Liston is underrated in my opinion and I think he'd have mopped the floor with Tyson, Frazier , Marciano and several other all time greats
Sondland Gordon Liston was born Sondland Charles Juan Walker Epstein, in a little house in the big woods. His father, Charles, and his mother, Ma, were homemakers-literally. When Sondland was six years of age, a little farmer boy, he got wilder and wilder throughout the year, until he tussled with a bear. Charles and Ma could not believe what they saw, when Sondland KO'd the bear with a jab. But it became far less impressive when they realized it was a neighborhood zygote named Chucky Wepner, who was inexplicably furry and large, all things considered. Sondland would grow up and move to Lake Minnetonka, where the entire family purified themselves, thereby becoming Quakers. Liston turned pro at age 11, and boxed without boxrec verification for 25 years before having his official professional debut. He would retire at the age of 71, due to two of his fingers and being satisfied to finally give Wepner his rematch, after all those years of the other problems. He now goes down in history as one of the top ten heavyweight champions in all of human history. Please, show some respect.
Depending on what one thinks of Cleveland WIlliams the time he fought him...was my go to fight for Liston. 45-2. To see this both using boxing and not hay-makers was a pleasant surprise. Then add on both guys throwing accurate shots while picking when to go in proved they weren't club fighters. Best part of Williams Liston IMO was seeing Sonny get backed up, in other words this proved he was a thinking fighter if the situation called for it. I forget which round, but slowly but surely Sonny started turning the heat up-his jab got him in & out of the range from Big Cat. I interpret that fight as Sonny finding his range, gauged his foe's power. & only after that did he decide to go blow for blow, then ending it with a tko. I wish I could see his first loss...the guy was called very unorthodox. Watching him take on Johnson -shows he was willing to move a LOT! I thought Cassius was the one...but apparently Clay made it acceptable to move a LOT. This content is protected
His shot at the big time came along a little to late. Ali was always going to beat him imo, if he hadn't been around then idk, we could be looking at a long reign. But the thing with sonny is, he wasn't really consistent and even with no body really dangerous looming for a while then he'd have probably blown it and lost anyway. A little like a certain Mr Tyson!
Sonny Liston wasnt exactly born with alot of advantages. He is looked at as a criminal and bad guy by society but the truth is he overcame a helluva lot to win the heavyweight title... He did have some baggage and that blunted his career. Prison, the Mob, being ducked by Patterson and once he becomes champ here comes prime Ali to challenge him. Good Luck and Liston were not on speaking terms.
When Ving Rhymes played him-it always gets me when he is in the dressing after winning the title saying how we would be a champ for the people only to be told...not a single reporter wanted to interview him. Even for a thug, that had to have hurt. especially one looking to turn over a new leaf as they would say.
He had that near-Holmes-Foreman-Ali-Bowe-level jab...but, like many incredible punchers (including, on a smaller scale, Norton), he bizarrely refused to use it as often as he should have. I mentioned to Big George that both he and Liston would have won a lot of fights they ended up losing had they applied the jab more liberally (BG agreed).
When you look at the big picture of his life from being whipped by dad to starving with 21 siblings it would seem more likely he would end up a serial killer or get the electric chair. He did alright when you consider everything.
I think Sonny in his prime would beat every other Heavyweight Champion in history, including Cassous Clay. Anyone who decides to slug with him is getting crushed.
It could be because their so confident in their punching power that to them its a unnecessary tool. That, I don't need to use this, I've got all I need in this ie right hand?
Suppose from that view, yes he became heavy weight champion. Who wouldn't among us, would love to achieve that? It's just when we look at a boxers career, at the end, we can see perhaps just how better they could have done. In the case of liston, with out Cass around, I reckon there's a few extra years as champion.
