Tough fight to call. If Mercer has trouble with the jab of Larry Holmes then Liston's jab would mess him up bad. But in all fairness, Mercer was a young fighter then who was outsmarted by a legendary veteran in Holmes. I think Mercer learned from his mistakes in that fight. Lennox Lewis attempted to fight Mercer the way Holmes did but Mercer outjabbed him and forced him to brawl all night. No one was ever able to control Mercer with a jab after the Holmes fight. And we've seen how Liston reacts when someone stands up to him or frustrates him. Zora Folley, Eddie Machen and Cassius Clay were all blinded. Only Clay was able to overcome it and once he did, Liston quit. Mercer could take Liston's punches, outjab him and would keep coming non-stop. Sonny would get a decision over pre-Holmes Mercer. But if he fought Mercer post-Holmes, then he might lose. If they both fought at their best I'd pick Mercer by late KO after he breaks Liston's will.
Liston ko8 the experience gained against holmes didn't help him too much in the rest of his actual career, I can't see it putting him over liston.
Mercer. Sonny "slow as molasses" Liston is quite possibly the most overrated brawler in the history of pugilism. That awkward, slow, often inaccurate jab magically improved in public perception in the years after he fought a man then named Cassius Clay. Throwing all those wild hooks is probably why he dislocated his shoulder against Clay! The man spent his whole career padding his record against bums,glass chins and sub cruisers. He wasn't this big dreadnought that he is claimed to be (or at least by today's standards). He was only 6'0.5 and started his career weighing under 200 pounds. He spent most of it fighting in the 203-215lbs range before he went on the beer and hotdog diet against Clay before their first fight. To even pretend that that overrated hypejob would beat a durable, strong chinned,skillful non bum superheavy like Ray is a big statement because Liston never did so in his entire career.
Mercer would get outworked. The best you could say of Mercer is that his jab was quicker. That does not win him a fight with Liston.
So, you see the nimble Mercer dancing around the ring in this? Fighting off his toes? Throwing a punch while moving his feet even? you think Sonny folds up like Damiani, huh? Probably doesn't last as long? Wrong. Face first guys like Mercer are made to order for a Sonny Liston.
Mercer developed a vastly underrated left jab after being schooled by Holmes. People forget this. That's why, fat and not at his best fighting weight, Mercer could hang at the top. This is a good match-up. I think it comes down to the jab early...and if Sonny's would be nullified by Mercer's left. Beyond that, I think Liston had the sharper combination punching but maybe not the chin often advertised. Then again.....
Fair pool considering Liston makes more top ten ATG heavyweight champ lists than he doesn't, given his poor body of championship work.
Pls name me one superheavy(230lbs+) that wasn't a bum that Liston beat in his entire career. I'm waiting. All of Listons wins were against guys who were either: bums, sub cruisers, or had already been knocked out before. Liston from a technical side was absolutely horrendous. Uncoordinated, slow telegraphed hayemakers, a slow telegraphed pushing jab that would often miss, wild punches, poor clusmy footwork and a wide open defense. The man learned how to fight in jail and on the streets and it showed. The only elite true heavy(200lbs+) he fought whipped his ass twice and made him quit both times. Sonny Liston was nothing more than a glorified trashman. Mercer would have given that bum a whooping.