Is there any scenario in which Patterson beats any prime version of Liston?

No, don't think so.

 

There’s not even a scenario where Floyd gets out of the first round vs. prime Sonny imo.

However, were they to be matched for a third fight around the end of Liston’s life (say at the time of the Martin or Wepner fights), I think Floyd MIGHT be able to take him. Physically, I’d favor him — this version of Floyd is better than this degraded, perhaps mostly disinterested version of Sonny — but mentally it’s hard to know if Patterson was just going to fold by the mere name of Liston or staring at him across the ring before the bell and having flashbacks/PTSD.

 

Liston had Floyd's number, nothing to cure it. Patterson and his style could never beat Liston and his style imo.

 

Sonny breaks his ankle.

 

A fascinating thought: Patterson and Liston meet for a third time in 1970. I think it would last more than one round and that in itself would be a moral victory for Floyd. Patterson would have a chance to win if Liston entered the ring as fat and slow as he looked against Wepner. Not hard to imagine more than a few fighters -- Ellis, Chuvalo, Quarry, Foreman, Frazier -- beating that Sonny.

 

Nein

 

No. His only hope is for Liston to walk into a punch like the one that knocked out Ingo in their second fight.

 

Patterson lands the luckiest gazelle hook of all time, right on the chin or temple

 

Just about possible that he could have outlasted him.

Remember that Paterson defeated Oscar Bonavena, after Liston lost to Leotis Martin.

Obviously that voids the prime part.

 

I would still favour a one ankled Liston....

 

It is, besides the fact that we can’t go back in time, basically a theoretical impossibility as far as I’m concerned.

I cannot imagine a promoter putting up his money banking on people buying tickets or tuning in to see a third match between participants who had already fought twice with both ending the same way with first-round KOs.

While people like us are intrigued, in the real world at the time there wouldn’t be a lot of people who would care enough because they’d expect a first-round Liston KO again (and to what end) or dismiss them both as past their sell-by dates (Floyd had a remarkable ‘second career’ but I don’t think at the time people were excited thinking he’d discovered a fountain of youth).

 

If Floyd just went in and fought him rather than thinking about it then yes ! Easier said than done. I know to my cost.

 

Maybe with a hammer... otherwise No.

 

For a world class boxer to stop another world class boxer twice... Each time in the 1st rd , I'd say "no" no version of Patterson beats prime Sonny Liston.
Not without a Smith&Wesson 357 Magnum.
But I'd have the same chance as Patterson with that weapon against Liston, probably better because I'm probably a better shooter lol.