1988 Tyson vs 1960 Liston

Yet Foreman said no one did it before or since then.

If it were just some fluke do to lack of skills I doubt Foreman would even bring it up. He was trying to make a point on how powerful even an old and washed Liston was, forget about prime.

 

The Poll Results says Sonny Liston wins.

THIS THREAD IS OVER !

I happen to agree.

Liston TKOs Tyson in the 11th round.

ON TO THE NEXT THREAD !

 

Liston quickly, Tyson would give him openings, Liston would throw the jab and when Tyson rolls, he’d time that head movement with devastating combinations when Tyson closes the distance.
Tyson is walking straight into the firing line.

 

Not so fast my friend. Hold the phone.

I haven’t even voted.

There you go.

I just voted.

I voted for Liston.

He’s now 8 votes up.

When an 8 vote lead has been achieved, technically (I’m sure I read this somewhere), a thread may then be closed.

 

I take a lot of what Foreman says with a grain of salt.

Old Foreman is just too dammed nice for both ours and his own good. Lol.

However, citing Foreman as just a 19 yo ignores the fact that he was a strong AF 19 yo.

At just 21 yo in 1970, there he was shoving Canadian strong man Chuvalo half away across the ring and backing him up otherwise with an incredible jab and other punches of truly uncommon power.

There’s Liston’s own advanced and state of disrepair to consider also and after sparring Foreman we saw a year later just how much Liston had slid when he faced Leotis Martin.

So, if true, all in all, an old Liston being able to force a young but incredibly strong Foreman back is still impressive.

 

Great point Pug.Just for further reference look what a very raw 19 year-old Foreman did to Ionas Chepulis
in the 1968 Olympic heavyweight final.

 

I came in to vote for Sonny Liston, then realized I had already voted for Sonny (probably a year ago). So you can say my memory is not great, but you cannot say I am inconsistent (at least not on this matchup). Bigger Patterson over Prime Liston still equals a no from me. (I do rank Mike Tyson above Sonny Liston on my all-time Heavyweight list, but, head to head, Mike loses this one.)

 

Sonny Liston had crushing combinations and jab,he had a pretty well rounded attributes for the skill and hands,with only his feet and balance being a bit questionable.

I'd say it's no easy night for him by once he fires off those combinations to the body and head Mike would crumble.

 

Liston could punch but was very slow and very straight up, which would make him a sitting duck for Mike's faster hands.

In order to give Mike problems, you had to be about 6' 4" with long arms, be able to survive and tie Mike up, you had to have a pretty decent chin and a lot of resolve to stay in there. These qualities don't represent Liston. He could punch, but was very slow on his feet and with his hands, and was very straight up making him a sitting duck for Tyson's faster hands. Too many guys had a hard time trying to time Mike on the way in and Liston would be no different. I can't believe a someone like Liston, who had a grand total of one title defense gets the hero worship he does around here.

 

Had to be about 6ft4 in order to give Mike problems ?

Really ?

According to WHO exactly ?

Highly disagree with that statement. All because Buster Douglas was 6ft4 and SLEPT Tyson doesn't mean everybody else needs to be his size to repeat his result.

You need a Pretty decent Chin to beat Mike ? Well Liston had a Solid chin in his prime.

Fighters like 6ft1 James Tillis who never even won the HW championship like Sonny did was able to survive Prime Tyson , gave him problems with his Jab and went the distance with him.

I predict Sonny will do the same but get a late stoppage in a back and forth fight.

 

Sonny wins this one.
Bigger. Stronger. Can take a punch. Won't be intimidated by Tyson's cheap bully tactics.

Furthermore, Tyson's stamina is suspect.
During the first few rounds Tyson will be dancing all around peppering Sonny, but he will probably slow down after 6 - 8 rounds, making him an easy target for Sonny's devastating punches.

It is a touhg fight for Sonny, no doubt, but he stops Tyson late.

 

Mike would be terribly unhappy with Sonny's jab, his inability to be intimidated. Liston could also do two things Mike couldn't do: he could adapt his style as a fight progressed, and he was a very good boxer on top of being a paralyzing puncher.

Mike keeps up for awhile but eating that horrifying jab is too much for him. He's forced to back up, rendering him relatively ineffectual.

By round 8 Mike is battered badly and gets counted out after a hideous left right combination.

 

Tyson by stoppage. I like Liston, but speed kills and Tyson has plenty of it. And no, even though Williams could punch, doesn't mean he takes what Tyson can dish.