Prime liston vs prime holmes. Who would back sonny?

I think Larry Holmes would get off the canvas to pull out a decision in a fast, close fight. He could outbox Sonny and possibly cut him with that crisp, laser like jab and the nice cross behind it. Straight, slashing punches tend to do damage. I think Liston would catch Holmes and hurt him maybe a couple of times. I`ll gamble on Larry Holmes`s heart any day of the week. He had a lot of determination and courage.

 

He was in over his head physically and I think he knew he didn`t belong in there. Similar to Spinks against Tyson.

 

Liston for me here. I just don't think Larry has quite enough of any one thing to deter Sonny enough to dictate the fight. I see him getting hurt, and trying to blast his way out of there and failing.

 

There is also the possibility of Liston quitting on his stool if he felt seriously outclassed and battered as he did with Ali.

 

Wow, Liston is getting some love around here!

 

How exactly did Ali's antics stop Liston from using his boxing skills?

 

Liston is elevated to an obscene pedestal for trashing mediocrities his entire career, along with a great but severely undersized Floyd Patterson.

Holmes would beat him up just like the young, unexperienced Clay did.

 

Not me

 

Shavers didn't have a jab, Sonny may have had the hardest jab in heavyweight history, him or Foreman. I think Sonny would hit Larry sooner or later with a straight right, and whether Larry could weather the storm is anyone's opinion

 

Me. I would back Sonny.

Really close fight, but prime Ali barely avoided 100 KO blows and had the fear of god in his eyes.
Holmes doesn't have that last millimeter to escape.

Holmes has a great jab, but Sonny's is as good or better.
And a big key is what each fighter has behind those jabs.

 

Holmes was caught by Shavers in his absolute peak. He WILL be caught by Liston. Difference is when most fighters have a guy hurt they go all out with everything they have. A guy like Holmes would be crafty enough to survive that. Unfortunately for him, that wasn't Liston. He kept his bombs precise and never missed while performing an execution. Liston KO8.

 

Liston has a great left hook off the jab. Holmes had a windshield wiper type swipe. Sonny is going to follow up some jabs with that left hook. And once he hurts Larry, he won't let him fall through the cracks the way other guys did. He'll finish him in like 8 rounds.

 

Liston by stoppage.stylistically horrible for holmes, liston was like a tim whiterspoon 2.0 with more power