How Many Top 10 Contenders Did Sonny Liston Beat

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Lights Out, Dec 24, 2010.


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  1. Lights Out

    Lights Out Active Member Full Member

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    Does anyone know how many top 10 contenders he beat pre title and post title run. I only recognise a couple of names (not very familiar with the 60's heavyweight scene) and was wondering if people could fill me in. Was it more impressive the way he dealt with competition or how good they were?
     
    Lights Out, Dec 24, 2010
    Lights Out, Dec 24, 2010
    #1
  2. TheGreatA

    TheGreatA Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Men who were at one time ranked top 10 by Ring Magazine:

    Johnny Summerlin
    Marty Marshall
    Billy Hunter
    Wayne Bethea
    Mike DeJohn
    Cleveland Williams x2
    Nino Valdes
    Roy Harris
    Zora Folley
    Eddie Machen
    Floyd Patterson
    Amos Lincoln
    Henry Clark
    Roger Rischer
    Chuck Wepner

    There were others who may or may not have made the Ring Magazine top 10 for a short time, such as Amos Johnson, Frankie Daniels, Julio Mederos, Willi Besmanoff, who did manage to upset some ranked opponents.
     
    TheGreatA, Dec 24, 2010
    TheGreatA, Dec 24, 2010
    #2
  3. he grant

    he grant Historian/Film Maker

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    Nice job A
     
    he grant, Dec 24, 2010
    he grant, Dec 24, 2010
    #3
  4. Lights Out

    Lights Out Active Member Full Member

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    Thanks a lot exactly what I was looking for :good
    Just wondering how you find this out is there a website which shows these ring rankings or is this just your own knowladge?
     
    Lights Out, Dec 24, 2010
    Lights Out, Dec 24, 2010
    #4
  5. Lights Out

    Lights Out Active Member Full Member

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    GreatA were the majority of these fighters in the top 10 when he faced them? I've heard Nino Valdes, for example, was one hell of aboxer but was past his best when he took on Liston. Was he still a solid win or akin to Calzaghe beating Jones?
     
    Lights Out, Dec 24, 2010
    Lights Out, Dec 24, 2010
    #5
  6. Lights Out

    Lights Out Active Member Full Member

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    Also wasen't Marty Marshall primarily a lightheavyweight? Was he top 10 in that division or heavyweight?

    Thanks
     
    Lights Out, Dec 24, 2010
    Lights Out, Dec 24, 2010
    #6
  7. TheGreatA

    TheGreatA Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    http://boxrec.com/media/index.php/The_Ring_Magazine's_Annual_Ratings:_Heavyweight--1950s

    If it were about top 10 contenders when Liston faced them, the list would be a lot shorter.

    Patterson
    Machen
    Folley
    Williams

    are the biggest wins for Liston in my opinion. Valdes was past it, but wouldn't have been a match for Liston even at his best considering how easily Liston walked right through him.

    Top 10 at light heavyweight I think, although he may have made the heavyweight rankings as well with wins over a young Liston and Bob Satterfield.
     
    TheGreatA, Dec 24, 2010
    TheGreatA, Dec 24, 2010
    #7
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  8. Lights Out

    Lights Out Active Member Full Member

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    How good do you think these contenders were GreatA? How do you think they would do in the 1970's golden era of heavyweight boxing
     
    Lights Out, Dec 24, 2010
    Lights Out, Dec 24, 2010
    #8
  9. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven VIP Member banned Full Member

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    Cleveland Williams probably wasn't ranked by Ring magazine when Liston beat him either, but he was better than most of the men who were.
     
    Unforgiven, Dec 24, 2010
    Unforgiven, Dec 24, 2010
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  10. Il Duce

    Il Duce Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I know this was a joke fight,,,,,,,,,
    but Albert Westphal was ranked in the 'TOP 10".

    Others that were ranked;
    Gerhard Zech
    Amos Johnson
    Elmer Rush

    Bily Joiner at 9-3-3, when he faced Sonny in May of 1968, was tied for #20.
    He just had 10-Round Draws in Italy with Dante Cane and Piero Tomasoni,
    both of whom were ranked above Joiner.
     
    Il Duce, Dec 24, 2010
    Il Duce, Dec 24, 2010
    #10
  11. janitor

    janitor VIP Member Full Member

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    I understand that he wasn't ranked.
     
    janitor, Dec 24, 2010
    janitor, Dec 24, 2010
    #11
  12. Lights Out

    Lights Out Active Member Full Member

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    Billy Joiner was ranked so highly after 2 draws? Is that how bad the division was at the time or were they really good fighters he drew with
     
    Lights Out, Dec 24, 2010
    Lights Out, Dec 24, 2010
    #12
  13. Surf-Bat

    Surf-Bat Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Weren't Mike DeJohn and Roy Harris top 10 when Sonny beat them? I was always under the impression that they were.
     
    Surf-Bat, Dec 24, 2010
    Surf-Bat, Dec 24, 2010
    #13
  14. Il Duce

    Il Duce Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Lights Out,

    Mid 1968,,,,,,,The #10 thru #20 Heavyweight Division had no sparkle, or as
    we say in Italian 'no luccichio'..

    Billy Joiner was tied for #20 in April 1968, before he fought Sonny Liston.
    He was no slouch, he had a great amateur career and was the
    #1 U.S. Light Heavyweight in 1962

    He fought 10-Round Draws with Italy's (2) top guys, in Italy.
    12/26/67,,,, Draw 10,,,,,,,#16 Piero Tomasoni 30-6-4 (11 KO's)
    2/12/68,,,,,, Draw 10,,,,,,#18 Dante Cane 19-3-2 (17 KO's)

    Both fights, the Boxing News had Bily Joiner the winner.

    He was a slick-boxer, and despite a 9-3-3 record, he was pretty good, though a little
    under-sized at 190 lbs.
     
    Il Duce, Dec 24, 2010
    Il Duce, Dec 24, 2010
    #14
  15. Lights Out

    Lights Out Active Member Full Member

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    Thanks a lot guys. Seems like Liston fought the best of his era even though it may not have been as strong as the next one he seems to deserve his title shot and top 10 placing.
     
    Lights Out, Dec 24, 2010
    Lights Out, Dec 24, 2010
    #15
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