Liston vs Foreman feared punchers

I slightly favor Foreman here.
Liston was the better boxer but I think they would brawl it out and when I think about Foreman's brute power against Frazier, Roman and Norton + age advantage... but I wouldn't bet a nickel on.

 

Liston was the only man to ever push Foreman back and force him to fight on the backfoot, they had some great battles in sparring.

I would edge a prime Sonny Liston by a late TKO after a great back and forth fight. He was an absolute monster in his prime.

 

Liston takes this for me. Too educated, too mean, a cultured banger with a fantastic jab, I think he'd bust young George up and stop him in the championship rounds, so, after 12 hard competitive ones. Old George though, old George v Sonny is a distance pick em for me, but I'd edge Liston on points.

 

Foreman never really reached his prime, though. Sonny was a more refined boxer, but Foreman was a durable tank. The best version of Foreman (Norton fight) vs. Sonny's prime ...I think it's 50/50

 

Liston might have had the better skill, but I think Foreman had the better chin and heart. In a war, as it would have been, I lean towards Foreman pulling out the victory by KO.

 

58-62 Liston vs 72-74 Foreman would be a clash for the ages. Two savage territorial grizzlies slugging it out.

It would depend on who controls the pace. If Liston can keep pumping his jab keeping Foreman at the end of it, invests in body shots, and keeps his guard up, he can wear Big George down over time and probably gets a stoppage or KO eventually due to his superior technique and stamina.

However, Foreman could disrupt Liston's rhythm by parrying Liston's jab and landing his own very strong jab. Foreman had underrated footwork and has faster feet than Liston. He showed in the Chuvalo and Norton fights that he could keep an opponent on the back foot stalking them behind the jab, and Liston couldn't fight backing up. However, neither of these guys have it in then to keep things civil going for a clean decision win. I think at some point, inevitably, someone lands something big and they have a slug fest ring center.

Given Foreman's advantages in height, raw power, and heart, he could pull of a win the uglier and rougher the fight gets. And I would slightly favor him to do so. Both guys would be badly hurt and dropped at some point.

 

I would just about vote for Liston in this dream fight.These two warriors had the heaviest hands in heavyweight history but Sonny was the more skilful boxer.

Yet another fight that I wouldn't bet a cent on the result !

This is my favourite mythical fight.

 

What a war this could turn into.
Battle of the bangers.

 

Draw. Liston quites in his corner after the first round and Foreman collapses from exhaustion as per ESB lore

 

This turns into a give one take one fight early on. If there was ever a coin flip war, this is it

 

I think George Foreman pulls this out. George hit harder and had more heart, in my book. It would have been a great slugfest to watch for as long as it lasted. Both could have tasted canvas.

 

I wouldn't bet a dime on Liston.

 

Yes Foreman was a teenager and Liston was a former HW champion… it’s highly, highly likely if Foreman was in there with James Toney, John Ruiz or Dwight Qawi they’d have “backed him up” too, it’s not a feat to take into account IMO it’s a star struck kid bigging up his hero.

 

I think George is too wilful for Liston, Liston wasn’t a gutsy guy, Leotis Martin intimidated him IMO and he quit against Ali he was a more obvious “front runner” then Tyson is made out to be (“but he “hung tough” against a LHW who he should’ve beaten easily in his prime doe”) Williams who wasn’t as good or durable by SL’s account almost had him out… I think once he realises George won’t stop coming at him he’ll start looking for a way out, George wasn’t my favourite sort of fighter but he’s a foil for Liston he’s willful, durable, bigger and debatably more skilled I suspect a KO4-5 or a mercy stoppage, George also could be rocked here, Lyle almost took him out and Liston was better then Lyle it’s just I think Lyle was a bit fiercer, more aggressive he went straight into the fire and tried to maul George it’s not really Liston’s style to do that.