How would Liston have done against the past/present champs Golota faced?

Loses to Lewis

The Brewster fight would actually be somewhat intriguing. Liston would be favored though. That psychotic version of Tyson would be intriguing for other reasons.

 

Since you said near-prime I dismissed that version of Bowe. It would all depend on how near-prime, because a prime Liston should beat this Bowe. Byrd is too much a stationary, in the pocket, slip & counter type. I don't think that type of fighter troubles Liston too much. Guys like Folley and Machen fought that way generally and they would either get iced taking too much damage, or would get forced to put on their track shoes.

I tend to think Brewster was slightly underrated for the window he had his success. He's tough, and it's intriguing in the sense that I think he could force something out of Liston. A test of some kind, in a way a character test. Not trying to sound all Teddy Atlas here, I'm being frank. Brewster going right after him would hardly be easy but if he could endure it could be a scintillating scrap. Ruiz and Witherspoon would have no chance. I don't think Ruiz would be able to hit and hug against Liston. He would get pulverized by the jab.

Definitely.

Pre-prison Tyson wins. I am fairly confident. Prime Bowe is 50-50 type affair. Bowe might end up taking too much. He's tough but his defense is leaky. At the same time Liston has never faced a fighter with the sort of size and tools that Bowe had. Bowe can work at a good rate for a SHW, although Liston's power could wear him down. It would be a real great matchup. I might lean towards Bowe. It's frankly tough to evaluate Liston in long, grueling fantasy matchups. I don't think he blasts Bowe out early, but there is a misnomer in thinking that because it doesn't end early that Liston may not manage to beat him down in six rounds instead. Just because the tougher fighter might survive does not mean he can withstand and all of a sudden make a Rocky type comeback. This is partly where fighters like Foreman and Liston potentially get dismissed too quickly in fights that may be competitive or go the distance.

I'll have to think more about a prime Witherspoon, though.

 

Liston beats the version of Bowe that Golota faced but struggles badly against all the others because he simply did not beat any big fighters as good as those. Liston might win 50% of those fights but he is in unknown teritory, I could only bet on sonny beating ruiz and Bowe.

 

Liston beats the lot. Lewis is the only one whom I can imagine Sonny splitting a series with.

 

Are we to assume Liston is past prime at the end? Or in prime?

* Riddick Bowe from 1996 - good fight, Bowe is past his best, I'd guess Liston is still prime, Liston's jab gives Bowe problems but his lack of movement gives us a tear up. It could go either way but I'd take Liston due to Bowe's lack of conditioning

* Lennox Lewis from 1997 - Lewis is a bigger Liston in some ways

* Tim Witherspoon from 1998 - Liston wrecks this version

* Mike Tyson from 2000 - I'd expect Tyson to win the early rounds and Liston to start picking him apart after that for a stoppage around 8

* Chris Byrd from 2004 - Liston KO mid-rounds

* John Ruiz from 2004 - Liston KO, better jab and the power Ruiz couldn't handle

* Lamon Brewster from 2005 - Liston UD - Brewster wasn't too hard to outbox but was strong as an ox and very durable, although he may stop Brewster

Not unless he's past it, Byrd goes to the ropes too much and let's big men come inside, see what happened against Ibeabuchi, even shot 1 armed Holyfield kept him on the ropes for periods. Going to the ropes against Liston is a bad strategy

 

Imagine Jimmy Young..harder to hit than Byrd, and with a much better chin than Byrd..bedeviling Liston. Young would have decisioned him in much the same way he did Foreman. I know this is off topic, but so what.

 

Jimmy Young > Chuck Norris :good

 

this...

 

Liston doesn't get by Bowe or Lewis. Tyson would be interesting, as would Byrd and Brewster. Being generous, Liston might get 2 W's out of the 3.

Clear favorite over old 'Spoon and Ruiz.

That's assuming no Frankie Carbo influence one way or the other.

 

i would favor him against everyone on that list.

lewis would be the hardest fight,they are similair,but i pick sonny cause i believe his chin was better and that he was tougher than lenny.

i think he would have iced this versions of bowe and tyson

 

liston doesnt' get by bowe???this bowe who got his ears boxed off by golota?liston beats him even worse