I used to think Sonny Liston would beat Riddick Bowe: Now Im Not so Sure

Liston was a decent combination puncher and his workrate was solid. He put consistent pressure on his opponents and worked the jab well. His defense was pretty good as well. He was no Gene Tunney by any means but he had quite good head and waist movement and solid parrying skills.

What seals the deal for me here is that the fight is bound to end up a shoot-out eventually, and that's Listons domain. Liston got his chin tested by a prime Cleveland Williams, who for all his shortcomings certainly packed a wallop. I don't think Bowe hit much harder than Williams, if at all. Bowe on the other hand could take a punch well and had the heart of a lion, but he was a far cry short of a Chuvalo or Mercer. Lots of guys shook him up. I think their chins are comparable, but their power certainly isn't.

Bowe had the usual "big man" power and was a heavy-handed guy, but a grinder first and foremost. Liston on the other hand could deliver devastating one-shot blows with both hands. He had beautiful timing and quite underrated handspeed on top of his sheer power. His left hook is the stuff of legends around here, but his right hand was nothing to scoff at either; watch his KO of Wayne Bethea if you don't believe me!

Once the fight goes from a boxing match to a full-blown mano a mano, and that whip-like left hook sneaks in under Bowes wild, looping right hands, it'd be like a kiss goodnight for Riddick.