Your biggest Sonny Liston related question?

How much $ did he make for betting against himself before the Ali rematch?

 

My biggest Liston question??

How many threads have you created re Liston?

I would like a dollar for each and every one.

Joke.

 

Well, since Liston is one of my favourite fighters it’s not a concern to me but branching out can’t hurt either.

 

I don't think he has been dismissed at all. I think Tyson and Foreman started a Liston revival which continues to this day.

My biggest perception of Liston...the thing that I would like to see written about...is how he was the champ before he was the champ. Machen was #1 contender for a year and a half...Liston fought him. Foley spent about six months as #1 contender...Liston fought him. Liston fought Cleve'. When team Patterson were scrapping the barrel, Liston took on the creme of the division.

To me, even more than the two demolitions of Patterson themselves, that is what made Liston great. He took Patterson's title before they ever set foot in the ring.

Imo.

 

It always amazes how well Liston is remembered and thought of despite being a man with just one successful title defense. Don't get me wrong, I like Sonny and he was a very good fighter but, much like George Foreman, he was definitely not a great champion.

 

Did he and Louis sesh

 

Just common sense - any fighter who plans to take a dive ahead of a fight is going to look to make a little (or a lot) extra $ from the bookies as well.

 

Would Ali have beaten Liston if Liston never fought Eddie Machen. Ali credited that fight for figuring Liston out. And it makes wonder if that fight never happens if Liston prevails. Without that fight you really had no blueprint for what worked against Liston.

Thats the biggest question for me.

 

If either Liston or Foreman never fights Ali they would be the consensus HW GOAT. Liston and Foreman fought in the brief uni champ period too the Machen and Folley fights were 12 rounders that no doubt would be title fights in other eras. As would Foremans NABF fights which were for the 2nd most important belt. But either way Foreman had 5 world title defenses not counting Briggs.

 

I don't know but Ezzard Charles sparred him.

Charles thought he was double tough but had a lot to learn.