Went on a Liston watching spree this morning

Liston also looked huge against Albert Westphal, who was actually smaller than Canelo.

 

If only sonny went to Jack lalannes and did some curls in a mirror....what he could have become !!!

 

A H2H monster whose ranking is adversely affected by his mediocre title reign and both Ali debacles.

Between '58 and '60, though, he was as good as anyone in heavyweight history.

 

I always liked Sonny's quote before that Harris bout"if it goes the distance, you can give him the fight." Not exactly what you would want to hear if you were Roy Harris.

 

I watched Liston/ Clay 1 and it looked like Sonny Liston was in even worse shape than I had ever noticed. Hw really must have thought Clay was going to be scared and freeze up. 218 was only 5 lbs heavy but I don't think he had any wind.
Once it wss clear that getting to Clay/Ali was gonna take work he seemed not wanting to throw.
He was pushing his punches by the 4 or 5th. Ali had ofcourse alot to do with it as well. He was sticking that fast jab in Liston's face. Sonny didn't expect the kid to have enough power to stop in his tracks.
Liston trying to blind Clay/Ali with the med on the gloves is something a loser would do. Kinda pathetic.
Anyway never thought of Sonny being 'bad' that nite just that he met a once in a lifetime talent.

 

Liston vs Williams is a doozie!

2 mean guys with muscular physiques & power to match. Early on it was Liston backing up. I never seen it before. But he used some skills, then eventually began to set back down on his punches.

 

There really are a ton of subtle things going on in that fight. A lot of them from Cassius. Really a nice bout to break out the microscope for.

 

Liston did land a couple of solid hooks in the first two rounds not much after.
At one point Ali back to the ropes pulls Liston in behind the head basically manhandling him.
Sonny never seemed to have much luck. He decides to slack off in training and it has to be against the best heavyweight who ever lived.

 

I really wish the Ali-Liston November 1964 Boston rematch had happened. Everything I've read reports that Liston was in great shape and very motivated for that bout.

 

Would have made for a better spectacle, but as long as Liston continues to follow Ali rather than cut off the ring and whilst he's still prone to swelling from the Ali jab and flurries, he still loses.

Liston did better in the first fight than often given credit for. He wasn't being destroyed, but I do believe that Ali was a class above him once he established ring centre and demonstrated more subtle head movement rather than the more jerky headmovement and bouncing around that Ali started off with.

 

No evidence Liston tried to blind him. None whatsoever. If you find otherwise, kindly produce it.

 

Ali blinking rapidly in the corner and saying their was something in his eyes( Its on film) Ali saying he was pretty much blind, the pattern of the fight changed during the momentary blindness and Ali being strictly defensive, Angelo Dundee said he rubbed whatever the substance was and it actually burned him .... Once the substance cleared from Ali eyes he began too Tatoo Liston again forced him to come up with the lame excuse of Shoulder injury and quitting suddenly after Ali's eyes cleared. Whether intentional or not ( And it was intentional, and a old school cheating method) their is PLENTY of evidence Ali had something wrong with his eye for almost 2rds. If you don't believe that there was your simply refusing to believe for whatever your agenda .

 

A guy (can't be bothered to check up the name right now) claimed In Hauser's book that Liston's cornerman Polino(?) told him they juiced the gloves, and Machen said something similar happened to him. Not a smoking gun, but more concrete than anything about Liston taking a dive in any of the fights, I'd say.

 

If true (which I doubt) means it was Liston's cornerman and Liston was unaware (evident by the fact that he doesn't go all out in Round 5 which he surely would've if he sensed his prey was wounded. Also can't find any part of Machen VS Liston whatsoever where Machen seemed blinded. He only came out with this AFTER Ali did. Before it was the "I injured my right hand sparring" like which excuse is it? make up your mind!