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FANTASY DREAM FIGHTS: JACK DEMPSEY VS. ROCKY MARCIANO

Posted on | August 26, 2008 | 4 Comments

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FANTASY DREAM FIGHTS

Jack Dempsey vs. Rocky Marciano

By Tony Penecale

What do you get when you match up two of the most aggressive and destructive heavyweight champions of all time? Just like mixing gasoline and fire, there is sure to be an explosion. Jack Dempsey was an icon of the 20’s, a former railroad hobo who learned his craft fighting for food and carried that mentality in the ring with him. Rocky Marciano grew up watching his father suffer at a local shoe factory, and he was driven by the desire to provide a more secure lifestyle for himself and his family.

Neither man knew the meaning of retreat.

Dempsey was “The Manassa Mauler” and he fought like it, ravaging his opponents.

Marciano earned the nickname “The Brockton Blockbuster” as he just devastated his adversaries.

It would be a war of the ages with the battlefield inside the ring if these two legends actually fought. Hide the women and children. It is sure to be a classic!

STATISTICS

Dempsey: (all stats for bout on 9/14/23)

Age – 28 years old
Height – 6’1”
Weight – 192 lbs
Reach – 77”
Record – 65-4-11 (50)

Marciano: (all stats for bout on 9/24/53)

Age – 30 years old
Height – 5’10”
Weight – 185 lbs
Reach – 67”
Record – 44-0 (39)

STYLE

Dempsey:

Was often like a tightly-coiled spring that would be unleashed in the ring. Dempsey came forward crouched, using a pawing jab to find the range and then he exploded on his opponent, reigning heavy-handed blows to the head and torso. Was fond of firing a right hand to the chest that would freeze an opponent and he would then step in to unleash vicious punches until his opponent would fall.

Marciano:

A pure pressure fighter who attacked opponents from the outset, bobbing and weaving to fight in close quarters, Marciano threw punches from all angles. His bombs would land on every conceivable target from the head and body to the shoulders and forearms. Was not afraid to take two punches to land one and never stopped coming forward. Was also not shy about liberally using elbows on the inside.

STRENGTHS

Dempsey:

1) Speed – Dempsey could strike with the quickness of a rattlesnake. Before his opponent could react, Dempsey would be on top of him, striking with both hands.

2) Power – Coupled with his quickness, Dempsey carried thunder in both fists, primarily in his right hand. He crushed several opponents who were considered giants and he so brutally beat Jess Willard that it was rumored that his hands were wrapped in Plaster of Paris.

3) Killer Instinct – In the ring, Dempsey was merciless. He would drive into his opponents with a ruthless attack only stopping when they crumbled under the assault. In the days before the neutral corner rule was put into effect, he would stand over a downed opponent and would resume pummeling them once they got to their feet.

Marciano:

1) Power – Marciano’s famed right hand, nicknamed “Susie Q” was a destructive force. With a compact body, Marciano specialized in putting his full weight into every punch, driving with his legs and twisting his hips. Every punch carried a tremendous amount of force behind it.

2) Durability – Marciano’s strength and durability was unmatched. His chin was exceptional and he was willing to stand in front of opponents and walk through their best punches. The great Joe Louis even commented that just bumping into Marciano hurt him.

3) Stamina – Whether the 1st round or the 15th, Marciano was continually coming forward and throwing punches. He would turn fights into wars of attrition and he would always be the one punching at the end.

WEAKNESSES

Dempsey:

1) Lack of Control – Dempsey’s fierceness in the ring could also be a disadvantage. Trying to initiate the attack, he would often leave himself open for counters. And he has had trouble with repeated fouling.

2) Fades Late – Dempsey was great early in fights and often ended them within a few rounds. But if opponent lasted beyond the 4th round, Dempsey would start to fade and became more inclined to clinch.

Marciano:

1) Cuts – As great as Marciano’s chin was, his skin was just as frail. Marciano had a history of cuts and swelling around his eyes, some of them being severe.

