Hmmm...well, I see someone like Hearns to be closer to a boxer-puncher than Liston. But Liston certainly could box. I keep things like ring generalship and being able to command a fight's tempo, etc. as important boxing skills. Liston could do both, with or without the jab (though his jab had a lot to do with those). I would call the Holmes who beat Shavers I and Norton a boxer. The one who beat Evangelista, Ali, Shavers II, and Ocasio a boxer-puncher.
Tho he didn't mind slugging at times Holmes didn't punch hard enough to ever be called a boxer-puncher.
All respect, but Mike was more well-rounded than Frazier only as far as being able to paralyze with either hand..otherwise, not really. Frazier had a bizarrely underrated defense (watch how many punches he actually slipped against Ali and others), it's just that George did his homework and figured his act out from careful study, just as Evander did Mike in their fights. I think you're right when it comes to Foreman being more limited as a young man, but that wouldnt have kept him from pulverizing Mike in his prime. Foreman would have loved Mike's entire approach and eaten him for breakfast imo. I also must respectfully disagree the Liston was less well-rounded. Watch him in the Machen fight, or at least the fights that went longer than a couple rounds. Liston knew how to slip very well in fact (in his prime). He also knew how to pace himself if he had to, and was capable of taking the entire play away from his opponents by dint of his jab. No offense at all intended, and I could be wrong about any and all of the above.
You have some interesting points, but I don't think it's arguable Mike had the better chin. Foreman went 12 rounds with Holyfield...Tyson got knocked out by both Holy and Douglas (the latter in particular not exactly a great puncher). Foreman even took a couple of flush shots from Frazier and never tasted the canvas, and neither Holy nor Douglas (much less McBride and Williams) had the power of Frazier. Again, no disrespect intended. Maybe I'm wrong.
I like the way you're thinking and writing out your ideas. I just can't see Douglas as physically stronger than Frazier and Iron Mike. However, I respect your views and the way you present them (you don't typically resort to being condescending and are a good writer with unquestionable knowledge). I respectfully agree to disagree.
I agree 100%, though George did have more skills upon his comeback (but yeah, at base a puncher through and through).
