Liston vs Lewises resume

Liston was very consistent until the belt went around his waist, and then he unraveled overnight.

You need to give some thought about how that dynamic might play into this.

 

Why? The thread specifies 1958-61.

 

When does Liston feel that he has reached his personal summit?

When he picks up the WBC strap?

When he becomes lineal by beating Briggs?

Perhaps not until he becomes undisputed against Holyfield.

My point is that when he does, he will become his own worst enemy.

Lewis could become complacent when he was on top, but he was never all that complacent.

 

I don’t know, but since he never did in the specified timeframe, why would I act as if he does going through these guys?

 

Because it is a possible scenario.

I will of course be bound by whatever assumptions are dictated by the author of the OP.

 

Yes, quite easy I'd say.

 

Liston KO's that Holyfield.

 

Similar to how Lennox Lewis picked up losses lifestyle and circumstance might get him. Fighters trainers or the opponents themselves might see something to exploit in Liston that they didn’t with Lennox, looking at Holy here. Sonny is also about the size of Evander Holyfield but slower, chubbier, with a one track straight ahead style suited to his usual advantages these he would not have here.
Sonny is better then these guys as a boxer but a fair few of them would make him look tiny it’s very likely one or two of them would just overpower him in the kind of fight Liston liked to bring, the physical gulf here is very prominent and Liston had a very physicality dependent style.
He doesn’t have the advantages a smaller boxer usually has, elusiveness, speed or good legs.

 

Sonny never beat someone even as good as that Holyfield. Not one opponent - no one that crafty, durable or strong. I’d say it’s a close bout.

 

Sonny beats them all easier than Lewisl

 

Is that based on Lewis sleepwalking behind his jab all night? Liston wouldn’t screw around like that.