Prime Louis vs 1960 Liston? Louis, because he was much faster. It would be a great fight though, ideal scientific HW brawl with everything you want from HW title fight. These two were among most skilled HWs ever.
Ik, I was just foolin'. I'm with 70sfan, Louis by SD in a patiently fought, but still tough and hard-fought scrap.
This has always been a hard one for me ,, Joe is going to be right in front of Sonny and I see them exchanging often. I think Sonny could pull an upset.
Who wants it more, imo that's what it boils down to. Both have shocking power of course, so I can see both getting dropped at least once. It's a tough choice but I'll go for the guy that proved himself time and time again. Louis by either decision or a very late ko.
Joe punches too much and has too much patience for Liston. That said, Sonny was a pretty damn great fighter and there would be some huge shots landed by him. I don't quite see Joe getting knocked down, though. Louis does his perpetual-punching-machine thing and, after taking some ugly punches early on, simply overwhelms Liston in 8 at the most.
Liston would be rough handful, make no mistake about that but Joe Louis slowly picks him apart stunning sonny by out jabbing him and hurting him throughout with counter attacking bombardments. Sonny fares about as well as Buddy Baer in their first fight.. which was very competitive. He can deck joe along the way I am sure. however, Louis isn’t missing a punch in 1940. Too sharp for Liston.
In the past I've picked Louis to lose the first fight between the two but ultimately prevail in the trilogy. But I may have to reconsider that, considering Liston has quite a few more advantages over Louis than I originally thought.
Prime Louis vs Prime Liston would be a dangerous and bloody fight for both. I pick Joe Louis by TKO mid rounds but he’d take a beating a long the way
