Liston's greatest preformance?

And perhaps Folley. Both had far more experience than Sonny (at least inside the ring), they were both in their late 20s, and nobody else had taken either out in the previous five years. Williams and Folley were outstanding contenders.

 

2nd fight with Williams! The calm and controlled way he finished his opponent was highly impressive.

 

Williams II
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO6gqaQ5uC4[/ame]
Beautiful.

 

I would say the win against Zora Folley. Cleveland Williams had an easier style for Liston, but Folley's technically adept boxing style was one you'd expect to cause problems for Liston. Let's not forget, Folley went into that fight with a 51-3-2 record against good opposition; he went on to have a very good four year winning streak from 1963 to 1967; and he was putting up a good show against a peak Ali in 1967.

Liston demolished him.

 

I'd say either of the Patterson wins were his best. They show off his power as well as his timing and generalship. He looked quite crude to me against Williams, looking for the finishers rather early and neglecting defence somewhat in the knowledge that he'd eventually get his man.

 

I also think the Williams fight shows up his vulnerability to a taller opponent, as well as his general style.

 

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQZkFNdPkdI[/ame]
This is Liston's peak performance. Liston showed up a trim 204lb, and never looked so fast and sharp in his career. Liston literally destroys a top 10 contender in 58 seconds, who had a very ackward difficult style for most, and a man who was considered to have an iron chin.

 

Liston had a lot of respect for Cleve.....but said that after Fight 1, both of them knew who would win in Fight 2.

 

I personaly concluded that it showed the opposite.

That he had the ideal physical asets to walk down taller opponents.

 

:blood

 

In terms of the qualities you value here, he certainly did impress. The reason I opted not to cite this however, is because I don't believe he was at full strength at that lower weight. Also, Whitehurst II was still ahead of him, and he failed to get Bert out of there after stunning him with a big right at the beginning of round nine. The Liston of Folley and Williams I & II probably finishes Whitehurst off in that situation. I don't think Sonny was quite there yet prior to 1959.