Rocky gets a Big edge in the heart dept based off Liston's 2 losses to Ali......Liston looked the part and played it well but not sure how he would deal with a real KO puncher...I know that is sacrilrgious talk on ESB but people like to call Big Cat Williams a puncher but that was not proven in the ring. Liston quit & went down against Ali unless that was a tank job but an older Liston was sparked vs Leotis Martin
If he could get in position to get his right on Liston then he has a chance. He would have to work very hard to get inside a very unpleasant human being who could really fight. It would rough. That jab of Liston and that hook were thunder and Rocky is the one with the burden of getting in.
This line of argumentation is so tired and disingenuous. Marciano would have been absolutely clowned by a young slick Clay/Ali. Hell, grandpa Joe Walcott, a second rater compared to Ali, was schooling him until age took out his legs. And don't forget that Liston fought the better part of 10 rounds with a broken jaw. Some quit in that guy.
Against Marty Marshall in their first fight? I read that Liston got his jaw broke in round 3 before going on to lose an 8 round split decision to Marshall. It's hardly the better part of 10 rounds plus Marshall was a journeyman blown up Lt Heavyweight with limited punching power (though he still floored Liston in their rematch) giving up over 20 pounds to Liston. It's not that heroic of a display when you factor these things in.
I meant after Patterson became champ. If he supposedly was interested in facing Liston and/or Ingo, why not Patterson? Hmmm, this might take us down the rabbit hole...
Age didn't take Walcott's legs. It was that ***** Suzie Q. She traveled maybe a foot turned over right on the point of the chin. I'm in agreement with some of your views on Marciano but that was boxing perfection. Anybody that gets hit like that is going down at least. I don't think that fight was about age. It was crisp, fast paced and skill took it
Another disrespectful line against past champions.. Walcott was no second rater compared to the best men Ali defended the title against! If Ali beat Walcott then walcott would be included among the best men Ali fought. Who among Alis challengers could beat Walcott as champion? Foley? London? Dunn? Cooper?Mildenburger? Wepner? Young? Evangelista? Shavers? Jean Piere Coopman? Even Norton didnt do too well when hit on the chops.
Liston would have been confused and then beaten soundly by Arnold Cream AKA Jersey Joe would have been doing that sand dancing **** on Sonny. Walcott is shakin that ass, slipping and slidding midway through the round Liston is gonna think he is at the titty bar. Looks down to get his cash rolls (strippers aimt cheap) JJ puts the walking down the street left hook Easy fight easy night
Isn't that what happend in Maine? All this time we thought it was only Alis anchor punch that could put Sonny away. In truth Jersey Joe could just as easy let go the walking down the street left hook.. JJW was a double agent that night?
He was 20 pounds lighter, he did break Listons jaw, he did win on points. Here us a report of that fight from the Derroit Press. "Marshall, 'The Michigan Bomber', a 30 year-old 6' 0' 180 lb. fighter, is the master of the '3-step bop', kind of a dance - then the cork-screw right hand. It is a 'sucker-punch' that found its home on the chin of the lumbering Sonny Liston many times Tuesday Night at the Motor City Arena. To make matters worse, everytime that Marshall threw his cork-screw right hand, he let out a a 'hoot sound', letting everyone in the Motor City Arena know that the right-hand was on its way. Everyone heard the 'warning sound' - except the 'frozen stone' Sonny Liston, who caught the punch on his face nearly evertime the 180 lb. Detroiter uncorked it.”
Maybe. Marshall said it happened (and it was the biggest mistake he made he reckoned as Liston put a beating on him afterwards) but who knows? Self aggrandizement isn't uncommon among fighters. Much like the story of Liston getting his jaw broke because he was laughing at Marshall. Liston said that's what happened but no one has ever offered any proof but people seem only too happy to run with it. I've a hard time picturing Liston laughing or even smiling inside the ring at any time.
