Better HW Jab:Holmes or Liston???

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Flea Man, Mar 22, 2009.


  1. Flea Man

    Flea Man มวยสากล Full Member

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    Discuss...


    Personally I say Liston as Holmes was a much bigger guy, Liston often landed his jab by dartin in and used good head movement to avoid counters, Holmes was a big guy with a big reach with a constant jab.
     
  2. Quickhands21

    Quickhands21 Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Listons jab was way heavier .imo Liston.
     
  3. Vantage_West

    Vantage_West ヒップホップ·プロデューサー Full Member

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    listons was heavier but it wasnt as versatile as the holmes left hand. i think holmes personally.
     
  4. Flea Man

    Flea Man มวยสากล Full Member

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    Good contributions thus far, similar to my thinking.

    Anyone else?
     
  5. anon1

    anon1 Member Full Member

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    It really depends! Against someone like Joe Frazier, Liston's jab is far better. Against someone like Muhammad Ali - Holme's jab is better (or Norton for that mater)! Liston had a great jab but with Ali he just tried to throw it out like a nonstop piston. Works great against 90% of the fighters but there are those slick fighters like Ali who carefully time and counter the jab. Liston did nothing to deal with that whereas Holmes would improve the timing of his jab. So Holmes has an edge in that department. In fairness, maybe I'm mixing in other factors than just jab. Besides this one rather extreme point, I'm going with Liston. Longer, heavier, fairly accurate, and just as consistent.

    Yes, personally I rate Liston as having the best jab. There are moments of exception. The only other fighter who could contend in terms of the jab is Muhammad Ali. Even that is conditional. Head to head Muhaammad Ali had the better jab (I suppose we're really not going by just jab alone but also footwork - it's hard to separate things at times) than Liston but against most other fighters Liston's jab would have been more effective than Ali's. Liston's jab would have destroyed Frazier whereas Ali's could not.
     
  6. ChrisPontius

    ChrisPontius March 8th, 1971 Full Member

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    Holmes, and i don't think it's close. Yes, Liston's is heavier, but you gotta land it to make it count. Against Clay and Machen, he couldn't get his jab going for a moment. Measuring how it stands up to Clay is not really a fair standard of course, but i'm convinced that Holmes' addition speed, consistency and reach (he's three inches taller) would've got through to Machen and Clay much more often.


    In the end, speed is more important than power, when it comes to a weapon that's not going to knock out anyone.
     
  7. GPater11093

    GPater11093 Barry Full Member

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    we finally disagree

    i think Holmes he almost completly relied on it Liston never. Holmes jab is only second to 1 other heavy and he goes by the name muahmmed
     
  8. mrbassie

    mrbassie Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Liston had the best jab I've ever seen.
     
  9. downthatbottle

    downthatbottle Please don't ban me Full Member

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    Listons was heavier and he had that amazing reach.

    Holmes was faster.

    I go with Liston.
     
  10. Vantage_West

    Vantage_West ヒップホップ·プロデューサー Full Member

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    exactly 2 right hands makes a heavy puncher but not a technician....this
     
  11. TommyV

    TommyV Loyal Member banned

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    Holmes easily.

    Liston's was good but it was like a Rafael Marquez style ramrodding jab and that was all it was good for.

    Holmes could win a whole fight based on his jab.

    He has the greatest heavyweight jab of all time. It was lightning quick, pretty stiff and supremely accurate.

    A jab isn't used as a power punch and that's what Liston used it for.
     
  12. Flea Man

    Flea Man มวยสากล Full Member

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    Good posts/points all round gentlemen :good
     
  13. OBCboxer

    OBCboxer Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Holmes; it was more versatile.
     
  14. Ted Spoon

    Ted Spoon Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Holmes was able to make it a thorn in more peoples sides.
     
  15. Russell

    Russell Loyal Member Full Member

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    Holmes, no doubt.