Mike Tyson VS Sonny Liston!

Liston would find religion on the way to the ring, yeah. Especially once he realises that while a big, hulking brute in his own era, he's just another heavyweight in Tyson's.
That 'big bad ugly bear' schtick would be meaningless inside the ring and outside it too.

What does Tyson really have to fear? A guy who is his own size but an order of magnitude slower? A guy with a great jab sure, but was it any better than Biggs or Thomas' jab?
A guy with good power but more powerful than Ruddock, Smith or Bruno?
A guy the same size as Trevor Berbick?

Any way you slice it, Tyson in some form or another, has dealt with what Liston could dish out.

I honestly don't think Liston could handle what Tyson brings to the table.

 

How are you going to say Tyson wouldn''t be scared, when Tyson was literally ****ing crying at seeing Liston, and openly saying "this is one guy I can't beat."

 

You should probably refrain from posting on this thread as you have an obvious agenda and are unable to answer it rationally.

 

Well, if my 'agenda' is thinking that Tyson beats Liston, then yeah, I have an agenda.

 

Expert Opinions on this matchup: Jim Carney- Author and Boxing Expert: Tyson vs. Liston

Both are extremely strong and able to convert their strength into punching power. Tyson also has quicker than average hands, which added to his power and defensive ability. He is generally considered above Sonny in this area – Liston’s hand speed being rated average by some, above average by others. Tyson also had the edge in foot speed, though this might mean less than in other match-ups as both would basically be coming forward. A huge advantage for Liston would be his 13-inch edge in reach, whose value is enhanced by what most consider the most powerful left jab of all time. Liston would appear to have the edge in durability, though Tyson rates well here too. Many may feel that the fact that Mike hit the floor more times than Sonny relates to a weaker heart rather than a weaker chin.

Both men are suspect in the matter of heart and there are specific parallels between them in this area. Each man folded when they met a man around their own talent level at their peak – Liston with Ali and Tyson with Holyfield. They also both were total embarrassments in their rematches with their exposers – Liston futilely chasing Ali then taking a dive and Tyson being out muscled and outfought and then biting Holyfield twice before being disqualified in round three.

In other areas of this match-up, the pair is close in weight, Liston’s height advantage is not significant to Tyson (virtually all of his major opponents were at least a little taller than Sonny). Though Liston and Tyson have fought men with the same main assets (strength and punch) that they face in each other, I don’t know that Mike ever fought an oncoming fighter who combined brawn and skill with a mercilessly glacial approach like Liston. Likewise, Sonny never met a man with Mike’s hard-hitting, ferocious (and in the beginning) bobbing and weaving attack.

Tyson was probably the better schooled under Cus D’Amato and Kevin Rooney, but Liston’s trainer Willie Reddish was solid and Sonny had the benefit of training with and serving as a sparring partner for master boxer and former great heavyweight champion Ezzard Charles. Both men rate well in the skill department. However, after the deaths of D’Amato and Jimmy Jacobs and the firing of Rooney, Tyson grew notably sloppier in his ring techniques. Testimony to Liston’s skill is given by Muhammad Ali who notes that Sonny was smart in the ring. Overall, there wasn’t much difference in the quality of foes each man met and beat.

In this dream matchup, the pair begins by competing with each other to intimidate. Tyson talks of dire consequences for Sonny and gets the famous Liston stare in return. The battle is a nip and tuck smashing war from the beginning. Tyson goes low to the body and switches to uppercuts while Sonny stabs with his awesome jab, sometimes adding left hooks and occasional right crosses to the mix. The battle swings back and forth. Despite the fact that Mike’s short arms and more or less equal strength should give him an advantage in the infighting. Sonny dominates here. For some reason, all Mike usually does in close is hold on, sometimes even grabbing the other party and holding even when he is winning an exchange.

During his career, Tyson folded in a number of different circumstances, including incidences when he was being overpowered. Liston, on the other hand, usually only had trouble (and only gave in against Ali) when he was fighting men with styles confusing to him. In brawn to brawn confrontations he was always a man’s man. He flattened powerful Cleveland Williams after Williams had broken his nose at the start of one of their bouts. Zora Folley hit him 30 straight shots against the ropes – and then Sonny steamrolled him. Sonny also went through one of his three fights with Marty Marshall with a broken jaw. I don’t think Mike would fare that well in these situations. That’s the difference between the two and that’s why I pick Liston by a late round kayo.

By Moontan(Judge) Heavyweightaction.com -Expert

Very difficult match up between two of the strongest heavyweight champions in history. Both dominated their division for a brief period as thoroughly as anybody has seen. Tyson from 1986 to 1990 and Liston from 1959 to 1964. Both loss their title in two of the biggest upsets in heavyweight history. Ali was a 7 to 1 underdog to Liston while Buster Douglas had even greater odds against Tyson.

Both were tremendous fighters that intimidated their opponents and relied on it to big advantages in many of their fights. Neither fighter held must because the were constantly coming forward throwing punches. Their opponents were always holding and grabbing trying to stay upright.

