Liston vs Holyfield

I always felt that, out of heavyweight history, if you were looking for a perfect opponent to stop Evander Holyfield, Sonny Liston would have been it. Sonny was exactly the kind of opponent, Holyfield struggled so much against and, if I could draw a parallel between this fight and any other from his career, it would most likely have been the first Lewis fight. However the difference I expect is that it would have been significantly more intense and it wouldn't go the distance. Evander Holyfield was a great champion and a man of exceptional boxing skill. But considering his mentality, he was a fighter first and foremost, and this is what would cause his demise in this match.

The Match:

Round 1: they both start at slower pace, Liston taking the center of the ring, jabbing and looking for his opening and Holyfield relaxed, staying out, moving well and trying jab with him early. Both are cautious in the beginning not wanting to make any mistakes. Near the end of the round Liston goes for a right hand lead, but Holyfield times him, weaves and gets through with a solid left hook counter, which gets his attention. 10-9 Holyfield

Round 2: starts in similar fashion with Evander staying on the outside, moving laterally and trying to box and Liston intense, just looking for his opportunity. He notices that Holyfield may be getting a little to comfortable early and at one moment suddenly he steps in, cracks him with a 1-2, right hand gets through the guard and there's the knock down. It's flash and Holyfield isn't hurt, but he now realizes in no uncertain terms who he's up against here. Liston dominates the rest of the round and looks to get him with a couple of more big shots, but Holyfield is ready for them. 10-8 Liston

Round 3: Liston takes the initiative now and opens up with a jab and two crushing body hooks which definitely hurt Evander. He goes quickly for another assault but gets tied up in the clinch. Holyfield takes advantage here and gets him with a solid uppercut just as they break up but Liston takes it well. Moments after they both come in with a 1-2, but Liston follows up with a killer left hook which only just misses. He pushes forward again and gets Holyfield on the ropes where he lands few more solid body shots as the round ends. 10-9 Liston

Round 4: Liston taking the center again, looking to unleash his attack and turn this into a brawl. But at one moment he over commits as he lunges with a left hand, misses, goes of balance and Holyfield catches him with a short right hand on the temple which hurts him. Liston covers up as Holyfield now comes after him. He fires in a 1-2 then a left hook to the body and another to the head and another right hook after it, but Liston manages to weather the storm, he blocks most of that well and ties him up after the last shot. After the break Holyfield tries to unleash again but is met by a stiff jab which stops him in his tracks for the moment. He finishes strong non the less and gets through with another combo right on the bell. 10-9 Holyfield.

Round 5: Liston is now recovered and he starts powering forward again, but more cautiously this time around. He comes through with a double jab - right hand which sends Holyfield backwards. Liston follows him on the ropes looking to open up, but Holyfield moves out well. Evander now with a left hand of his own, but Liston walks right through it and cracks him with a solid left hook counter and now an exchange breaks out and he gets the better of it. Another exchange as the round ends and again it goes to Liston. 10-9 Liston

Round 6: starts very aggressively. Holyfield wastes no time and nails Liston with a solid left hook lead, but Sonny takes it and fires right back. Now a fight is breaking out and this is exactly what Holyfield doesn't need. They get into another trade where Liston gets through with a huge right hook which rocks Holyfield as they clinch up. The referee breaks them up, but Evander now is seriously shaken. Sonny picks up on that immediately and takes full advantage. Quickly he steps in, fakes a jab and crushes him with a crippling right hand lead and Holyfield goes down hard. He manages to beat the count, but only just and now Liston is all over him. He bulls him on the ropes and unleashes. A short right to the temple sends Holyfield stumbling to the side as Liston jumps right after him and fires in another wide left hook which drops Evander again. Miraculously he picks him self up again, but he is out on his feet now and this match is all but over. Another quick barrage by Liston finished by a big left uppercut after which the ref jumps in to stop it as Holyfield sinks down again.

Liston by TKO in 6.

 

you have a ***ual problem with foreman. And what did I lie about?
I have tried specifically to avoid engaging with you in this forum. You have gone out of your way to engage me. I've even given you advice on how to avoid becoming embroiled in personal exchanges with me. You have gone out of your way to have personal exchanges.

You are perennially confused or a troll (maybe both). There are literally no other explanations. Oh yeah for the record, Liston went easy on Foreman in sparring. Three fighters and someone who trained them both said Liston hit harder than your hero. Sorry if you can't handle it.

 

Name everyone who you think beats Liston. I'll Be in for a long wait I guess...

 

How do Holmes and Lewis win easily?

 

I respect fully disagree with much of this. Lewis isn't stronger than Liston in my opinion. I side with Liston. Holmes is one of the few guys I give a genuine chance against Sonny which shows how highly I rank both guy's abilities.

The battle of the jabs would be interesting. Sonny's is more authoratitive and carries much more power and dominance, whereas Holmes has a quicker, sharper jab. His is between Sonny's and Ali's. He'd sometimes paw with it to set up the right hand too. Holmes could win rounds with the jab, Sonny could win the fight with it, by KO. Holmes also had a super quick right hand in his ****nal, along with incredible powers of recuperation and good lateral movement. The thing with those powers of recuperation, is that he needed to use them a little bit too often for me to pick him over Liston. Shavers was a huge puncher but let's not pretend he was any kind of skilled boxer. He shouldn't have hit Larry in the first place. If Shavers could nail him once, Sonny could do it several times. He also got shaken up by the likes of Witherspoon and Snipes. He came back at them, but if they can shake him up and almost stop him just imagine what Sonny Liston left hook could do.

Now Sonny couldn't nullify Holmes' jab completely, I'm not sure anybody could, but with his underrated defensive head movement (as displayed against Williams often under appreciated quick left hand) he wouldn't be eating Larry's left glove all night like some limited brawler. His own jab would be making hard for Larry to establish anything. Holmes knows Sonny can hurt not just with either hand but with pretty muh any punch.

I see the fight being there to win for both guys. Holmes can't get too punchy or Sonny knocks him out of the ring, so Liston wins rounds by being assertive and Holmes nicks his rounds by being quick and moving. I don't see Liston getting stopped. Larry could hit but Liston at his best could go the distance with a broken jaw. He was stopped when way, way past his best and totally exhausted and against Ali, but that's another story in itself.

In the 11th, with Holmes having used his legs for as much as possible during the fight (the only sure fire way to beat Liston) he stands still for a moment too long and gets sat down by a long Liston left hook that would knock out most guys. Holmes rises, groggily, but he's up. The difference between most guys who hurt their opponent and Liston is that most guys swing swing swing with everything they've got. A guy as brave and wth the survival instinct of Holmes can avoid that. Liston didn't. He kept his bombs precise and rarely missed/wasted a punch when he was performing an execution and I think he'd show this against Holmes. Liston KO11.
I don't think Lewis beats Liston. The problem is that he is facing a boxer with power, not a brawler with some boxing skill. There is a difference. Liston fights carefully and picks his shots. Lewis does the same. The difference is the jab. While Lewis tries to figure out how the shorter man can jab with him, Liston is setting him up. BOOM!!
Liston by KO in 6