Holyfield vs . Liston

I think Holyfield probably has the most underrated jab in heavyweight history.

 

Although I am not devaluing Sonny's abilities and would pick him in many fantasy matchups, my inclination is to go with Holyfield. I think Evander's unmeasurable toughness, durabilty, and physical conditioning would ultimately be the deciding factor. He would take a ton of punishment in the process, and might even visit the canvas once or twice. In the end however, I can see him wearing Liston down, perhaps even stopping him late. Liston was awesome, but I have always had some doubts when matching him up to men who could truly stand up to him..

 

I think Evander had the chin and the tools top take Liston late and win a decision ... we never saw Sonny in a tough struggle over a long fight ... Evander is as battle tested as anyone ... still a hell of a bout ...

 

I'm rolling with Sonny.

Holyfield will no doubt try to clinch and maul with Sonny. Unlike Tyson, Liston would hit the body during clinches and not submit so quickly. I think Liston would bully Holyfield worse than Riddick Bowe did.

 

for people saying "but I have always had some doubts when matching him up to men who could truly stand up to him.. "

Well what about evander holyfield struggling with much less comptetition throughout his career? he went life and death with an aging Dokes, Got the **** beaten out of him by Bowe(who would be the closest thing to liston he ever fought), Damm near got knocked out by SUBSTITIUTE bert cooper, and got taken into wars with two 44 year olds.

Holyfield is going to be outmatched in this fight. Liston is the much better brawler, and equivalent boxer. Holyfield was very versatile, but he lacked a great tool needed to beat someone like liston. Once Liston pumped a few jabs in holys face, holy would decide to come in and try to outbrawl liston, and holyfields tendency to brawl would be his undoing because there is no way he could go toe to toe with sonny liston. Bowe had alot of success toe to toe vs holyfield, and bert cooper nearly put holys lights out brawling with him.....I like Liston by Mid round Stoppage here.

 

Exactley holy loved to go to war vs EVERYONE...Unfortently if he goes to war vs liston, he is going to end up on his ass. Liston was the harder puncher, better all around two fisted puncher, better finisher, and stronger fighter. Liston also had the rare ability with his 84" reach to fight effectivley on the outide and inside...I think Holyfield is going to get massacred in a brawl. If holy cant outbrawl Bowe, he is going to have huge problems with liston

 

That would be me.

Actually, he was STEPPING UP most of the time. This was a man who started off in a weight class, where many of the participants were close to the size of the heavyweights in Liston's era.. When he ascended to heavyweight, the men by the time were generally bigger.

Dokes had recently turned 30, and that never stops you from building up fighters who were far older, but let's procede with my response...

This was a very well trained and motivated Dokes who in all liklihood was sporting the very best performance of his career, and facing Holyfield in only his 3rd bout as a heavyweight. Care to list a comparable performance where Liston went " life and death " with another opponent, and won?

Got the **** beaten out of him? Well, he certainly lost that fight, but Bowe left that ring KNOWING that he was in a championship bout, and Holyfield made the final bell, something that Liston never did in a losing effort that was in a match scheduled for more than 8...

Now for my resonse:

Bowe was 5 years younger, 3 inches taller, 25 lbs heavier, unbeaten in 31 pro fights to go with a successful amatuer career, and was taken the distance in a grueling fight where both men had their good moments. Holyfield, then beat that man in the rematch.. Care to list an instance where Liston fought so galantly against such ods THEN came back to take vengeance? Let's not use Marty Marshall...

A substitute who was very well prepared and had everything to gain and nothing to lose, and whom he fought on maybe 1 weeks notice, and still defeated.. By the way, one of those "44 year olds" lasted longer in one evening than Mike Tyson did in almost two..

Who did he ever " brawl with " and come back from true adversity? There's a big difference between beating the snot out of people who can't or won't stand up to you, and someone who refuses to quit - a concept Liston was not always well acquainted with..

He went toe to toe with plenty of men who were well established professionals, far bigger in size, and on the world class level.. In fact, Holyfield may very well be the stronger and more durable of the two..

Different types of fighters - Different circumstances. I suggest you think these things through before coming to such simplistic conclusions. By the way, there's no ****in' way ANYBODY is taking out a PRIME Holyfield in the mid rounds..... Despite that some of these men faced him when he was past it, Bowe couldn't do it, Lewis couldn't do it, Tyson couldn't do it, Moorer couldn't do it, and Liston sure as hell ISN'T doing it.....

 

I would go with Sonny on a decision. Evander has speed, durability and toughness. But I think Sonny's jab, even though it's not all that fast, could keep him at bay. An 84 inch hard jab is a powerful tool. Evander would likely try to brawl with Sonny on the inside when he got there, and Sonny could hurt him there too. I don't think this is the same as the Tyson fight because Evander would be facing a boxer-puncher instead of a swarmer. He wouldn't have the same opportunities to clinch Sonny, like he needed to with Tyson.

 

More times than not, Holyfield would win this matchup...in my opinion