How would Sonny Liston have done in Big George's main fights?

He didn't have the punching power of Foreman and don't you think the fact that Liston was a better boxer would be part of the reason he doesnt do as well as Foreman? One of the best boxers of all time in Ali couldn't outbox Frazier and it's quite clear that the best way to beat Frazier is by slugging it out with Joe (if you have the power to) Just a thought Suzie.

 

:rofl

 

Prime Liston beats Frazier,Norton and Lyle. Loses to Ali by a late round tko or clear decision.


Old Liston beats Morrison,Moorer and Briggs. Loses to Holyfield on points.

 

Liston DID have the punching power of George Foreman

 

Machen never defeated the calibre of opponents young did.

Liston would barely hit young all night. He might press the fight enough to land a controversial draw but he'd get is ears boxed off all night.

I'm amazed at some people rating liston as a better fighter. What can that possibly be based on?

 

Foreman > Liston

 

Some would argue that Young didn't even beat the caliber of opponents that Young did. :hey

 

I have always felt that Liston would be a very bad stylistic match-up for Frazier. Not necesarily an unsurmountable one, but Liston would not be an easy fight. I would probably lean towards a 68-71 Frazier, being able to dig deep enough to pull something out, but I would be nervous for weeks leading up to the fight and wouldn't be able to relax untill it was over....I just don't see anyway that 73' Frazier is in good enough shape, or has enough left in the tank to beat Liston.

What about Frazier 73 on gives an indication that he would beat Liston? I can see arguments for a younger Frazier...But not this one.

 

Liston-Machen was a 'hard paced fight for 12 rounds' You don't do yourself any favours. Foreman at times threw 90punches a round, that's stamina right there. Workrate and intensity needs more stamina than fighting 12 rounds at a pedestrian pace

No one cares that Liston pushed around a green Foreman in sparring either

 

As far as I see it....

vs Frazier. Sonny Liston once said about possibly fighting Frazier: "would be like shooting fish in barrel." In other words - he wouldn't have to find Frazier with his jab and other power shots - Joe would be walking into them.

vs Norton is a two or three round round job for Sonny.

vs Ali is Sonny all the way. I can't believe people are picking a '74 Ali over Liston! 10 years past his prime, rope-a-doping, not dancing anymore. Liston would find the jab and land it constantly.

vs Lyle is easier than it was for Foreman because Sonny is sharper and more accurate.

'91 Holy outpoints him in a war
'93 Morrison falls in under 5 rounds
'94 Moorer is a tough one - I'll leave it to you guys to pick
'97 Briggs is a close decision either way

 

that's IRRELEVANT "m8". They are the same stylistically.

Yet Lyle and Foreman who are much slower than Liston still managed to catch Young? Liston would certainly catch Young.

Maybe his resume and the fact that he was actually champ?

 

How is it irrelevant? If they were than same machen would have compiled a similarly great resume.

Young has been caught but he always survived. Foreman couldn't finish him, liston certainly wouldn't.

The last comment was about liston and foreman. But the only reason young wasn't champ is because he didn't get the nod against the guy who made liston quit on his stool.

Young's victories over foreman and lyle, as well as his robberies against ali and shavers are better than liston's win list by a mile.

 

its irrelevent because of the era differences. Machen is the same style as young period and had more pop, as well as more efficient combos. they were in the same class.

foreman was a shitty finisher so how is this even a good point? Liston had a great jab which would come in handy against Young and plus he was faster which would also become useful.

lol you're trying to say that the Ali liston faced was the same caliber that Young faced. they are not alike AT ALL. The Ali Young faced was fat and well past it while Ali was just coming into his prime against Liston. Liston had a shoulder injury and was past it so I give him a pass. Furthermore the Ali "win" was a close decision that was given to the more popular fighter. It was no robbery.

lets just be realistic dude. nobody knows if the shavers draw was a robbery. that fight isnt even on film. the ali fight was close so thats not a robbery (he was past it) and Foreman wasn't even close to being in his prime form, that was evident to everyone. i'll give you Lyle but there is absolutely no way that win is better than machen, patterson, folley, williams, etc.

 

I completely disagree regarding machen. Our views have no common ground there whatsoever.

Didn't look so shitty against frazier nor norton. Certainly not any slower than liston neither.

The ali young beat was still the best hw in the world at that time.

The shavers rematch, fair enough any controversial fights I haven't seen I treat as draws anyways. But it doesn't matter if you see ali-young as a robbery or not because I watched the fight and scored it to young. Foreman was prime I don't buy the excuses. He was just in a bad style clash. Exactly the same as liston v clay.

Young: ali, foreman, lyle, shavers (d), norton (l).

Liston: patterson (x2), machen, folley, ali (lx2).

I know which top end resume impresses me the most.

 

Well said. Liston generally gets seen as superior stamina because he wasn't stupid enough to ever over-exert himself. Foreman's workrate was always a heftier pace. And when Foreman throws he generally throws bombs. It's a little unfortunate that Saddler may have drained Foreman down a little more than he had to, or that Foreman gassed twice when fighting in the heat of Africa and Puerto Rico.