Liston prime beats ali

Hard to say, what we all know is Liston was well past his prime when they did fight.

 

Course he would. Another transparent scalp on Ali's disingenuous artifice of a record, washed up as he was. Liston's prime was very clearly 1951; if you check out the newspaper cuttings on him when he was an amateur at the time, you'll see it all very clearly.

 

Never.

Liston was impresive on film and in 1959-1960 he beat the best out there. 1961 liston did not fight a rated guy. Then over the next 4 years he went 2-2 in title fights (3 in one round) up until 1965. Basicly his last competative fight was 4 years before he fought Ali. He was never going to beat a great fighter when he had not had a real fight in so many years. It was like willard facing Dempsey.

His 1959-60 form was great but lack of competition meant he kind of fizzled out, its hard to judge if he could have maintained that form at the next level because he wasnt tested at that time.

 

No way Hosea!! :shock:

Big Bear Liston was probs 4 years past-prime in 1964,, But a green-as-grass Cass Clay won 6/6 Rounds And made Sonny Quit on his stool with a busted-up face!

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DC3NMsxHDLM[/ame]
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp0RdiW8-bQ[/ame]
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rx41e6eQz9o[/ame]


Foreman Hoooooooooook!:smoke

 

no.... Ali was too fast on his feet, and was simply a better boxer

Ali beats Liston every time

 

No problem m8, you can watch it now! :thumbsup

 

I don't see how. Just because Fighter A beat Fighter B in a one sided fight, where Fighter B was past his prime, DOES NOT mean that Fighter B is better. Prime Ali will always beat Sonny Liston, as great as he is. But it would be a lot closer.

 

Ali is perfect for beating Liston. So no. Hella no.

 

definitely not

 

Are we talking the Liston of Machen versus the Ali of Cleveland Williams? Although Sonny had a longer wingspan, his arms were shorter. And he wouldn't have an answer for Muhammad's speed and mobility. Ali's durability and punch resistance took a quantum leap forward from Cooper I to Liston I, as did his overall quality, as shockingly sudden an upgrade as the one Holmes suddenly produced from Arrington to Shavers I.

Sonny wasn't as aggressive cutting off the ring as Foreman was. With his reach and jab, he could easily outscore most elusive opponents from long range. No way he's trading jabs successfully with Ali through an entire match though. The faster, taller and longer armed Terrell tried it, and dropped at least 13 rounds in the process as Muhammad picked him apart. No, the best Sonny could do against late 1960s era Ali is to drop a lopsided decision, as we would have seen if their rematch slated for Boston went off as originally scheduled.

 

His two losses to ali are so out of context with his career that I sometimes wonder about it.

I don't buy the theory about him being faded considering his double destruction over the great floyd patterson.

I just have to conclude that ali really was that great.

Because liston was on fire in his run up to the fight and had always looked durable and effective.

But then other times again there's something I can't put my finger on......

 

In 1960 Liston had a great year, he landed big fights and took care of business. after two easy fights Liston gets 3 at the time rated fighters

roy harris KO1
zorra folley KO3
eddie machen PTS12

1961 sonny is reduced to just 2 undemanding fights whilst he waits for the ingo patterson thing play out.

Howard king KO3
albert westphal KO1

Both were coming off losses, both were unrated and hed already met king last year!

1962 he has one easy fight-9 months after another easy fight.

floyd patterson KO1

1963 another year with only a one round fight blow out against a reluctant opponent.

floyd patterson. KO1

So after the progress he made in 1960 he had 3 rounds of work in 3 years. Its just not enough work to stay on top of your game. Its like jess wilard against jack dempsey.