Dream match: Lennox Lewis on (October 31, 1992) vs. Sonny Liston on (sept. 25, 1962)

Lennox Lewis would prove to be way too much for Sonny Liston to handle. Fisrt, in size alone, Lewis would not be intimidated. True Sonny fought some guys besides Ali who were bigger than him, but they were of inferior talent and were intimidated easily by Liston. Lewis was a complete package of a giant heavyweight who was versatile, in that he had more than just one way to win. He could box conservatively with great patience with a chess player's mentality, or suddenly flash great and conclusive power as well. The thing with his chin, and those two fluke ko losses have been exaggerated and over stated ad nauseum. Lewis, at his best would use his skills to avoid a head on collision with Liston, and at the right time would detonate a well placed right hand bomb that would unravel Liston much like his ko loss to Leotis Martin, but Lewis could have accomplished this in Liston's prime. Lewis by a clean knockout in 6.

 

I actually do like Liston, I just think making a definitive prediction on this matter is rather silly. Of course, Liston could possibly take out any heavy of any era. I just thought an emphatic brush-off of this sacred cow would spark up some debate.

If I was betting the mortgage, I would pick Lewis. I think he seen more of what Liston was in his opponents than Liston ever saw of him against who he fought. I would predict that Liston would most likely fold under the pressure and either quit or get stopped outright. But it's a fight and there's a reason they fight them.

 

You think Phil Jackson was equal to Liston in skill and talent.
I thinks most people here would disagree with you, regardless of where they would sit in a Lewis v. Liston debate.

I prefered your old material. You've produced some brilliant and genius foaming-at-the-mouth insane diatribes against Liston and the "myth of Liston" in the past, utterly brilliant.

:good

 

IMO Liston wins this one, probably by kayo somewhere along the way.

I can't understand some of the posters saying Liston had the weaker chin compared to Lewis. Liston lost the first Ali fight because he gave up between rounds, the second Ali loss was a freak ending any way you look at it and really should not count and the loss to Leotis Martin came when Liston was way past his prime and should not count too. On the other hand, Lewis' two early endings came at or near his peak.

 

I've mellowed with age.

Maybe I'll log on next time I get my hands on some whiskey.

Liston was great for his time, against the "opponents" he was made to face. He'd be a B- fighter in todays underrated heavyweight scene.

 

:good

The thing is, nobody cares about today's heavyweight scene. No champion, meaningless belts, horrible bouts of hugging hidden on PPV. People dont know or care who these guys are.
More people know who Sonny Liston is than know of Wlad Klitschko.
Heavyweights today are **** even if you think they are "superior".

 

Where? In the USA? Sure, their HW's suck now. In Europe, the former Soviet Republics, even in parts of Africa, the heavies have a big following.

Most people who do recognize Sonny do so more as an icon than as a fighter. Sure he was great but he has been mythologized way out of proportion to his accomplishments.

In regards to today's heavyweights... there is a lot of money on the table for these belts. I can not believe that any but the best are trying to grab it.

 

Maybe they do have a big following in Germany and the countries that make up the former USSR. But they're still an uninspiring bunch.
Have Ibragimov, Chagaev or Maskaev impressed you at all lately ?

Wlad's a bit better, but still a bit boring, and his last 4 opponents were Americans, who "suck" (it's worth remembering all the great champs beat Americans when they DID NOT suck). Povetkin looks pretty good.

But seriously, the money on the table for the meaningless belts has become irrelevant to assessing the quality of heavyweight boxing overall. Obviously the best fighters today should end up with the biggest paydays, but not many who are buying these fights are walking away thinking they just saw great fighters making history.

In countries that have no long history of great heavywweight champions, I'm not surprised that a whole new generation of top heavyweights are immensely popular. But when you compare them to the whole historical field, and take each fight as it looks, they are not special at all.

 

Seamus, Liston did step rather smoothly. A lot smoother than the uncoordinated, trying to plant his feet while moving his body, Lewis ever did. Did you ever watch Liston jump rope to jazz music? He was by no means Floyd Mayweather Jr., but probably much better than Lennox.

Comparing Liston's style to Phil Jackson is one thing. Saying Jackson was equal in skill and talent is just stupid.

 

Never seen Liston jump-rope to jazz, only to "Night Train". Maybe they should have let him bring that jump rope in the ring.

His footwork was effective but by no means graceful or cunning.

Jackson would have probably KO'd the bunch of light heavies and never-was fighters that made up Liston's era.

 

I really don't think 'Lazy Lennox' will show up against someone of the magnitude of Liston. Do you?

Like someone said before Lewis's problem was never his chin - it was his mental attitude to many of his fights. A focused Lewis can take bombs with the best of them.

In any case, it really doesn't matter how much analysis is done over the outcome of this match-up 'cos we all know Liston will be paid by the 'Mafia/Black Muslim Brotherhood/insert other shady organisation here' to throw the fight.