Yeah, I love Ali and think it is fair to have him as a favourite in most match ups, but for some reason Louis doesnt get the same treatment.
Well the issue would be you haven't seen the complete fight so you are relying on the opinion of anonymous sports writers,and by the way many of them voted for Louis in a ringside poll.
Some people mix-up footwork with hand speed here a bit. Liston had problems with stick and move , not hand speed and particularly Boxers who stand in front of Liston. I think Louis was easier to hit than a patterson with his bobbing and weaving + the hand speed of Patterson was maybe the best ever in his weight class. But he gets destroyed. Ali use his good reach + stick and move style + the best Footwork in Heavyweight history + very fast hands + Liston was a Boxer who never been so good in Cut off the ring. And all these things in a package neither of Louis , Frazier , Tyson , Dempsey....can do this. Holmes maybe or a guy like Eddie Machen , Jack Johnson. So Boxers like Louis must expect to get hit with very hard punches and heavy jabs from long range against an opponent who also was a very good infighter. Liston by KO in Round 4-5
? Much can be seen on youtube. I agree with the majority. The Chorus off Boos from the crowd tells it all.
Theres only 3 HW boxers in history that I would pick to have a good chance of surviving and possibly beating a PRIME Liston . Ali Holmes Joe Louis . Every other HW comes up short .