Liston Vs Frazier and Tyson: Would he really win?

Frazier gonna get fried by Liston,fight with Mike is 50/50 or 60/40 in favor of Liston having the size advantages.

 

I think Sonny Liston could catch Joe Frazier early, never allowing Frazier to get deep inside. But the longer it goes the more it favors Smokin' Joe. My call is Sonny Liston by early stoppage and he wins it 6 out of 7 times.

Mike Tyson is more difficult to call because he is a mid range fighter and very powerful right out of the gate. I still favor Sonny, but not by much, and I would not at all be surprised if Tyson overwhelmed him. My call is Sonny Liston by late round stoppage and he wins it 4 out of 7 times, head to head. (For the record, I rank Mike Tyson above Sonny Liston, all-time, so it is the styles that make me favor Sonny slightly.)

 

Sonny could maybe take Joe out but I doubt it would be early. Liston wasn't as aggressive as Foreman. He was more of a boxer, more patient.
Liston would have a stylistic advantage with his reach at the same time he would feel Frazier's power too. He couldn't get careless.
Sonny would have to put in some work to defeat a prime Frazier. Just sayin I don't think it's as one sided as Joe's fight with Foreman.

 

Another thing I’d like to ad is that both Mike Tyson and Joe Frazier were masters at slipping the left jab and working their way to the inside. While Sonny Liston certainly had an excellent left jab and may not prove to be a guaranteed winning factor for him

 

Both of them knock Sonnys soul clean out of his body.
Obviously Mike with his efficiency to counter jabbers with sledgehammer hooks would shatter listons chin a lot earlier than Frazier would.

 

Absolute best versions matched up, I'd take Sonny to beat both...and I'd give Frazier a better chance than Tyson. Even at his peak, Tyson could have 'lazy' moments if he wasn't getting things his own way, Joe never had a lazy moment. For me Sonny beats Mike three times out of three but Joe wins one of the fights. Oh, and I think Joe beats Mike...well, those are my opinions today, they might be different tomorrow...

 

Liston beats Frazier potentially in 1 round, Liston is bigger, stronger and Frazier can only fight going forward, and going forward as the smaller, less powerful guy is disastrous against someone like Liston who can plant their feet and time power punches.
He’d jab at Frazier to get him to Bob and weave and he’d time the head movement and it wouldn’t take long for him to find Frazier since he’s always in ranges ready to take a punch to give one, but he wouldn’t be able to take a punch to give one here.
Only way Frazier can win is if he lands first and he’s a slow starter, Liston would keep it behind long powerful punches, he’d be able to see everything coming from arm’s length to ride with the punches and time Frazier and Frazier would be walking right into Liston’s combinations.
I’d also favour Liston against Tyson, but Tyson has a better chance as he can close the distance very fast and take you by surprise, he could time Liston over that jab and pounce in very fast, but I still see Liston timing him on the way in as long as he’s careful.

 

Two short heavyweights with short reaches are going to wade straight in on Sonny Liston? Not for long, he stops both, He'll have to kill Frazier to keep him down though , but Mikey will wet the bed after Sonny Stares at him

 

lol at standing ground against Frazier. Even Foreman had to keep pushing Frazier off him.
Liston is no Foreman in size or strength , nor has he the shovel hook that served Foreman so well. That punch with all its power was unique to Foreman.
Frazier proved he was adept at getting passed all time great jabs combined with all time great movement. He'd beat flat footed Liston into paste.

 

I would favor Liston in peak form '59-62. I like Joe's chances vs Liston anywhere from Miami Beach and after.

 

I see this mentioned a lot about Liston being Mikes idol. In fanatsy fights, that is a non factor. In fanatsy fights means they are around in the same era, therefore there is no history.

 

Jusrt because Liston times Tyson, doesn't mean he'll knock him out. Tyson went 12 with Razor. This will be a war of exchanges. Liston can only win by boxing and clinching imo. Otherwise Tyson by TKO.