Liston and Frazier in the WBA Elimination Tournament. What would have happened?

It was all about timing and individual decisions among other things.
As previous posters have said, Frazier and Chuvalo were out as they were set to fight for that version of the title.
Sonny was 'ranked' but his comeback, at that point, were those Sweden fights so it didn't surprise us at the time that he was left out.
Leotis (help me here, I think was a last minute entry when (someone) dropped out.)
Always thought Martin was a slick boxer/puncher who could hang with most. If you watched the tourney fight with Ellis, it amazed us that he, uncharacteristically, went to the body so much? He was actually starting to come on before the stoppage in that one.
Don't discount Ellis! He decked Oscar twice after the Martin fight and came out the rightful 'champ' after the tourney despite he and Quarry's 'bore-fest' in the final.
Spencer? I've often wondered why Cooper never played into the tourney mix? I've mentioned this before but do you realize that Thad, after being stopped by Quarry, went 0-7-1 after that before retiring?
Didn't really answer the post, just wanted to give a little insight into the tourney at that time which had us all excited when it was announced.

 

Martin hyped to fight Frazier next, coming off his smashing KO over Liston. Liston was out like a light for a minute. For those who have no seen the KO, you must.

But Martin had an eye problem and had to retire. Two Philly fighters would have made for a great fight.

 

Would the fact that Frazier absolutely destroyed the two finalists in the WBA tournament also be considered "blemishes"?



And as for Liston, some of you might not be aware of what an outcast, personna non grata that Liston was on the heavyweight scene after the two debacles against Ali.

Why in the hell would Frazier and his camp want to get involved in a match with a questionable character like Liston?

There was little to gain and much to lose fighting Liston.

 

I agree. At the same time Sonny Liston did get his chance to fight a top 10 guy in Martin and he got blasted out. Had he won they probably would of fought him.

 

Liston time had past by 1968. He may have beaten some of the hwts in that tournament but he would have been worn down and stopped by Frazier.

 

Frazier wins the tournament. Liston loses to someone along the way. At that point it might have been anybody

 

Frazier matched up extremely well vs smaller boxer types. We all know that.

But the WBA tourney had some guys who can bang and Frazier would have to go through them to reach the finals. He opted out of the biggest thing in boxing at the time, hence the blemish.

 

Great comments by all the above posters !!! Good research.

 

Liston beat 180 glass chin Patterson and slow as molasses glass chin Cleveland Williams and that is it. The way this guy is built up is hilarious to me. Liston bullied small guys who were afraid of him. Joe was shorter but weighed the same many pounds. Joe wouldn't be afraid of Liston and would batter him around the ring before TKO'ing him.

 

Martin's eye problem was attributed to Liston's jab. Martin took a lot of punishment in that fight, before k.o.ing "Old Liston" with that right hand shot.

 

Well many think Liston hit harder than Foreman, and his skills were better. We all saw what Foreman did to Frazier. Liston would do the same.

Foreman himself who sparred with Liston admitted been bothered that his punches didn't seem to phase him.

 

Young Foreman said Old Liston was the only fighter who could back George up. And Frazier going backwards....you draw your own conclusion.

 

Did young Foreman say that or was it old George decades later, reminiscing about the past? Sometimes I don't whether to believe half the things the older self deprecating and highly complementary George says.

 

Will have to research archives when the quote was. George has quotes from 1968 to 2017...and you can only what he said at that particular moment. LOL

 

In his prime maybe. The version of Liston in the late 60s would probably be worn down by Joe and eventually stopped.