Billy Conn vs. Sonny Liston

As a fan of Joe Louis --- Conn was phenomenal that night.

 

Well… Holmes was sick for Weaver, Douglas fought smart - he 100% figured Tyson out and a rematch would’ve been the same I’d wager if Bus comes in ready… McCall just caught him on Stewart’s advice, they saw something it happens. Shavers didn’t though? Holmes got up and won like he did for the other 99% of the rounds they shared - the difference between aberrations and what Conn did is Billy’s skill is demonstrated in his careers work, it wasn’t the only good work he put in, in a career. BC was simply one of the best to do it and he almost beat Joe Louis.

 

Conn was a serious phenom in general! What a fighter. Wish I had a genie.

 

Care to name any other heavyweight that could inflict that sort of damage on Wepner ? Just asking......

 

Agreed.Conn was splendid that night.But it was Joe Louis at his worst ( a prime Joe Louis that is ).

 

Speculative of course, but I think Louis vs Conn 1 might’ve reflected an initial “carry” gone wrong - with Conn seizing and taking full opportunity of a relatively lack lustre Louis who, when he finally decided to put the foot fully to the metal, ended matters emphatically.

Any which way you slice it, it was a lack lustre Louis for the most part. Certainly nowhere near the best version.

Interesting that someone can afford Conn absolute credit for his performance against a sub par Louis whilst trying to discredit Liston’s own consummate victory over a very good boxer/puncher, Machen, by describing Eddie as a one armed man.

This framing of opinion also omits Liston’s prior and quick destruction of another excellent boxer/puncher - Zora Folley.

Impaired arm or not, I doubt that Machen, well familiar with Folley’s qualities as a fighter, wanted to see any of that same heat - so accent on defence and survival in general was the order of the day.

Whatever the reason, Machen’s injured and/or sheer reluctance to engage - it did allow Eddie to merely survive Liston.

If Machen’s right wasn’t injured, would that have necessarily meant that we might’ve seen a properly wiling to engage version of Machen? -

I don’t think so but if so, then it can be strongly argued that Liston would’ve had easier access to that version of Machen and made short work of him.

I think Machen got the best outcome he could hope for - simply surviving Liston (which on appearances, was apparently his primary goal) over the course of the full 12 rounds.

Suffice to say, I think Conn would be that much more willing to engage Sonny - not good policy if Billy wanted to at least take himself to the final bell.

Sonny - “Billy, I lent you the title for 3 rounds but you didn’t know what to do with it.”