I think Liston was very dangerous from 1959-1962. But Evander was competitive against elite opposition for a longer duration and certainly had more heart and better conditioning. The Liston who crippled the division in 1960 might well have been better than any version of Holy, but when looking at their whole careers I have to say Evander was overall better.
This covers it. But some of this isn't Liston's fault, as many really good fighters weren't thrilled about fighting him, and Patterson famously ducked him. I don't think we have enough information to gauge Liston's overall worth, but with what we do know, Holy was a greater ATG imo. In fact, I have Holy only after Ali, Louis, and Holmes as ATG.
I think Liston pretty much did all he could do. I mean besides Patterson, Machen, Folley, and Williams how many other serious top guys were there ?
One thing I would like to add is that no matter how scary Sonny was (and he was ****ing scary), there is no way on God's green earth would Evander have avoided him.
Hmm? so as he did in the Bowe fights he gets into a brawl with Charles Sonny Liston and you believe he comes out on top? I suppose that's one way to look at it.
Really? you think Evander hit harder than Liston? had a better jab than Sonny? ,was stronger than Sonny? That's one radical claim.
No. I didnt say that. I was replying to all six of the thread starters criteria. Hit harder, jab, and strength are not among them.
How do you know that Liston, who beat undersied heavies, punched harder than Bowe? If Liston and Holy get in a firefight then EH wins. Holyfield was stopped by Bowe, Liston was stopped by Leotis Martin.
He quit twice on Clay/Ali. I think he knew he didn't have an answer for his speed and the only thing he was going to get by continuing fighting was lumped up.
