I think so. Give Marciano his due, he was tough, tenacious and unbeaten, but he was also small, crude and matched against average or aged competition.
Holmes, on the other hand, made twenty defenses to Mariano's six, mostly against younger guys.
He was bigger, faster and vastly more skilled than Marciano. He was also uncharismatic, combative and unlucky to succeed Ali's dominance of the division. Tough act to follow.
Marciano was well managed, exciting to watch, but most importantly, white.
Let's face facts, had he been a black heavyweight, he would not be nearly so highly ranked. The fact that he's the ONLY white heavyweight champ of any consequence is factored into his greatness.
2006-12-04
23:06:14
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14 answers
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asked by
Anonymous
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Boxing