Liston vs 1974 Ali.

Liston UD

George Foreman 74 has nothing to do with Sonny Liston at all except
Power. Sonny Liston is way more technical than Foreman ever was.

I would bet annything on Liston here , he is maybe the most
Skillfull Boxer / Puncher hybrid in Heavyweight History.

He would Win on Points against Jimmy Young /late TKO and Knocked out Lyle
without getting hit and going down like Foreman because Liston has also
better Defence and dont Wasted his Punches in wild actions.

 

Liston was among the more predictable hwt champions. Jab, straight right, left hook. Jab straight right left hook. Very little innovation going on there. Foreman was a true gorse of nature in the right. VERY FEW past hwt champions would have beaten the Foreman who fought Ali in 74. Great physical presence, all time jab, best at cutting the ring, physically among the strongest, probably boxing history's most devestating puncher. Add to this the all time will to win, chin and heart no amount of training can buy. Liston did not rate with Ali or Foreman in terms of these intangibles and is a major reason he is not rated near Ali or Foreman all time.

 

That's "Foreman was a true force of nature in the ring". Hate spell check!

 

More that Liston vs Ali 1974, I wonder about Liston vs Ali (1964-1965).
I wonder who would have won a legitimate fight.

 

I believe both fights were legit. No question about fight 1.

Fight 2 evidence points to Liston getting hit with a snapping punch he never saw coming. Similar blows knocked out other Ali opponents during that time period. Several observations......it appears that Liston staggers to his right a minute or so after the fight was stopped as people are entering the ring. Secondly Listons legs appear to spasm as he lay on the canvas. Finally Listons trainer stated that after the bout in his dressing room Liston asked for smelling salts. He stated that Liston never before had asked for smelling salts. Many at ringside felt it was a legit ko. In fact if you read SI account of the bout they say at ringside there was not much controversy by the experts that were watching the bout. Patterson, Torres, Damato all felt a KO blow had landed.

 

There was a lot of controversy.
Marciano, Tunney and Chuvalo, were at ringside and said it was fake.
Tunney lobbied to withhold the purses of both fighters.
Dempsey watched a tape the next day and said it was fake.

 

I think Ali would have always beaten liston .

 

Did not say there was not controversy. Read the SI article written by a person who was sitting at ringside.

 

when you're fighting and you land a ko punch, you know it, and Ali knew he hadn't.
Which is why he was telling Liston to get up.

 

I do too.

 

Evidence points to the contrary.

 

Check the film again.
Liston went down with an arm extended downward to break the fall.
An unconscious man does not do that.

 

I've watched the film since 1972.

Most experts at Ringside did not see a controversy. Read SI article the week after the bout took place. An in depth frame by frame ****ysis of the film of that fight was completed looking at sports controversies in the 20th century. They came to the same conclusion... Liston was koed by a punch he never saw.

 

Fake fight, and people were on to the possibility in the first place. That is why it took place in like the 19th largest town in Maine and not a normal venue.