2) Slow – Marciano was plodding on his feet. He did not have good balance and was lacking in speed and mobility. He also had only average hand speed and was more willing to throw slow powerful punches instead of any combinations.

BEST PERFORMANCES

** Indicates the Version of the Fighter Used for this Matchup

Dempsey:

1) ** Luis Angel Firpo (9/14/23) – This was a wild affair, featuring 12 knockdowns in four minutes of action. Firpo scored a flash knockdown within seconds of the opening bell, but Dempsey was quickly up and on the attack, flooring Firpo seven times in the 1st round. Before the round concluded, Firpo got the momentum back, knocking Dempsey out of the ring with a right hand. Dempsey quickly recovered and pounded Firpo to the canvas three more times in the 2nd round, finally knocking him out.

2) Georges Carpentier (7-2-21) – Carpentier was a highly-respected light heavyweight champion from France and he gave a good account of himself. But in the end, Dempsey was too strong and too relentless, overwhelming Carpentier, flooring him twice in the 4th round and knocking him out.

3) Jess Willard (7-4-19) – Dempsey brought the fireworks on this 4th of July fight, held at a scorching 100 degree outdoor arena in Toledo, Ohio. Quickly negating Willard’s sizable height and nearly 60 lb weight advantage, Dempsey opened up his offense early, savagely mauling Willard and knocking him down seven times in the 1st round. Dempsey continued the beating for the next two rounds, and even though Willard stayed on his feet, the consequences were noticeable with his face a bruised and bloody mess. Before the start of the 4th round, Willard was unable to continue and the Dempsey Era was underway.

Marciano:

1) ** Roland LaStarza (9-24-53) – Marciano had won a razor thin decision over LaStarza three years earlier. In the second defense of his title, Marciano was troubled early by LaStarza’s tight defense. Rocky proceeded to attack LaStarza’s guard, landing repeated blows against his forearms and shoulders, breaking the blood vessels in his arms. After several rounds, LaStarza was supporting large bruises on his arms and could no longer hold them up, leaving him open to Marciano’s attack. Rocky finally broke through in the 11th round, knocking LaStarza through the ropes and ending the fight.

2) Jersey Joe Walcott (9-23-52) – The normally slick-boxing Walcott had finally won the title, starching Ezzard Charles, and he was determined to keep it. He uncharacteristically attacked at the opening bell and sent Marciano down with a left. Rocky was up and engaged Jersey Joe in an epic slugfest. With Walcott narrowly ahead going into the 13th, Marciano landed one of boxing most famous punches, a short right hand that echoed through Philadelphia’s Municipal Arena and left Walcott in a heap.

3) Joe Louis (10-26-51) – Marciano was reluctant to face Louis as the former heavyweight champion was just a shell of his former greatness. Marciano broke Louis down, flooring him in the 8th round, before finishing him with a brutal combination that left Louis sprawled out on the ring apron.

QUESTIONS

Dempsey:

1) Can he survive if the fight goes into the late rounds?

2) Can he withstand Marciano’s devastating power?

3) Will he lose control and make costly mental mistakes?

Marciano:

1) Will he be overwhelmed by Dempsey’s aggressive attack?

2) Can he cope with Dempsey’s advantage in speed?

3) Can his skin hold up to Dempsey’s onslaught?

THE PREDICTION

Dempsey is in the ring first, wearing white trunks, a scowl across his face. Marciano follows, wearing black trunks, looking fit and determined.

At the opening bell, Dempsey charges across the ring and tries to ambush Marciano. Dempsey fires a left and a wild right, leaving himself open for a solid Marciano right hand which drops him to his knees. Marciano quickly goes to the neutral corner but Dempsey is up before he gets there and is ready to resume battle.

As Dempsey comes back in his crouch, Marciano tries to seize the advantage by landing his uppercut. He smashes a hard shot to Dempsey’s face, but the Manassa fighter is swarming with three and four punches at a time and is outworking Marciano on the inside. The round ends with Dempsey trying to back Marciano up.

