[GIF] This rediculous knockdown by Sonny Liston

Cec - that is exactly the revelation I was opened up to when I first saw Liston’s other fights - instead of being subjected to the usual tight loop of the Patterson and Ali fights. YouTube and charitable uploaders have been a godsend.

I like a lot of Sonny’s fights - including Besmanoff in which Liston put on an absolutely calm, unhurried clinic - a brutal beat down nonetheless.

Even when that much older and slower, I also like the display of Sonny’s sound boxing skills vs a young and well sized Henry Clark.

Liston was well before my time - so it isn’t a case of slanted nolstalgia - the man was simply a terrific and extremely well rounded boxer/puncher and, imo, all the available films clearly uphold that observation.

 

Seems plain as day to me.

Find the colorized version on Page 5 posted by @Pugguy and start at 1 minute. Watch the path of his right hands as he throws and brings them back about even with or below his shoulder. Same with the hooks. Just watch one hand at a time.

 

He’s bloody good that @Pugguy, isn’t he?

He should be canonised (no, that doesn’t mean being shot out of a cannon).

Anyway Pat, I’ve seen it many times before and I did just rewatch it and I happily remain with the observations I have given - which are obviously a bit different to your own.

 

A good example of being way open and dropping the hands when attacking is Holmes. At times he just swings from the hips. Witherspoon eventually makes him pay in this clip as his head is just so open. He drops the left jabbing on a consistent basis too. It's always harder to counter guys like Holmes and Liston in the ring as opposed to from the armchair as instinct, reflexes, traps etc come into play as well. Look at Ali, we could post hours of footage where he was open but you seldom see anything hitting the mark.

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Your walk up music:

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Thanks for that Pug I agree entirely.
I first saw Sonny as a kid when he beat Floyd Patterson my first boxing hero, I was devastated.
He was the bogeyman to me then this intimidating menacing figure.
Then when my hero Ali beat him I was thrilled, ecstatic. In fairness my impression of Sonny in the first Ali fight was just someone plodding round the ring being outsped and made to look cumbersome, but I wasn’t really observing boxing technique at that age I was too busy being blinded by the force of nature that was Ali.
After that Liston faded into obscurity for me until I heard about his passing my only observation of him was those 4 fights.
It was only in much later years with what you’ve already alluded to YouTube that I’ve come to appreciate what a great technician Sonny was.
He was a superb boxer if he hadn’t been a devastating puncher he still could have had a career at the top as a skilled operator.

 

Nice.

 

I agree. Him dropping his hand when he jabs, is why I think he always loses to Tyson and Frazier. It was also the reason Shavers just about took his head off. Ali was more skilled, and had such better reflexes than Holmes that ensured he doesn't get in a situation like that.

 

Underneath the big top, you’re the big cheese!

 

Big Cheese? Yes. Also, don’t forget: The Boss, Head Man, Top Dog, The Head Honcho, Number……