Sonny Liston vs Ingemar Johansson

Floyd had a pretty fine jab but it was a "set-up" kind of punch, designed to put you back on your heels prior to his attack.
Sonny had a sledge-hammer jab, and bigger bulk, than INGO.
IMO INGO comes out (understandably so) a bit tentitive and lets Sonny dictate the proceedings early on. I don't see the fight staying in the center of the ring (advantage INGO) but with a lot of early action on the ropes which is where Sonny would soften up INGO with body shots, thus making him even more tentitive.
I AM a firm believer in INGO's ATG right hand, as fast and lethal as ANY heavy's. But unless INGO unleashed a 'Sunday' CLEAN shot, IMO Liston weathers anything less than that.
My take: Sonny establishes himself early, maybe semi-rocked a couple of times, but by the 3rd or 4th round, a softened up INGO (who's jab and movement keeps things going) starts wishing he was back in Sweden with his actress girlfriend.
Liston stoppage: early to mid-rounds.

 

"his actress girlfriend"

I thought she was a journalist?

 

When Floyd fought London in Indy in May 59, my dad was near ringside and saw INGO taking pictures of the fight with a ***y, slinky, heavy 'cleavaged' hottie next to him. I thought she was an actress, but, if a journalist, have you seen the prime-time journalist females recently?

 

Well, there also might be more than one woman.

 

Speaking of Johanssons footwork. He won't be able to do much on the outside with Liston's 84" left jab pile driving his face in.

 

I watched what film is available on you tube of Ingo including an extensive documentary in Swedish, but which is mainly boxing film, some of which I haven't seen in English.

Comments--Ingo looks a ton better overall against Machen and Patterson than he does against the European opponents he was filmed against, with the possible exception of Hein Ten Hoff. The big right doesn't seem nearly as effective in quite a few fights as Ingo plods through a lot of rounds, often looking kind of goofy with his bouncing about the ring and weird left jab.

Positives--I wouldn't make that much of the Sanders fight. Sanders was big but wasn't doing much of anything. With a weak left, Ingo's strategy seemed to be to bounce about and wait till Sanders led, and then cross the right. It was exactly the same strategy he used against the even bigger Ten Hoff. In both fights he looks pretty goofy dancing back and forth. The difference is that Sanders didn't do an awful lot except rabbit punch in the clinches (I'm surprised the ref didn't get on Sanders more for that). Sanders was moving cautiously forward but not throwing many punches. Ten Hoff was aggressive, and fell into Ingo's trap, and was taken out impressively by two rights.

Ingo seems an ordinary fighter in all ways except for that great right. Machen and Patterson are basically out of it after one right and more or less reduced to punching bags.

Despite footwork which looks risible at times, Ingo could move well about the ring.

Negatives--Ingo's jab sometimes looks like a man swatting flies on the other guys nose. He shoves his left out at high angle and then brings it down on his opponent. At other times he just paws.

The hopping back and forth and the screwy jabbing sometimes is actually funny to watch.

Ingo might not have had a glass jaw, but there is no reason on film to think he could take it that well at any point. Machen and Patterson in the first fight did not test him at all. I have not seen film of the Cooper fight.

I would make Liston about a 4 to 1 favorite in this one. He should win, but he has to be careful. I am one of those who thinks the second Ali fight was probably an honest knockdown,

and judge that Sonny might have been vulnerable to a right cross over that jab.

I think this fight will look a lot like the Sanders or Ten Hoff fights, and Ingo will probably be bounding all over the place. But the ending of the Ten Hoff fight is a warning about just dismissing Ingo.

 

Whitehurst landed a good overhand right on Sonny that disconcerted him momentarily

 

Ingo crushed Machen in one round and Patterson in three flooring him too many times to keep count. Had he trained better he may have taken the third fight and with it the overall trilogy against Patterson. Someone that can do that shouldn't be completely counted out. However his jab was rather weak, if he had a better jab I could see him having a chance. He had decent wheels and he liked to use them. Those wheels, with his patience and with his booming right could catch Sonny who sometimes over committed on offense when following an opponent around could spring the surprise.
However Sonny's great jab and reach would likely bust Ingo up for the Finish. To me the key is more for Sonny to maintain his patience against Ingo who could circle around out of range for long periods of time in a very frustrating and dull manner until he was absolutely certain he saw an opening to exploit. If Sonny doesn't get frustrated his superior ability should eventually catch up with Ingo sometime in latter half of the fight.