I was being really churlish I could say that the right hand from light heavyweight Archie Moore that decked Marciano bore nothing in comparison to the blows from the much bigger Firpo, who put Dempsey through the ropes.

Both guys came back to score stoppages which is what matters. No one would say Dempsey had a poor chin at all. I'd say they were roughly equal in this respect.

[GJC]

If I was being really churlish I could say that the right hand from light heavyweight Archie Moore that decked Marciano bore nothing in comparison to the blows from the much bigger Firpo, who put Dempsey through the ropes.

Tisk tisk Sugar you are falling into the size trap a little there methinks.
Archie was a lightheavy but could that man hit, i'd personally fancy taking on the bigger clumsier whaling hit and hope Firpo than Moore.

[Sugarj]

Ha ha GJC, I pride myself on not being much of a size warrior...... and granted, I was only threatening to be 'churlish'. Dont worry, I promise to never state that I think that Valuev would have beaten either or both.

But I'll ask you a question, who do you you think hit harder, The Wild Bull of the Pampas or Ageless Archie? It looked like Dempsey took heavier blows from Firpo to me than Marciano did from Moore.

But yes, there is no comparison in ATG terms or in pound for pound punching power. Moore is a legend!

[GJC]

But I'll ask you a question, who do you you think hit harder, The Wild Bull of the Pampas or Ageless Archie? It looked like Dempsey took heavier blows from Firpo to me than Marciano did from Moore.

I'll agree that Firpo's blows were whaling but I remember reading some years ago that Moore reckoned that the blow that he hit Marciano with was as hard as he'd ever thrown which when you consider Moore ko records (admitidly not that great against HWs) was quite a statement.
When Marciano bounced up after about a second Archie thought oh shiiiiiit!

[Sugarj]

I seem to recall Moore saying something along those lines too. It was a very nice counter right.

The Rock was of course on his feet even faster than when Walcott had knocked him down a couple of years previous. Strong guy!

[hhascup]

I take Dempsey.

Just about everyone that saw both fight, picked Dempsey as well. Up to the early 1960's, every poll ever taken had Dempsey as the best, even over Louis.

The old-timers I talked too stated that everything Rocky could do, Dempsey could do better.