Jersey Joe Walcott V Sonny Liston?

Walcott would have his moments early on imo,but Sonny would eventually nail him and when prime,he was a good finisher.

 

Walcott on a good night could beat anyone, but he was erratic - Joe Louis was the most powerful combination puncher of the ATG heavyweights and JJW dropped him and technically beat him in their first match.
On a focused night JW had a hard enough punch to keep Sonny honest and the best footwork and boxing ability that Sonny would face other than Ali. On a good night, Walcott clear UD but would have to be focused and keep Sonny at bay with his pinpoint power.

 

I don't see why Joe would do better than Patterson. Walcott CAN last longer than Patterson, but he doesn't have to.
I hope there will be no exhibitionists who will say that Jersey Joe Walcott would win here.

 

No he couldn't. On an average night he had a 30% chance of losing to anyone. Against a prime Liston he gets destroyed within 3.

 

How dare you drop a "whilst" on me as we begin celebrating the 250th Birthday of the Colonies kicking Britain's ass!

Otherwise, I'm not exactly sure what a "prime" Joe looks like. Is it that old codger who beat some other old codgers and white dopes to get the bauble? Is it some earlier, starving (though weighing exactly the same) version of Joe? I think Liston corners him and blasts him. But I'll give you 4 rounds not 3. In the spirit of burying hatchets between our nations.

 

Prime, late-career Joe Walcott is going to be a tough night at the office for any heavyweight who ever stepped into the ring. Sonny will eventually get him although it's not unconceivable that Joe takes it to the cards, and Sonny will know he's been in a fight. I've always thought Joe's heart wasn't in the second fight with Marciano, but other than that I don't recall him ever going into the ring for any of his spotlight fights ... I certainly can't account for every fight on his resume ... paralyzed by intimidation like Patterson was against Sonny, Joe would take it to him while also being more difficult to hit.

 

Sonny stops him ..

 

Walcott would be a game and worthy challenger but the edge goes heavily to Liston here.

 

If he could survive against Joe Louis, he could possibly see the last bell against Liston.

 

The Abe Simon fight suggests a fight with a ranged power puncher would have went very badly for Walcott. Walcott in his physical prime was in a HW division he couldn't contend in. The HW division got so much worse in Walcotts 30s it was addition by subtraction.

Elmer Ray might have been a better boxer than Walcott but his reputation as a feared puncher is just about the most padded ever. Louis lost his power before the Walcott fights. Marciano is on the opposite end of the spectrum so far as reach is concerned.

Walcott would probably outlast Patterson because pretty much all of Listons quality opponents did. Bethea and Westphal being the best who didn't.

 

Jersey Joe makes it interesting for awhile with his ring savvy--but Sonny eventually catches him. KO or stoppage for Liston in 8-9 rounds.

 

Walcott would try to frustrate Sonny, and he had the style and footwork to pull it off. But Walcott had a way of losing just when victory seemed imminent. That's what I think happens here. Walcott makes a fatal error and Sonny traps him on the ropes and pummels him.