What would Sonny Liston think of Mike Tyson?

Similar fighters in many ways.

My guess is they would not have gotten on well. The face off would have to have a dozen guys holding them apart.

 

Feared? Absolutely not, respected? Probably not.

 

Sonny would have looked at Mike's style and figured he could take him. Whether he could have, or not, is another story.

 

He'd be proud of him.

 

Yeah agreed.

They'd rub each other up the wrong way for sure....... too much Alpha for one room right there.

 

Not a whole lot.

 

As a fighter probably a whole lot of respect. Outside the ring he wouldn’t give a damn. He had his own thing to do. In boxing terms he’d know Tyson would be trouble but still be confident in his ability to defeat him. He certainly wouldn’t underestimate him.

 

Do you mean if he had lived long enough to witness Tyson's career?

 

He would respect him as a fighter in the ring. Outside the ring it's a different story (IMO).

 

I asked Davey Pearl if Sonny was a nice guy out of the ring. "No, not really. But he didn't bother anybody" was what he told me.

 

"Mike Tyson? He's OK, I guess."

Sonny Liston, circa 1991.

 

Yeh. “As long as he stays outa my way”

 

I think he’d say : “ Damn, I’m glad Floyd Patterson was champ in my day. “