Marciano’s 49-0 Record No Small Feat

Larry Holmes’ desire to match Rocky Marciano’s 49-0 career record--real or fabricated--invites comparisons with the former heavyweight champion and the five other fighters who went unbeaten in careers of 25 or more bouts.

The five were Young Mitchell (41-0, 1884-1893), Jack McAuliffe (1884-1897), Jimmy Barry (70-0, 1891-1899), Laszlo Papp, 29-0, 1957-1964) and Cruz Marcano (26-0, 1966-1970). Oddly, Mitchell, Marcano and Papp never held world titles. McAuliffe was lightweight champion from 1886 to 1889 and Barry was bantamweight champion from 1897 to 1899.

Moderns may view the pre-1900 fight records of Mitchell, McAuliffe and Barry as suspect but they are said to be accurate by the widely-respected Ring Record Book and Boxing Encylcopedia.

Any look at the records of Marciano and Holmes must begin with the difference in size, not only of the two fighters, but also of their opponents. Marciano weighed 189 pounds when he fought Cockell, who at 6-1 inch and 205 pounds was the biggest of the challengers. Each of the others stood no more than six feet and fought at less than 200 pounds.

The biggest good fighter Marciano ever opposed was Joe Louis, kayoed by Rocky in eight rounds in 1951. Louis weighed 207 for that bout--about 10 over his best weight. He was 37 at the time and, of course, was never the same fighter after serving in the U.S. Army during World War II.

Marciano weighed 184 pounds the night he took the title. He was 5 feet, 10 inches tall and had a reach of 68 inches--13 less than Holmes. By contrast, the 6-foot-3 Holmes has routinely fought opponents ranging up to 6-4 and weighing between 220 and 253 pounds. His average opponent in title fights weighed 219 pounds.

Old-time boxing experts warn against assuming such good big men as Holmes would have over-powered Marciano. Many say Marciano would have been able to bob and weave under the taller opponents’ leads and deliver powerful punches to their bodies. They see him wearing down such opponents and then shifting his attack to their heads.

That, in fact, is pretty much what Marciano did, anyway. He kayoed Walcott in one round in their suspect return engagement, took out LaStarza in 11, Charles in 15 and eight and Cockell and Moore in nine each.

It is fair to say that he simply hammered away at them until they couldn’t defend themselves properly.

Marciano needs no defense of his 49-0 record; it wasn’t his fault his opponents weren’t giants. Besides, Walcott and Charles were first-class heavyweights (unduly criticized during their primes) and Moore, although an over-stuffed light heavyweight, a formidable opponent for anyone.

Let the argument continue.