Interesting fight...who do you think would win? Doug was like smaller Liston with less punch and chin but twice faster.
I certainly have Liston winning this by a knockout and early on, it probably only lasts three rounds. Jones was a good all-around fighter and would probably do alright. He also had a tendency to get into brawls and in his prime was never knocked out by the best of them. He never faced a puncher as hard as Liston, but still has a good track record for tough fights in his prime. Liston TKO 3 in a blazing and brutal fight. I have often thought this would be a great fight and regret that it never happened.
I thing Doug last a bit longer and frustrated Liston with speed but gets brutally Knocked not TKOed in round 5.
I actually would have to agree. Patterson had both good boxing skills and punching power, but when he was hurt it became quite obvious and bobbed and weaved too much when he got hurt and his vulnerability became very obvious. Folley may have been able to beat Liston but opted to slug it out like a man rather than utilize his superior boxing skills. Williams probably could have beaten Liston too if he focused on keeping Liston outside with his jab and not letting him inside, and then bulling him around in clinches, then beating him up later. I do have Jones lasting longer than all three but not as long as Machen, maybe Jones does make it past 3. I think Jones has the right balance of boxing skill and punching power to trouble Liston, esp. since, unlike Patterson, I don't think Jones is easy to hurt, and he would not be easy to bully in clinches since Jones usually didn't get into those and Liston rarely ever initiated those himself.
I don't see where Folley had superior skills to Liston. If Folley can drop Jones, Liston can ko him imo.
Sonny Liston from right after the first Floyd Patterson fight flattens Doug Jones rather early. Doug would be intimidated from the beginning, probably after the National Anthem. Liston, it has been said, used to use towels under his robe to make his 6"1, 218 lb frame, appear much larger. Jones was a former light heavyweight contender. Also Liston had that piercing violent homicidal stare meant to frighten his opponents. Doug would not be able to slip that long Liston left jab, as Sonny walks him down. He continues to back Jones up into a corner, then Sonny unleashes a very hard left hook that spills Jones unto the canvas for the full 10 count. Jones is not psychologically motivated for a young vocal Cassius Clay in this bout, but he is fighting a mean fighter who owned his yard in prison.
I agree Liston can KO Jones. Folley was superior to Liston in boxing skills. Folley had a tremendous jab, but of course Liston's is superior. True, Folley wasn't mobile, but he was clearly a much faster and cleaner puncher than Liston and had better head and upper body movement. He was fairly good at dodging punches if i remember correctly, and Liston was not. Those were the only two things I saw as superior about Folley: 1) speed, and 2) head and upper body movement, and I forgot 3) probably stamina too, although that's close. Liston wins on chin, jab, and power and they're tied for mobility.
Speed isnt ability. Folley was ko'd by Jones , lost to cooper, and could only draw with Mildenberger, that is not happening to Liston!
That is a matter of opinion, but it is still an area that Folley easily beats Liston in. Personally, I think speed can be very important. However, I'm not one of those who believes superior speed always leads to victory. I agree, Folley lost to guys WAY slower than himself. Everyone George Foreman ever beat was way faster than him. Everyone Liston ever beat was way faster than him, and so on.