This. Also we don't know if any of the HW's mentioned here had grappling experience because quite often street fights end up with wrestling, look at the Lennox Lewis - Hasim Rahman studio brawl, no punches thrown just grappling.
Listen, It doesn't mean that much ... It's an internet discussion that is for leisure and entertainment ... Unless you're on Listons or Tyson's payroll who cares
When you are talking a street fight you are talking about MMA, essentially. Any heavyweight with grappling or muaythai experience already has a huge leg up. If we're just talking boxers, then I pick Aleksandr Emelianenko. Boxing skill becomes irrelevant once the other guy gets taken down, that's what people seem to forget.
You are right about Liston. Not only did he run with a rough crew of union leg breakers in St louis but in Vegas he rolled with a crew of Heroin dealers on the worst side of Vegas. The guy simply liked to live in the shadows. He died the day he was born.
Mike Tyson would cross the street and run before he confronted Sonny Liston, Mike was a purse snatcher next to the bear. Foreman would get him also along with Dempsey and one more I think in the street would take him,,,,,,Smokin Joe Frazier
I have heard that Joe was a real tough street fighter in the streets of Philly, and he was no cage fighter but used what was necessary to win, his dukes and his feet. That kickboxing youngsters talk about these days are for people that their parents are loaded with dough. When you are a kid at school, you do not put on your Bruce Lee imitation, I saw a guy at school get destroyed doing that, he got a swift kick between the legs, no more Bruce Lee in him . Besides once you really learn martial arts and obtain a brown belt, in most states your hands have to be registered, like a pro boxer, you have to warn your adversary first. A street fighter is not a martial artist, not in my day and I am 62, I only fought to defend myself like other kids I grew up with did.
Bit of a fan boy fantasy thread. I fail to understand what it has to do with Boxing. For what it's worth, I'd back Randy Cobb as well as many of the others mentioned. Tyson had a lot of the bully about him. Taking a bloke out of the ring won't make him any braver.
I Know that story ... Lester Hayes said the scariest site he saw in his life was the teenage George Foreman beating up locals for their lunch money growing up in Houston's Fifth Ward ... Jim Brown had another story I found funny ... he was asked to spar by ABC with both Ali and Foreman as part to the build up in Zaire .. he went a round or two with Ali but when he went to Foreman's camp and saw Foreman hitting the bag his words were " I could the guys from ABC they could go spar w Foreman. " We have no idea who could street fight or not but Liston was legendary as was George and Mike ... I'll throw in Sullivan would was a legendary bar fighter and sailed with head butts, throws and kicks ... Jeffries too .. Tex Cobb was a monster ..
