Marciano Gives His Thoughts On Liston

Looks like he was just about on the money.
Liston , in my opinion was past his best by the time he won the title.
The Patterson / Ingo sideshow wasted 2 years of what should've been Listons' reign.

 

Ideally, Ingo beats Patterson then takes on Liston. Would have been built up as a battle of the big puncher. After Liston had smashed Ingo then he d defend against Floyd.

 

I shudder to think how our very own Henry Cooper and Brian London would have fared. I don't want to think what would have been the outcome of Joe Erskine facing Liston. In all fairness, I think their handlers did well to steer clear of the man.

 

Didn't 'enry once say" "If I saw Sonny walking down the street, I'd cross over to the other side!"

 

He was a very wise man, so should have a lot of others, including Floyd Patterson. Even President Kennedy asked Floyd not to fight Sonny Liston, for fear if he lost to Liston, Sonny would be a bad example for America's youth, because of his alleged ties to the underworld.

 

I met Henry. He fully admitted his manager Jim Wicks said those things and trusted his judgment but he said as a fighter you have to fancy your own chances and “if it was down to me, I would have took it, I liked fighting bigger guys and always did well against them. Jim said no, -so I respected that - he was the manager. It was his department.” Wicks did not want Liston or Chuvalo. But Henry would have fought them. He said Frazier worried him more than the Liston style of fighter. He never could have kept that kind of fighter off him. But he liked moving around more stationary opponents. And that’s how he saw Liston and Chuvalo.

 

I completely agree, a good part of Liston's championship reign was wasted waiting for two guys who were nowhere near his level.
One of the members here mentioned champion Ingo fighting Liston...I think that was a much better time frame. Liston should have been champ at least then...in fact I could be wrong, but LL should have been one of Floyd's challengers during his first reign.

Though Liston was a bit like Tyson in many ways, including being a not-entirely-likeable bully, it really is a shame that he became champ so late. I too think he was unbeatable while Patterson and Ingo were champs.

 

That may very well be true.

however, Those two (Ingo and Floyd) might have ruined each other in that series.

Perhaps The easy wins Sonny had over Patterson might be no more of a reflection Of the levels between Sonny and the two champions than the reflection between the results registered against Machen between Ingo and prime Liston?

I think all three (sonny, Paterson and Ingo) need to have met about 1958-1960 to know for sure. And It was not possible.

Although he had been around since the early part of the decade sonny had went to prison just as he made a name for himself and had to start over. Because if this, I don’t think liston began to rank earlier than 1958. The same year Ingo had eclipsed everyone in the rankings with his sensational one round knockout of number one ranked Eddie machen. This was before Sonny had beat anyone that highly regarded.

I am not so sure it is that much of a shame, without the rematch clauses Sonny would have got a shot no earlier than 1961.

I absolutely agree here. Sonny was active, in better shape and producing his best performances during the series of rematches Floyd had.

 

Thanks for the helpful schooling my friend. I think you're right about the respective fates of Ingo and Floyd. That said, I still think Liston would have stomped either of them by the time of their matchups, and that both of those fights between them weren't fights between the two best in the world.

 

I wonder who Marciano would have picked between Tyson/Spinks??

 

I know right. I just wonder if Sonny Liston would be carried out of the ring or wheeled out of the ring....

 

I wonder what a George Foreman/Henry Cooper fight would look like???