After Ali's first title win ,he and Liston are set for the rematch .But for one reason or another that fight can't be settled so Muhammad takes on Floyd Patterson .WBA strips Ali and Liston is paired off with 6ft 6 Ernie Terrell . How's this fight pan out ? No worry's here regarding death threats etc for Sonny ,so is he in with a chance ?
If this fight had happened a few years previous I'd have agree with u .Liston would have worn him down and stopped him . But I'm not sure this happens in 1965 roundabout s .I've got Sonny doing well for so long ,battering away with his jab ,but losing heart when he see's Terrell's going no where. As the fight goes on Liston s work rate drops and can see Terrell upping up his game and gaining confidence .Somewhere out of the blue ,Ernie find s a blow to kd Liston and the fight goes out of him .
He dove, but he would have lost anyway. What he did wasn't motivationally different from Tyson Holyfield II. Tyson found himself losing again, so he gave up. Both fights proved those fighters, though amazing (especially Liston) didn't have much for championship heart. That's why I rate Holmes, Ali, Louis, Marciano, and more over both of those ferocious monsters. They seemed more like bullies than champions imo.
Get what your saying McVey. Liston had a solid set of whiskers and Ernie certainly was no puncher .If it did happen as I suggested ,it would be More a case of Liston showing his age and his life style catching up with him .If Terrell had faced a prime Sonny ,then big Ern s getting battered around the ring !
A strange concoction of events in that second fight .Who would ever in a million years have predicted Ali Ko 1Liston back i n 1962 ?? The phantom punch ,the death threats ,Jersey Joe getting flustered !Crazy .
I wasn't aware of that Longhhorn .So that may have had some bearing on a actual fight between the two. Terrell may have had sparring partner syndrome and been beat before the first dong .Or he may have known a few key ways to get in to Sonny s mind ??
Liston boxed an exhibition with Terrell in 1961 - you can find it on Youtube, or part of it anyway. Terrell did pretty well, though it's with big gloves and headguards, so not to be taken too seriously.
