Were Does Sonny Liston Rank in ATG Heavyweight list?

If you think he's top 10, all right. But for me it's a big stretch saying Foreman is undoubtly top 10. For me he's probably just outside. Liston is a step above for me.

 

Not for me, beating Harry Greb four times and outboxing Dempsey twice is more impressive than anything Liston did in my opinion .. Tunney is vastly under-rated, a brilliant boxer but perceived as aloof and not a proper fighter .. Its my top 10 list and i'll have Tunney were i want and for me as a boxer Gene Tunney was superior to Foreman, Dempsey, Liston and Tyson .. Gene Tunney deserves some well earned respect

 

Wills is unrateable, undoubtedly a sensational fighter that Dempsey or Dempsey's management wanted to avoid at all costs but because of the era and the racial circumstances at that point, its very difficult to rate him against the Ali's and Louis's of the world. Langford belongs in the same category, these 2 guys could easily have been remembered as top 5 heavy's of all time but the opportunity wasnt there for them whih is a shame .. But Liston compared to Tunney is a no brainer to me, Gene Tunney needs a boost on these forums, his thoughtfulness, tactics and punchpicking would have graced any era, a legend in my opinion .... I also rate Frazier above Tyson, Foreman, Liston and Dempsey ..

 

If Liston is between top 3-6, then Bowe and Floyd Patterson can't be far behind him.

 

He did that at Light Heavy that shouldn't hold much weight when ranking at heavyweight only what he did at that weight should count. Using that logic Charles should be number one his resume is better then any heavyweight and beat Burley twice and Moore three times.

 

# 4, length of championship throne does not become a critical factor when he already cleaned out his whole division pre title, there was no one left to fight...other than the scared jackrabbit johannson or Dinosoaur Archie

 

#3. There are only 2 fighters in history who would beat Liston: Ali & Louis. Even then, prime Liston has a good chance against both of them on fight night.

 

He had one successful defense, he can't be called all time great off that. Many times when a guy dies while still active, and had a mysterious background, their legend grows. That's what's happened with Liston.

 

Top 10 for me,in fact top6!

 

9-12

 

Tyson has a great chance of beating every heavyweight part from a couple as well, yet he's at bottom half of the top 10 in mostly everyones lists. I think you have Liston at #3 in H2H list, rather than an all-time great one. Liston's overall record as a heavyweight doesn't justify a top 5 placement by any means. You are actually rating him above fighters who were clearly better. It's that simple.

If length of reign means nothing, then I can without question that Louis would not be considered as a top 3, which he is with most, if about 15 of defenses were non-title fights. Anyone telling me that Louis is right behind Ali with 4 or 5 title wins and reign span lasting a couple of years is telling lies.

Take Duran's wins against Moore and Barkley for example. If those happened to be non-title fights ending with the same outcome, think people would see him in the same light? Course not.

 

Three of those wins over Greb came when Tunney was a LHW. Tunney's HW record isn't all that special.

 

Got him probably about five. I rate him very highly H2H and he has a good resume.