Liston vs. Smokin Joe ???

I like Sonny inside of 5 rounds. Bad match up for Frazier.

 

Could Liston fight backing up? Joe would back him up. I think Frazier gets a little underrated and Liston gets a little overrated. I think Sonny's looking to get some linament on his glove or hurts his shoulder in the middle rounds when Joe starts smokin. Frazier tko 9.

 

Sonny is underrated if anything. Sonny backed up George Foreman in sparring and turned him into a boxer. You think he can't stand in front of FRAZIER?

Frazier/Foreman all over again.

 

I like Smokin' Joe. Liston will not overwhelm him in Round 1 and, for there on out, it's a war. And Frazier excelled at war; Liston proved less than stellar at it.

Frazier could efficiently see and duck Liston's long jab and come up and around with his own slashing punishment. Liston would not fold, a beast that could dish out crushing blows with both hands at close quarters, where he would find a foe ready, willing and able to meet him bomb for bomb.

What in Liston's history gives reason to believe he could take thunder for 3 or 4 rounds and remain on top of his game and opponent to victory? This is a dynamite puncher with heart and skill who here faces a man every bit his equal in the latter (albeit in a shorter man's style) and his clear superior in the former. I don't see why Frazier should be readily dismissed here at all.

The Executioner is a fair measuring stick only. What he did, Frazier could perfectly duplicate, and Joe is not going out after a couple of rounds. Can Liston hold together, Fight-of-the-Century style, no matter what? No. Can he bomb out Frazier? I sincerely don't see it. His blows were not swift nor accurate enough to destroy Frazier and he lacked the uppercut.

Thus, I see Frazier breaking Liston down sometime after the 8th round.

 

Although I think you're under rating Liston this is a great point. Foreman had a monster uppercut which caught Joe coming in, Liston although a better fighter than Foreman imo, didn't have Foremans uppercut.

This would be an interesting fight.

 

idk about that liston had one of the best uppercuts ever, look what his uppercut did to ATG swarmer floyd patterson?

 

People like to put a lot of stock in some sparring session when Foreman was 19 or 20. That's a kid. Gold Medalist, but still a kid. I don't.
No, I don't think he could stand in front of FRAZIER. JOE FRAZIER. Great, underrated fighter. The one who beat Muhammed Ali. Who'd Liston beat? Patterson, Cleveland Williams? Bert Whitehurst?

 

Frazier was quicker all-around, better defense, and a better two fisted attack. Plus, Liston is a quitter.

IMO, Frazier stops him within 9.

 

Damn man, I just made the exact same prediction as you, and I didn't even read your post.

 

Frazier had a better two-fisted attack? I don't think so. Sonny had a killer right and left, Frazier mostly relied on his left.

 

I don't agree. Liston's right hand was mostly a clubbing punch IMO. I feel his fight with Machen exposed him somewhat as a one-handed fighter.

More than that, Frazier's hands were quicker and he threw better and more fluid combinations.

 

I've always thought this another terrible match for Frazier. As bad as it gets for him. Sonny inside 5.