Sonny Liston: “The Strongest Heavyweight I Ever Dealt With” - George Foreman

https://streamable.com/69dsk

A newish interview where George goes into depth about what made Liston such a tough opponent.

 

I am not surprised.

 

On one hand, yes, me neither.
On the other hand, Liston was one of the smallest HWs Foreman ever faced in his long career. For him to be the strongest at that weight is pretty remarkable.

It reinforces the notion that that weight is not always the determining factor in strength.

 

Sonny I believe is constantly underrated, any fighter who comes at Liston is in extreme trouble.

 

Liston was a natural 215 to 220 when he stepped into the ring .. by no means small .. a lot of the guys Foreman fought in his second career were no where near that condition or were juiced up like a Briggs .. Imagine a roided Liston ?

 

A roided Sonny Liston would have been like Ike Ibeaubuchi.
A deluded and very violent individual.

 

Foreman loves exaggerating and changing his mind, he might be right on this one though !

 

Sonny looked much bigger than his fighting weight which was usually around 212 in shape.

 

I highly doubt George has some superhuman ability to accurately measure, recall, and compare the strengths of all the scores (hundreds?) of men he fought and sparred with over his decades in the ring, but it's a cool anecdote and the overall point--that Liston was very strong--isn't hard to believe at all.

PS - And FWIW, in fairness to George, the full statement was that Liston was "probably" the strongest heavyweight he ever dealt with.

 

H ey, it was like Sonny's body was created for one thing only: fighting and beating the **** out of others. The Perfect Heavyweight body. I have always thought Sonny and Jeffries were the 2 strongest great fighters in history.

 

How do you think Liston would do with Choynski,Corbett,Fitzsimmons?

 

I've told this story before here. I knew a guy back in Denver in the late 70's who had played football
at Navy and was the strongest guy I ever met. He would pick up railroad ties like they were toothpicks.
I saw him pick up a 25' cottonwood tree with a massive base and drop it into a hole. He had a physique like
Steve "Hercules" Reeves.

He told me he had sparred with Liston, who lived in Denver at the time and that after a couple shots from Sonny that he almost cried from the pain as a result of the punches.

Sonny Liston must have been a monster.

 

Sonny was 220lb and over just 10 times in 54 fights.

 

I think Sonny Liston would win quickly against those three. Now Jeffries, under Jeffries era and 25-45 round fights, Jeff by KO. I have many books on both guys. Jeff could take ENORMOUS punishment, was very athletic and could crack. He said he never hit a man with his full might. Sonny would force him too. Under Sonny's era, Sonny by decision. Liston WAS a monster and an old washed up Liston was the only man Foreman said whose punch stopped him in his tracks. Prime trained Sonny could beat any heavyweight that ever lived. 98% of them by KO. I would take Dempsey by KO over him, but under modern 1922-82 rules, Sonny has a chance to beat anyone and that includes 1964 Clay. Sonny was the epitome of the term "bad motherfcuker".

 

Reinhardt has it right