sorry heavy_handss the truth hurts ik how much you hate liston but he did hit harder than tyson. liston had a better chin because he was not knocked out as much as tyson or down. You mention Tyson and immediately hundreds of little Tyson fanatics come rushing out waving their excuses around. "It's Don King's fault, it's Desiree Washington's fault, it's his wife's fault, it's Buster's fault, it's your fault, it's god's fault for taking cus" IT'S MIKE'S FAULT GET OVER IT. Liston was one of over 20 siblings and ran away from home when he was a kid and you're telling me Tyson had a tough upbringing?? What, someone killed one of his pigeons? Liston was hounded by police and under threats from the mob all his life. Tyson was 23 turning 24 when he was soundly whipped by THE GREAT Buster Douglas. Who went on to beat...oh yeah, Douglas was a journeyman! Liston was an old man in comparison and could've gone unbeaten for a long time if he hadn't run into a prime Muhammad Ali. So for a start, when making a fantasy Tyson matchup, you must first ignore all the fanboys who's memroy doesn't go back further than 1985. AZZER85. The matchup. Liston was one of history's very meanest fighters, and when somebody stood up to Tyson he didn't react well, Tyson would be quivering in his boots under the dark glare of Liston. Liston's a hard man to judge because he was at his prime before he took the title from Patterson. He was ducked for so long he had aged by the time he was champ. Now we know Liston had the strongest jab in heavyweight boxing, this along with his all around strength and toughness is enough for him to take Tyson into the mid to late rounds. We all know that's a key in beating Tyson. I think Liston would stand up to Tyson and keep him at bay with the powerful jab, both of them having scares and tasting leather early on. However after afew rounds Tyson fades and gets worn down, Liston goes in and KO's him. and if Cus was alive Tyson would still get beaten. and if he hadn't married Robin Givens Tyson would still get beaten. Liston was bigger and stronger than Tyson.
Tysons skill at Slipping the Jab and coming inside on Boxers was excellent, However Slipping Listons jab and coming inside perhaps would not yield the same results that slipping the jabs of others Tyson met like Tubbs, Thomas or Biggs ect did. Liston would probably prey for an inside fight, OK give him a few extra inches punching room... Often Mike did not keep working when up very close. (As a Frazier Would) and with his feet close together could be pushed back, if you were bold and refused to be intimidated, as Holyfield later showed, Very few had the fortitude, Ability..and General predatory nastiness to come for him... Liston Does... Some may not have complete faith in either to Gut it out if things start to go against them to any degree, Both were expert finishers with wounded prey, but its when those first Mental cracks start to appear, the realisation that they are in with someone who can seriously hurt them that things may start to get really interesting... and ones ascendancy...and correspondingly ones fold might prove quite sudden. Unlike against other Boxers who they will, all being well, belive that they can ultimately catch up to and despatch, both would recognise the other as a Heavy-Density Predator who does not let wounded prey off the Hook...But destroys it in quick Order... Sometimes when Tyson felt threatened he seemed to up the Trash Talk, But would he tell Liston he was going to make him his Girlfriend..? or invite down to the Basement for a Last Man Standing...Somehow i doubt it... I think they both spoke the Language of Intimidation, Liston did not have to result to threatening to rip out hearts or eat his opponents babies... With Sonny a Baleful stare was usually enough, and of course Commissions can not fine you for pointed silences .. No, this one would have to be won through Deed, Or course Tyson might implode and commit some foul if things start to go against him...but i think that he would also know that should he try to take a chunk out of Sonnys ear.... Sonny will probably not be held back by a Ref jumping between .. The Younger Follower i suspect would favour the more Accessible Tyson, He of the Highlight Reel Ko sequences...The Older follower the Less Media Friendly Liston, I think the Bookies would also side with Tyson, in which case i for one would favour an Upset.... Both were Sprinters, Great On Top fighters, but with Liston having the Ability to Endure, If Tyson does not make a Big Impression on Liston in the first half of the fight....Whilst being forced back and shipping a few heavy shots, ...the Pebbles before the Landslide perhaps...does he start to trudge back to his (shambolic ?) corner...to be greeted with a man with a Water-Filled Condom...? It may start out untidy..with much Mauling as Tyson gets inside, but finds he cant Bully his man once there...each fighters Bomb runs might be sporadic and short lived initially, but as things settle down..i can see Listons Heavy jab becoming the Match winner, he is not as quick as Mike..but once he starts to time him..it will give him that extra punching room he needs, with Mike perhaps becoming more hesitant and respectful of whats waiting for him inside... of course the secret to beating Tyson is not to wait...to initiate, do not seek to respond.. but put Static in his Attic with the Jab ... Stopping his Attack Programming Running...then Switch Channels on him... and Junk Him.. Tyson would soon be looking ill at ease i suspect, Looking at the Ref for Deemed infringements, the reason i feel this could of happened..? because even at his accredited best, against Mike Spinks, many only looked at Tysons performance, they did not care to acknowledge that the Frozen Spinks that night was absolutely no Barometer to greatness, Tyson had had things so much his own way in his career to that point, but he was a ManChild psychologically,I can not help but wonder how he would react with Nasty Liston Payloads Incoming..? If we are pitting a 22-24year old Tyson against a 27-29 year old Liston or indeed say the Spinks Tyson, against the Pre-Championship (Circa Cleve Williams) Liston i really do think that Sonny would keep any embryonic mind demons of his own in check, and when the Mushroom Cloud Clears.... The ManChild is Vanquished...Ill Plumb for the Stoney-Faced One. Perhaps Mid-Fight.
