Basically ,you have answered your own question,Layne was a tough man who could hit, but his defence had holes in it.Liston's jab would land often and his follow up punches ,especially his hook would eventually slow Rex to a walk,painful tko around the 8th,imo.
Ingo Johansson watching Liston on film commented that if an opponent was aggressive and got off first, Liston was far less effective than his awesome performances against a tentative opponent. Layne would probably be aggressive and get off first, so he might do considerably better than expected, but I don't see any way that Layne actually wins. Liston wears him out for a late knockout or a bloodbath stoppage. Still, Layne's victories over Walcott and Charles have to give one pause. Liston is better than those two, but Layne has to be given a long shot chance for an upset.
interesting Old Fog. let me just put it out there that if ingo ever got the guts to meet liston in the ring(which he never did) you can bet him and his strategy wouldnt last one round vs liston. As for Layne, If layne comes out aggresive...it will be another repeat of cleveland williams massacre, except far worse.
"As for Layne, if Layne comes out aggressive" Fighting passively isn't going to give Layne much of a chance, either, as Patterson found out. Layne would obviously almost be an out underdog, but if Liston fights as poorly as he did against say, Willi Besmanoff, Layne might be able to make a real fight of it. As for Johansson, you just have it in for poor Ingo. But I think he might have had a better chance with his big right than you give him credit for. By the way, Liston didn't seem any too anxious to get into the ring with Ingo in 1961 or 1962 either, preferring to sit on his #1 ranking.
you dont think layne could hit hard? he did beat near prime versions of charles and walcott, so he is capable of pulling off upsets against great fighters.
Layne can defintley be competitive. I think his best bet is too attack listons body and do quick flurries in close before moving out of range, and use his underated jab alot more frequently. maybe throw liston off a bit. if he just goes balls in slugging away, he gets knocked out. I do think layne has the power to hurt liston. laynes durability and heart will go along way here, layne has a very good chin but he needs to take some big liston bombs and keep on coming to make sonny think hes crazy(liston once said the only people who ever scared him were crazy people)..doing this draws the fight to the latter rounds. layne needs to stay away from inside, even if it means clinching alot(both very strong fighters)....on the outside layne needs to throw his jab when liston does to disrupt the timing...hes got a outsiders chance, but ive seen stanger things happen!
Those who stood and traded with Liston did not last long. Layne was a top guy in his day, but no match for Liston. I think Liston wins here inside of four rounds. Ingo's manager had a saying. Is we see Liston walking down the street, we go the other way. Liston, when matched vs a smaller opponent pretty much had his way right after the stare down. I don't fancy Layne as quick or defensive enough to last long here.
If not for Marciano, Layne wins title, and winds up being discussed in "best champ" conversations. He was not same after Marciano fight, and became an inconsistant shell of self. Also was rushed back too fast. He beat Walcott, was undefeated, had wins over top contenders, and had very hard right hand, and was durable, with awkward style at times. It would be good match to see. If Liston had not taken those two dives against Ali--and yes, two, that first was a dive--we would have better idea of him as champ.
It takes a special fighter imo to comeback from a beating like the one Marciano gave to Layne. Layne was not one of em. sure he was a good fighter before the Marciano beat down. But Joe Louis, Jack Johnson, even Rocky Marciano himself(Walcott Charles) Jim Jeff, Bob Fitz, Micky Walker, Harry Greb, Gene Tunney. Ok the list goes on. But they all got beating some were. And they recover and did great things. Layne didnt.
