How highly do you rate Sonny Liston as a puncher?

[Ricky42791]

Sonny was slow and not to explosive like say dempsey more of a slow thudding power but if he connected it was lights out. He could knock you out with a jab for god sakes. The man could punch but just not in a spectacular fashion such as dempsey or tyson

[ETM]

Originally Posted by RockysSplitNose

I have a documentary about Sonny aswell were Chuck Wepner is interviewed and he went in with both Liston and Foreman and he said unequivocally and with quite a shudder (after mentioning Foreman) that "NOBODY hit me like that guy hit me!!"

That's enough for me I'd certainly put Liston over Foreman in terms of power - so definately near the top of the top

Agreed. Also consider the fact that Liston was very old by the time he fought Wepner. That was his last fight. He might have been 40 plus years old.

[Monty90]

In terms of Lennox Lewis i know he was a big puncher but he never really struck me as a monster puncher. 32 ko's out of 41 is good but nothing out of the ordinary, i'm trying to rack my brains who were particularily durable who he stopped, Billips could stand his punches, the likes of Mercer,Holyfield x2, Tua,Mavrovic never really looked in much trouble after taking his biggest punches. The only genuinely durable fighter he stopped legitimately was Vitali Klitschko and even that was because of his cut face.

[Mendoza]

One of the best ever, but did he ever stop a durable heavy?

[dyna]

Originally Posted by Monty90

In terms of Lennox Lewis i know he was a big puncher but he never really struck me as a monster puncher. 32 ko's out of 41 is good but nothing out of the ordinary, i'm trying to rack my brains who were particularily durable who he stopped, Billips could stand his punches, the likes of Mercer,Holyfield x2, Tua,Mavrovic never really looked in much trouble after taking his biggest punches. The only genuinely durable fighter he stopped legitimately was Vitali Klitschko and even that was because of his cut face.

Lewis didn't put that much importance in KOs.
He could have KOed more, but why should he put himself in a more risky situation?

[McGrain]

Originally Posted by Mendoza

One of the best ever, but did he ever stop a durable heavy?

Clarke was extremely durable. Granite jaw.

He's the only man to ever stop Bethea.

[SuzieQ49]

Originally Posted by Mendoza

One of the best ever, but did he ever stop a durable heavy?

Wayne Bethea, ranked # 9 in 1958...Liston stopped him in 1 round. Never stopped before or after that fight. He had an elite chin

[MrBumboclart]

Very high.

Among the top 5 punchers in heavyweight history.

Note that Chuck Wepner and Muhammad Ali both clearly stated that he hit harder than George Foreman.

I'm not saying that he does - but simply because he was COMPARED to GF by two men who fought them both, clearly shows he deserves credit as a big hitter.

[MrBumboclart]

Originally Posted by dyna

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The video I was talking about

Damn that was nasty! They must of told him he wouldn't be fed if he didn't knock the guy out.

However Liston would have done the same thing to that dude as well.