The pace remains frenzied in the 2nd round. There is no feeling out process between these fighters. Dempsey is still moving inside and rough-house tactics are being traded among the punches. Marciano is landing single thumping shots to the ribs and arms, mixed in with a few elbows. Dempsey digs some shots to the body, straying a few shots on the belt line, while his head repeatedly bumps Marciano in the face. Dempsey takes the momentum as he lands a shot below the belt and follows it with a right hand to the face, followed by two left hooks. As Marciano walks back to his corner at the end, the damage is evident as his left eye is cut and starting to swell.

Dempsey continues applying the pressure in the 3 rd round. Marciano is standing right in front of him, landing wide hooks and over hand rights. Dempsey weaves low under a Marciano hook and drives a right hand to the heart, followed by a left hook to the head and a right hand which topples Marciano forward, landing on his knees while he tips over and comes down on his side. Dempsey stands over him, ready to pounce immediately, but the referee restrains him, forcing him to a neutral corner. Marciano is up at the count of six and clears his head and Dempsey rushes in. Still hurt, Marciano holds while Dempsey fights hard to free himself. After the referee breaks the clinch, Dempsey comes back firing and lands two more lefts as the round ends.

Marciano is ready to resume battle in the 4th round and Dempsey is there to oblige him. Marciano starts to use his superior strength on the inside to muscle Dempsey off of him. While Dempsey is still landing more punches, Marciano is pushing him off and countering with punches of his own, rib-busting shots that are leaving welts on Jack’s arms and sides. Rocky is trailing on the scorecards and leaking blood, but he is in the fight and there is no quit in him.

The tide continues its turn in the 5th and 6th rounds. Dempsey is more accustomed to ending fights early and he is noticeably slowing down. He still has his moments but the slower pace favors The Rock. Marciano is moving forward now and Dempsey is throwing one punch at a time and trying to clinch when in close. A vicious Marciano uppercut slams into Dempsey’s face, blood exploding from his nose, as he staggers to his corner and holds on until the bell.

As the 7th round starts, it is clear that Marciano is the fresher fighter, despite the damage to his face, and Dempsey is spent. Marciano keeps moving in and firing bombs. Looking for a respite, Dempsey lands a shot well below the belt, and as Marciano slumps from the effects of the low blow, Jack fires a gigantic left hook to the face. The referee orders Dempsey to a neutral corner and deducts a point for the flagrant foul, allowing Marciano five minutes to recover. Marciano takes about 90 seconds and is ready to resume the war. It is clear that the break wasn’t enough for Dempsey as he is clearly winded, allowing Rocky to continue to move forward and land punches from every conceivable angle. Another Marciano uppercut lands solidly and Dempsey goes down to one knee in his corner. A visibly beaten Dempsey rises at the count of eight and is forced to hold like a drowning man clinging to driftwood, surviving the round.

Unfortunately for Dempsey, there is nowhere to run in the 8th round and Marciano is firing on all cylinders. Marciano presses forward and fires his “Susie Q” as Dempsey backs to the ropes. The punch lands with a thudding impact and Dempsey goes down hard. His hardscrabble lifestyle and enormous pride brings him to his feet but Marciano is right there and meets him with a left hook and right hand, forcing Dempsey to a corner. With victory in sight, Marciano fires everything and the kitchen sink, leveling big rights and lefts as Dempsey covers up. Finally an overhand right explodes against Dempsey’s jaw, crumbling him in a heap. This time, he is unable to rise as the referee reaches the 10 count.

Your winner by Knockout in the 8th round is Rocky Marciano!!!

 

For the next installment of Fantasy Dream Fights, we are going to match two long-reigning and hard-nosed middleweight champions. Carlos Monzon had the record for most title defenses until Bernard Hopkins eclipsed him. Let’s see what would happen in their primes. This upcoming installment will be available on September 8.

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