Liston could have beaten all those before his time?

on the face of it Liston has some great attributes. He was a great fighter in 1960, but I don’t think he was truly able to maintain the edge of that year much further (even if he scored his best wins after it) because between December 1961 and feb 1964 Sonny did less than 9 minuets of fighting.

Before this point the wins Liston scored were not really that special. The guys he beat in 1958 and 1959 were really the guys all the good fighters could beat and were beating. bert whithurst, Howard king and Ernie cab results were not remotely remarkable at all. Ben wise was coming off a one round knockout loss to bob Satterfeild and lasted four times longer against Sonny. Other guys stopped Dejohn and Howard King quicker. Nino Valdes was finished.

Three good results in 1960 stand out. Also an earlier win over Wayne Bethea was impressive. It’s four or five really ATG performances among 19 bouts. There are 14 results not that super because lesser fighters either matched or bettered those results.

So the best champions (on their best night) who all came before Sonny have a real chance against 1958 Sonny 1959 Sonny and 1961 Sonny because there was nothing extra special in those years really. There is really quite a lot of scope for champions (on their best night) like Ingo, Charles, Walcott, Max Baer, Jack Sharkey, Max Schmeling, Tunney and Jack Johnson. all deserving 50-50 chance of turning Sonny over the night Sonny fought Ernie Cab or Bert Whithurst, willie Besmanoff or Howard King. Maybe Sonny might lose to as much as a third of those guys?

Dempsey, Marciano and Louis I would always favour over the best Sonny Liston as a matter of principle anyway. Perhaps Jim Jeffries too.

I favour any post 1958 version of Sonny to beat Willard, Carnera, Braddock, Burns, Marvin Hart, Corbett, Fitzsimmons. Liston would destroy all of those guys.

 

I would rate Liston no less than even odds against everyone before him. I wouldn't bet against Louis and Johnson though....

 

Jeffries, Johnson, Dempsey, Tunney, Louis, Marciano, Walcott should be favored

 

Extremely logical.

 

LOL! I could imagine mate.

 

I never thought that highly of Liston tbh. I think on his best night he has a chance against everyone but I think he also could lose to the likes of Charles, Walcott, Schmeling, Sharkey or Tunney on their best night or to Louis and Johnson on one of their average nights.