gene tunney vs liston....

That's basically the problem here. We have more of a measuring stick of how Liston would do against a fighter like Tunney than the reverse. Liston fought (and beat) speedy, elusive heavies. Tunney never fought anyone who even remotely brought what Liston did to the table.

 

Tunney has to get inside of Sonny's huge reach in order to land. If he goes inside he is vulnerable to getting hit back. Easy to envision Liston, who had good timing in his prime, timing Tunney coming in and flattening him with an uppercut. If Tunney rises he is getting on his bike, which makes it all but impossible for him to reach Sonny, who will be firing those long range jabs.

Sonny need only wait for Gene to attempt to come inside to land(Gene's only hope from what I can see) in order to nail him. Prime Liston's timing was good enough and his handspeed fast enough to accomplish this.

Liston KO8

 

Again, I did pick Liston. And yeah, mis-remembered the weights.

Regarding chin, Clay was out on his feet against a b-rater in Cooper the fight previous to the Liston fight. A year before that the great Sonny Banks put him down. And are you seriously condemning a fighter for being KD'd by Jack Dempsey? Are you kidding? Tunney had a hell of a chin. Ali's seemed to get better in his second career.

Liston is 1" taller than Tunney.

Tunney was lightyears faster than Sonny, had far superior footwork, worked angles better, had a great jab also and a 76" reach. Liston could be tagged with the jab despite his measurables.

My reasoning on this fight is, as someone stated above, we have more proof of Liston's abilities against someone of Tunney's ilk (which actually Clay is the closest) than the reverse.

 

I would say Tunney resembles Eddie Machen more than Clay. From where I stand anyway

 

Tunney UD. No doubt in my mind.

 

Sonny is bigger,stronger,faster and mutch more skills....
Liston by a late T/KO

 

Wow.

 

Gene Tunney was the prototype of Muhammad Ali. Liston would have lost a lopsided decision to him.

 

Sonny Liston was a great fighter but styles make fights ... he could not land solidly on Eddie Machen who was essentially Tunney's size. He could not land at all on Ali. His 84" reach means **** if he cannot pivot against men who move side to side ... the flaw w Sonny has always been he could not go up against guys who made him move side to side. He could not get set. Come at him and your dead meat ... move and it's another fight ..

You comment on Tunney like he was never vetted at all ... The 31 and 32 year ild Dempsey was still much faster than Liston and could barely land on Tunney .... wheh he did land with his best Tunney took it .. Gene had the exact style to give Liston fits.

 

you know **** about Sonny,he have good footwork and was fast in his prime,and is one of the best boxers,jab,uppercut,left hook....boddy punches
he box very very good in his prime,look his fights at he was young

 

Sonnys huge 84" thudding jab would be a big problem for Tunney. Listons jab would make it a night mare for anyone who is planning on boxing by stepping in and out as Tunney so often did. His power would be like nothing Tunney had ever seen.

Like some one has already said Tunnys movement would give Liston trouble, side stepping around would help Tunney get away from Listons jab no doubt but i am unsure he could use it effectively to set up his won offence because of Listons reach, although with Tunney its not inconceivable.

If i was forced to put money on it i would say a Liston UD but i do think its a live fight and Tunney could steal it.

 

And you know **** about English ...

 

:rofl

 

Sonny was not overly fast while Tunney was very quick. Tunney had great footwork while Sonny's was functional at best... unlike your English.

 

This is a tough one. Tunney is good but he never met a Liston-like opponent with an 84" thudding jab. Tunney has to get by that jab and try to land something without taking too much in return. I always felt that Liston at his best would be too much for almost any heavyweight pre 1960 except for Joe louis and possibly Jack Dempsey (As much as I love Marciano I just don't see a man with a 68" reach getting inside Liston's 84" reach) so I'll pick Sonny via mid to late round stoppage......Though I wouldn't be shocked if Tunney somehow found a way to win.