Leotis Martin vs Sonny Liston ABC’s Wide World of Sports 1969 (1080p 60fps)

Liston might be the last heavyweight champion whose career is not almost entirely on video? A lot of people say that Liston's best years might have been the late 50s and I don't think a lot of that is available on video? The Liston who fought Martin looks old in body and movement, slow, and maybe not well trained. I thought that he bit on feints from Martin with exaggerated movement, in other words he moved a foot when a well trained fighter would only move a fraction to avoid the punch.

Anyway, I haven't seen much of Liston from the 50s, by the 60s he was cruising, knocking out Patterson and losing to Ali, fighting few rounds until he came back after the Ali fights, fighting in out of the way places mostly. Against Martin, his body looked old. While I didn't see much of Liston at his supposed best, I wouldn't hold his performance against Martin against him anymore than I would hold Hearns performance against Uriah Grant or Quarry's performance against Cranmer. Liston might have only been 37 or 39, but his was an old 37 or 39.

I don't think things would have ended well for Liston if he had fought Frazier instead of Martin, in fact I think he would have lost a one sided fight with Ellis too at that time. From watching this one, Liston did not look ready for that level of fighter.