Larry Holmes vs Sonny Liston

A lot of people here are bringing up the Ali fights. How bout we actually talk about fights that happened even somewhat close to liston's prime??


I like Liston here. Larry had a very bad flaw of trying to brawl his way out of trouble. When Liston gets holmes into trouble, if larry tries to brawl with him..he will get knocked out. I also think Liston's phemominal jab is going to offset larry's and throw larry completely out of his game..I also like Liston's right hand getting through as larry got hit with big right hands throughout his career. Larry would have his moments with his fast straight punches, but Liston would eventually find holmes and finish him off. It takes an ATG finisher like liston to do the trick though.

Sonny Liston TKO 7 Larry Holmes

 

I think he mentioned the part 6 thing because the middle rounds (which Part 6 is) were Norton's best rounds, and the Ali-William's fight is arguably Ali's best performance.

I think the Holmes-Cooney fight would be better to show, Larry was 100% that night.

 

Yes.

 

I like Holmes here.Better jab,better ring general.I feel he would outbox Sonny and win a UD.

 

I fancy Liston here.

When Liston was hungry he was a patient fighter and a superb ring general. He would walk Holmes down and work away at him to break him down, and I don't think that Holmes would be quite mobile enough to stay away from him.

Trading jabs with Liston is not necesarily going to serve Holmses interests, because that is going to get him into a tradeoff where he is racking up more points but taking by far the worse damage. That kind of trade rapidly results in a turn of fortune for the worse to the fighter racking up more points.

 

Or is he????????????????????????????/

 

Not really, it got tiresome especially with you connecting things that weren't there. Like saying I didn't know the difference between chin and durability when I clearly did. And besides just slating my analysis without really going on to make a substantial one of your own. New thread, new match-up. Holmes vs Liston.

*Edit*

How the hell is Part 6 round 4? That was my mistake. I figured Part 6 would be like round 12.

The freshness, movement, and speed of someone at the end of a war isn't a good representation when comparing Ali early on against a shot Williams. I don't need to see it to know that.

 

Because he was washed up when he fought Ali? He was coming right off what were arguably his two best ever performances.

When did he do this?

But Holmes' jab won't do the same to the much less versatile and mobile Liston?

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I agree with this, well said janitor. :good

 

NO one said he was washed up. But it's quite clear he was far past his prime. He boxed a total of just 7 rounds in the past 3 years. He was rusted to ****. He was also aging physically, became a party animal once he won the belt, noticeably quite slower in movement/reflexes/speed than in the late 50s. Still a dangerous puncher and great fighter, but no longer prime. I would say his prime ended the day he won the title. But his very best was around 1959. An aging fighter like Liston was tailor made for Ali in 64. A 1959 Sonny Liston is a different Animal. I would have loved to have seen Ali fight that guy.

 

Spoon, Weaver, Norton, etc etc.

 

I'm going to be honest, I think Liston has the better jab.
Liston's jab is heavier, has more snap, and he has a longer reach so it gets to holmes before his jab should go to Liston.
True, Holmes's Jab is faster and is thrown more, but since they both will be exchanging jabs, Holmes will be the one taking the damage.
I think Liston takes a split descision, but its quite possible Holmes gets hurt early by an over right hand, he was always vulnerable to that punch. Considering Prime Liston was a great finisher, Holmes might not make it early. But I would think he takes a split descision