Billy Conn vs. Sonny Liston

Uh, that would be a big negatory, good buddy (harkening back to the CB Radio craze).

 

Who are these “plenty of inferior movers” who went the distance with a peak Liston?

 

You know what…I know what I’m supposed to think. I know what will get people nodding. & I know what will happen if Liston traps Conn…….but Liston fought quite similarly to Louis minus all his speed. Minus his accuracy. Minus his endurance & patience.

I feel like Liston would knock him out, surely, at some stage…but I’m struggling to come up with a reasoned argument for it.

 

So these "plenty of inferior movers " who took Liston the distance anywhere near his prime consist of two fighters who won all of 4 rounds in three fights?

 

which could prove to be his most fatal mistake

 

Not likely. Another guy who was pretty good at it himself tried and it didn’t end well for him.

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Patterson is no Conn.

 

A few here have noted that Liston didn't have the best trainers. I don't think anyone taught him early on how to cut off the ring. He just would keep coming forward kind of robotically. That was one of his biggest weaknesses. Late career, 1967-68, when his legs were shot, a couple guys tried the strategy of making him chase in hopes they could get him into the late rounds. He caught up to ham'n'eggers Elmer Rush and Bill McMurray. After those two, I suspect he didn't want to fight any more runners.

Billy Conn? He could punch a little bit. He had fast feet AND hands. And he had the guts to get in there with Sonny. Would he foolishly trade with Liston the way he did with Louis? It's a good bet that he would. One key to the fight is how effectively Liston could body punch Conn. I think Billy's frame was too slight to withstand heavy Liston body blows to the bread basket.

 

Liston was so slow though. Would he land?

 

The argument being made is that Conn would be better on the “ inside “ than Patterson. Do you concur with this ?