Sonny Liston vs Nikolai Valuev: is Liston there at the end???

Williams
DeJohn
Valdes
Hunter
King
Were all taller than Liston.

 

Their listed reaches also suggest only a 1” difference - Liston 84” vs Valuev 85”.

Some question if Liston’s reach was a full 84”.

Sonny did have exceptionally long arms and huge hands though.

Freeze frame his jab fully extended and the length appears extraordinary - as such, I could buy 84”.

If his reach wasn’t quite 84”, which of course is possible, I probably wouldn’t go lower than 82 1/2” for Sonny.

Prior to being locked in at 84” as at the Patterson fights, I’ve seen at least one earlier listing for Liston’s reach pegging him at 82 1/2”.

 

Agreed, though, and I'm probably nitpicking here, I wouldn't say Williams looks way bigger than Sonny (he's listed as an inch taller and in both fights they weighed within 2 or 3lbs of each other), but he does look a little taller to my eye.

 

Maybe I thought he looked bigger from all the bouncing around he did after getting rocked, lol. You're right, he likely wasn't that much larger than Liston was.

 

Seriously?

 

Alright, by the 8th round Valuev is reeling around the ring after being pummeled by Sonny and the ref rescues him at 2.34 round 8.

 

Valuev eats him

 

If Chagaev and Holyfield can both outbox Valuev (both having smaller frames and significantly shorter reaches) I have no doubt that Liston who I believe was physically stronger, had a better jab and cross and had more power than both would definitely have his way with Valuev. And I know Chagaev was heavier but he wasn't tank built like Liston was. Liston carries it all in his shoulders

Not sure he would stop him..............actually I'm pretty sure he wouldn't, but yeah Liston UD15

 

I’ll say one thing - the old BW telecast appeared to enhance the size of the fighter closest to camera - OR, at the very least, certain angles appeared to create an illusory effect in terms of size disparity -

Suffice to say, the apparent difference in size varies throughout the fight - so you definitely know somethings up with the integrity of the vision.

Williams was perfectly built with the widest set of shoulders you’ll ever see save for Maxine Baer.

Liston was very densely packed and, averaged out, he didn’t appear smaller in overall terms.

Their weights were pretty much even - not an ounce of fat on either man. Of course Williams had about 2” - 2 1/2” in height on Sonny.

Williams also had a pretty damn long reach himself.

 

I can see that happening. Sonny beating on him for 12 rounds with Valuev’s size and passive style being the only things that keep him up.

 

The average Human head is about 8”-9” in length.

Valuev has a HUGE noggin, much bigger all round than average - and that HUGE head accounts for 9” + of his height.

So Big Nicky’s chin might reside around the 6’4”’ mark at best, likely a bit lower.

With his own 84” reach, Liston easily reaches that chin and then some.

 

First off Valuev would crap his pants if Liston were eye to eye with him before the fight. And by the time the referee stops it, that big head is probably going to look like John Merrick it will be so swollen from eating Sonny’s gloves.