Floyd Patterson gives Sonny Liston a title shot in 1958.

You mean, the year Liston SHOULD be have been champion?

 

Sonny KO 1.

Same as always.

Happens that way any year, any date up to Jan. 1, 1971.

(Liston died on Dec. 30, 1970, but best to give it an extra day for Floyd’s sake.)

 

This would probably boost Liston's status. The result is likely the same as 1962-63 plus Liston still likely would have taken on the same opponents but as reigning champion. Plus, he may have added Johannson, perhaps Harold Johnson and Willie Pastrano to his list of victims as they may have been title defenses. He probably would still have had his reign ended by Muhammad Ali in 1964.

 

This. Liston's legacy increases while unfortunately, Floyd's goes down. This time Floyd doesn't regain the title. He compiles a respectable record against top contenders though.

 

Why would Liston get a shot before he had ever faced a contender? He just cracked the ratings at the very bottom of the pile the end of the year. Johansson, London, and Harris, who Patterson defended against, were all ranked ahead of him as was Cooper who turned down a title shot.

 

Sonny Liston KO 1 Floyd Patterson

 

Sonny by early ko.

 

I think the question is what would be the result?

 

I was responding more to the guy who said "the year Liston SHOULD have been champion" Its hard for me to figure why Liston would get a title shot much less SHOULD have been champion before hed faced a contender, when hed just broken into the bottom of the top ten, and when hed just had his first national TV date. The hyperbole around Liston is like nothing Ive ever seen frankly.