Sonny Liston vs Evander Holyfield

Holyfield would tower over Liston, but that would be irrelevant. Williams was bigger than Holyfield and Liston disposed of him quickly. Ali bothered him because of his extraordinary movement, not because of size. Liston had trouble cutting off the ring most of the time and that would not be an issue against a come-forward pressure fighter like Holyfield.

I'm not putting Holyfield aside because at times, he showed to be an extremely tactical, adaptable fighter, and he could devise a strategy to take Liston apart - but he just gets bombed out with his usual style. His power at heavyweight was somewhat average and his chin wasn't the best either - it was mostly his heart that kept him in fights with big bangers.

 

Liston would be a dangerous match, but I can't envision Evander folding to him no matter how hard the going gets.. Holyfield endured far more than Sonny ever did and while I'm confident that Holy could take his best I'm not certain about the opposite being true.

 

Ali bothered him because the fights were shady to begin with. Lets believe there was no plan to throw a fight ,liston was years past his prime , slow of foot and punch, he would not defeat ali anyway most likely with the skills he was able to use,he looked like he was telegraphing all ghis shots if I ever seen it in the first fight.


Ali giving Liston trouble would have little to do with an actual Liston/Holyfield match up. Holyfield was bothered by tall jabbers who moved around,listons come forward approach does not do that,and Liston used to being the bigger guy is not anymore,while holyfield used to being the smaller guy is not anymore,clear advantage for holyfield.

 

Well yeah, Liston was past it too. But that doesn't matter. A poster here claimed that Ali gave Liston trouble because he was taller and that was not the case.

You need to learn to differentiate between big and tall. Holyfield was not bigger than Liston. Just taller. Liston's prime is 210-215, same as Holyfields. Liston was however, built like a tank, had huge limbs and a huge torso, a super-heavyweight reach measured at 84 inches (2 inches longer than Wladimir), and the biggest fist in boxing history, measured at 15 inches when closed. The man was massive.

Holyfield has what in contrast? An inch in height, that's about it. This is all about styles. Holyfield is a come-forward pressure fighter. Liston eats those up. Holyfield will have trouble getting inside due to the long jab and once he does he will have to face a brutal puncher that had a prime George Foreman backing up in sparring. The only man ever to do so, according to George.

 

liston is 6'0 and weighed as little as 205 in his prime up to 207/210...holyfield was 6'2 and weighed around 210 to 215/217 when he filled out..Arm length and fist size doesn't make you bigger that's nonsense if ive ever heard one on measuring how big someone is...are you sure I need to learn still? :-(



holyfield had side to side movent and a MUCH better chin than liston good luck with trading with Holyfield who out brawled a 260 pound foreman of much more power than liston ever had.


George was like 16/17 and about 200 pounds in those sparring matches with Liston,.more out of whack points! :-(



liston is the more naturally bigger Hw but he wasn't bigger,anyone can look at the two and see who was built like a tank more,Listons most notable attribute was his 18 inch neck...Holyfields is 19. Only the huge Hw's of 6'5 230 plus pounders made Holyfield look small,other than a 260 pound monster foreman.

 

Liston is 6'1'' and weighed 212 for the Williams and Folley fights, 213/215 for Patterson and 211 for Machen and Valdez. Those are his best wins.

Arm length and fist size is just a part of it, Liston had the proportions of a much larger man even though he was short.

Holyfield has good movement but his chin is not better. Liston took shots from Williams who Foreman claims is one of the hardest punchers he ever worked with. Marty Marshall broke his jaw when he was laughing at him and Sonny didn't even blink. Finished the fight as well.

Holyfield was rocked by a JAB from Foreman. You honestly want me to believe that a prime Liston wouldn't be able to knock Holyfield senseless with his power shots?

 

Size, Size f****** size.
Change the record there's virtually nothing between them in fact Liston was a bigger man.
Holyfield had a better chin?!? Are you having a laugh?
I love Holyfield but unless he chose to get up on his toes and stay on the outside he'd be knocked out,even then he'd have the problem of how to handle that jab.
Holyfield liked a ruck, but that would be fatal here.

 

You are wrong liston in the actually biography is listed at 6'0 and anyone can look and see he was 205/207 in many of his early fights when he was at his peak.Williams Never fought Foreman he supposedly sparred him but again you are using teenage Foreman to try and win an argument. Foremans jab was great,and this has to do with what? Are you tring to tell me 260 Foreman jab is lighter than listons? foremans jab was almost as strong as Wlads.. :nut


One question since you're hung up on the fist size was Patterson bigger than Foreman? atsch


Lets put Liston at 212 and Holyfield about the same,doesnt really matter Holyfield is proportiantly bigger,all around.liston however nevr exceed 210/212 in his top fom,holyfield did and was still improving as a fighter..liston at the 210 mark was about where he fought,the hard truth is he was huge in his day and Holyfield wasn't! :shock:

 

Holyfield survived toe to toe wars with big strong fighters and huge punchers. What did Liston accomplish/who did he beat that suggests he would be a bigger challenge for Holyfield?

 

NO ONE is the answer!

 

So Holyfield hasn't got a better chin than Sonny Liston?

 

i'll take evander 9-6

 

I give it to Holyfield, too sharp and too quick. Even if he decided to brawl with Liston he'd be the bully in the ring because his punches would land first, he has the chin to take Liston's shots, he could back him up with his combinations or push him, and he has the strength to bully him up close either by controlling the clinches or with his in fighting abilities.
Holyfield KO 8 :happy

 

Wrong again and i even gave stats showing who the bigger guy was ,and you still had to disagree ,are you trying to be a fool now ?


Size is important as usual as Liston without it would not last with the skillful holyfield,he doesn't last anyway he would be knocked out within 5 rounds.

 

I would go with Liston here.

Both guys have a very well rounded ****nal, and are very complete fighters.

Liston hit harder, which could be the deciding factor all else being equal, and had a longer reach.

He was also a better ring general, who typically fought smarter.