Assuming Evander doesn't get his victory NC'd by a failed drug test, I don't really see Liston knocking Evander out, at least. What can Liston threaten Evander with that he didn't face against Tyson or Lennox? Or Bowe, even?
The 1960-1962 version of Liston could possibly use his superior jab and reach to outpoint holy to a decision and perhaps even drop him along the way. But Sonny’s durability and ability to overcome adversity in a heated fight is questionable to me. If Evander can do some damage in close it could be interesting
You're referring to the Westphal fight? That's a commonly cited one, but from my recollection it wasn't the jab that did it. Holyfield faced a lot of very hard jabbers. Lewis, old Foreman, Bowe, even Rahman. EDIT: And Holmes, who knocked a guy down with a jab, IIRC. Although Holmes was old by the time Holyfield got him.
This to me is a best out of 3, given the progressive timelines of the two fighters. Though Holy gives a game, massively courageous fight, the Patterson 1/Liston batters the hell out of Foreman/Holy and wins a clear UD. Patterson 2/Liston suffers a Majority decision loss against Bowe/Holy I. Evander starts out a bit more cautious of Liston's power and gives a way a few of the early rounds. By the 4th Holy uses his jab a lot more and stays in Liston's face enough to mostly nullify his incredible jab. An uppercut floors and almost knocks Holy cold in the 9th round, but he gets up and staggers Liston repeatedly in the remaining rounds. Clay/Liston is endlessly frustrated and busted up by Tyson/Holy I and either gets stopped in the latest rounds or suffers a very obvious UD.
Same scenario as Foreman. Once Holy gets tagged he gets angry and wants to brawl. Plays right into Listons hands. Sonny UD or if he catches him the way Cooper or Bowe did the ref rescues Holy.
Problem with prime Holyfield is he likes to scrap and gets excited too often. I can see this playing out like Bowe Holyfield 1.
