Larry Holmes vs Sonny Liston

Holmes.

 

Holmes would out-jab him, and that would be the end of it.

 

Yes. Holmes is three inches down in reach, but he's three inches up in height. My reasoning was that Liston's boxing ability (as opposed to slugging ability) is based almost entirely around his jab, and once he can't land it more than the opponent he's pretty much stuffed. Since Holmes has a better jab - IMO faster, more versatile in terms of being able to double and treble, and propped up by Holmes' vastly superior foot-work when compared with Liston's plodding approach which often led him to fall in after the jab - I see him neutralising Liston pretty comprehensively.

 

I have some doubts about Listons reach. In the old days reach was measured fingertip to fingertip (Wingspan), and because of Listons enormous broad shoulders he had a huge wingspan. I an not sure that his arms reach are so long as people often quote it to be.

Woller

But otherwise, I see Holmes outjabbing Liston to a decision victory.

 

i had doubts about liston's reach,but watching recently his matches with cleveland williams i realized he really did have very long arms.williams is listed with 80"reach,and liston clearly has longer arms,plus he had broad shooulder and very big hands and long fingers
anyway i'll take holmes decision.great chin,better and faster jab.liston didn't know how to cut off the ring effectively

 

ali was out-reached even more than holmes,yet he outjabbed liston.
holmes had maybe the best jab in hw boxing ever

 

I like Holmes.

 

I would take Liston,on the fact of a harder jab.Unless holmes can establish himself as the agressor,he does not do well,his footwork is not that outstanding.

 

Holmes is the one with the dodgy footwork here?

 

Is there really that much in it?