Where Would Bowe Have Ended Up, Fighting Prime Liston?

Sonny Liston is the correct answer.

 

You know your stuff!

 

I'm a huge fan of both fighters but I have this as genuine a 50/50 fight as I've seen. Liston for me was at his very best when he was allowed to fight at his pace and administer his methodical, surgical beating to an opponent. Bowe is big enough and has a big enough engine to dictate the pace. George Foreman suggested Charles was one of the physically strongest men he'd shared a ring with, so the inside game maybe isn't the gimme many think, but Bowe wasn't scared of the inside game, his short game looked sloppy because he revelled in it, throwing audacious punches Sonny's reputation alone would usually have stiffled as a thought in his opponents head. Wow. This would be a fight. No. A FIGHT.

The guys share two fights, one a piece, both fights are controversially close. They dont fight a third both accepting they can't 'win' and conceding it would be nice to keep some sentient ability in retirement...

 

For me, Liston is underrated on a mental level.
He goes forward against everyone , no matter whether it's
Mike Tyson , Foreman or anyone else, and he spreads fear.

He gave up against Ali, but those were different circumstances, and
he reportedly had a dislocated shoulder.

I don't see Bowe mentally at the right level to survive this fight against an ATG Boxer-Puncher.

 

Of all the new class of superheavyweights Bowe had the best stamina.As you say the pace at which Riddick
fought in the first Holyfield fight was amazing for a 235 lb man.

 

Agreed.There were only two fights in which the peak Bowe fought in proper condition-the first Holyfield fight and the Gonzalez fight.In these bouts Bowe looked like he could have been
one of the top 5 or 6 heavyweights in history.
A hugely talented fighter but unfortunately also a dreadful lack of dedication.

 

Why not?
Liston was so intimidated by young Cassius Clay he applied foreign substances to his gloves. Then then flat out quit , proving himself to be mentally lacking.
When did Bowe ever quit?

 

This is a fantasy match-up , not real life.

You select the best version of each fighter , is the concept really that hard to understand.

Im taking Bowe from 91-93 to put a ass whooping on Listin whose best opponents had the same dimensions as an Andre Ward , Bernard Hopkins a or a Billy Conn

In the battle of punchers nobody is betting the house on the smaller , lighter guy with a shorter reach and a weaker chin who never beat anybody similar to Riddick Bowe.
While Bowe beat a guy higher skilled with much better defence who had an unstoppable drive to win.

 

Gun to the head , nobody is picking Liston.

Tactical Outlook

• Liston had a wrecking-ball jab and pressure-fighter style that would try to keep Bowe on the defensive.
  
  
• Bowe, though, fought his best on the inside—rare for a big man—which would help neutralize Liston's jab over time.
  
  
• The biggest issue for Liston: he often struggled with taller, faster heavyweights (Ali being the ultimate example). Bowe could absorb punishment and dish out volume, especially in close.
  

X-Factors

• Liston struggled with motivation and stamina in later rounds.
  
  
• Bowe, when focused, had an elite inside game that could break down even a tough fighter like Liston.
  
  
• Durability: Bowe’s chin and heart were proven against elite competition. Liston quit on his stool vs. Ali under controversy.
  

Prediction:
Riddick Bowe by late TKO or close decision.

While Liston had the tools to hurt Bowe early, Riddick's size, stamina, and inside warfare would likely wear Sonny down. Over 12 rounds, Bowe’s ability to outwork and outlast would be decisive—though Liston might give him hell for 6 or 7 rounds.

 

Who do you see as the hardest puncher?

 

Agree 100% with the above!

IF Bowe comes into the fight at his best physically and is laser focused he has a chance. But if Sonny ALSO comes into the fight at his best physically and laser focused then Liston wins every single time IMHO.

 

Patterson, as we knew him, would not be able to go toe to toe with Bowe like Holyfield, defeat a 1996 Mike Tyson or hang with prime Lennox Lewis.

 

Don't know about that, but 1992 Bowe, 1996 Tyson and 1998 Lennox Lewis would demolish Patterson.

 

Wait Dino can actually make a good post???????? What is this heresy

 

This isn't a reasonable position, past his best against Ruiz and probably Moorer and both were close fights. Are you bringing up Liston's loss to Leotis Martin? I doubt it. And he smashed Moorer to pieces in the rematch.

How about Holyfield, the guy who took out Douglas in 3 after he beat Tyson (and Douglas is underrated), the guys who beat Tyson twice, the guy who beat Bowe, the guy who give Lennox hell, the guy who avenged his Moorer loss, he beat past prime greats like Holmes and Foreman, which is no easy job. That guy