The Tyson that I am comparing in this fight was the person who dominated boxing from 1986 to 1990 before he had all types of struggles with the law and did not work or train as hard. The Liston that I am ranking was the top fighter in the world from 1959 to 1963. Tyson was never as dominating in the 1990s as he was earlier and Liston of course declined rapidly after his fights with Patterson. Both made a good living on their reputations during the later part of their careers.
I watched more fight footage comparing these two fighters than any of the previous matches we have picked. Watching Tyson in his match against Razor Ruddock and Liston in his fight against Cleveland Williams. Ruddock had very similar size to Liston and Cleveland Williams was the most powerful fighter that Liston faced during his career. Most fighters who survived Liston boxed and moved and tied him up inside(Eddie Machen). Williams did not, he was the aggressor while the fight lasted and Liston took everything he threw at him and knocked Williams out in third round. Tyson took numerous shots from Ruddock in both their fights and Razor lasted the full 12 rounds in their second fight. Tony Tucker also gave Tyson a lot of trouble with his reach but he held and grabbed which Liston would not be doing. I see Liston’s jab and reach being a big factor in the contest as well as his outstanding boxing ability and his offensive skills. The only fighter Tyson ever faced with the offensive skills and power of Liston was Lennox Lewis and Tyson did not fair well against the Brit. Liston was much stronger than Lewis. I don’t see the fight lasting long because both fighters were so aggressive. Give me Liston in a 6th round knockout.

The Sweet Science: by Frank Lotierzo Jan.,2005
Who Would've Won

A Liston-Tyson confrontation comes down to two things: who would've backed up, and who would've been the least intimidated by the other. I know this may not be popular, but I just can't envision Liston being intimidated by Tyson. Liston had no fear of Clay/Ali, and on top of that he kept going after a hard puncher like Cleveland Williams, who was in his prime at the time, even after having been nailed by bombs from Williams. Liston also chased down Marty Marshall despite having a broken jaw for the majority of the fight. This is in contrast to Tyson, who would go into long defensive shells and stop throwing punches when faced with an opponent who attacked him with big shots. I believe in a battle of wills, Sonny convinces Mike that he's not going to win easier than Mike convinces Sonny that it's not his night.

The fact that I think Liston wins the psychological warfare translates into the physical fight and how it plays out. I think Tyson may try to jump on Liston like he did Holyfield and Lewis at the onset. The first round or two would be incredible. Tyson would probably come on very quickly, almost recklessly, and his movement and fast hands might provide him with a measure of success. But then he'd face his first problem, Liston wouldn't fall. And, of course, Liston ALWAYS fired back.

All it would take would be a few of those telephone pole jabs to take all the starch out of Tyson mentally. I also doubt he'd have the nerve to pull any ear-biting, arm-breaking **** with Liston. Once Tyson gets second thoughts about coming in with impunity and starts to think his way through the fight, he's in trouble. The moment Liston senses that Tyson has some reservations, he'd pick up the pace and apply even more mental and physical pressure.

The way I see it, Liston stops Tyson. He had the jab reach and power, along with the style, to neutralize Tyson and his greater hand speed. On top of that, Sonny takes away Tyson's biggest weapon, the intimidation factor. It says here that Tyson is the one who harbors self-doubt, and it is Tyson who would be unsure of himself during the stare down as he faced Liston in the center of the ring before the bell for round one.
http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles/1574-what-if-sonny-liston-vs-mike-tyson

Cox’s Corner
If anyone could intimidate Mike Tyson it would be Sonny Liston. Liston’s awesome 84-inch reach, destructive jab, and deadly hooks and uppercuts would spell trouble for Iron Mike. As Tyson moved in he would be greeted by Sonny’s thunderous long jab. Liston was at least Tyson’s equal in terms of sheer power. Sonny was also under-rated as a boxing technician. Liston would hammer Tyson at long range, control the tempo of the fight, and batter Tyson much worse than Douglas ever could. By the eighth round Tyson would have trouble seeing Sonny’s punches and a murderous barrage would send him down for the count.

Update 2004: Wow. I wrote this description in 1992 and it would have almost fit his fight with Lennox Lewis almost perfectly. The fight ended in the eighth round, Tyson was cut over his eyes, and he could not penetrate the bigger mans left jab. Liston’s reach is also the same as Lennox Lewis. This was sort of my upset pick in 1992 but it does make sense and I will stick by it.
http://coxscorner.tripod.com/tyson93bs.html

 

Saying that Thomas had a better jab than Liston? Saying Smith, Ruddock, and Berbick hit harder than Liston? Your posts clearly have an agenda. Stevie wonder could see that.

As for the fight? Liston ****s Tyson harder than Tyson ****d Desire.

 

Learn to read.
I said Berbick is the same size as Liston. And who is to say that Smith and Ruddock didn't hit as hard or harder than Liston?

 

Sorry I thought you were joking. Now are you going to list all these fighters Douglas lost to who don't appear on his Boxrec record?

If Tyson was so keen on quitting, how come he kept fighting for another ten rounds?

Did his corner also tell him to lose to Marshall, let him bust his jaw and make him look silly?

You're comparing going toe to toe with a 6'2 220lb slugger with lasting a few rounds with a broken jaw against a little 180lb journeyman?

Liston surrendered on his stool after six rounds of a heavyweight championship fight, and you want to call Tyson a quitter? Tyson never quit a fight he was winning.

He would in their era. Imagine little 180lb Marshall even fighting Lennox Lewis, let alone actually beating him!

No knowledgeable fans rate Patterson over Tyson. Just you.

 

He was barely doing anything for god's sake!

They told him to carry Marshall for a couple of rounds.

You're really comparing fighting with a broken jaw to fighting someone who lost to a bum in David Jaco? :huh

"Tyson was able to build a 57–55 lead on two of the judges' scorecards through the first six rounds of the fight, but chose to quit before the seventh, giving McBride the TKO victory."

See? Keep on trolling.

Many do. Seeing as Patterson was able to actually avenge a loss of his. :yep

 

Question is what does Tyson do after he soils himself during the stare down?

 

And what if the opposite happens, which is the more likely event? Neither fighter was the poster boy for mental fortitude.

 

Liston was a tough man. Tyson cried before his amateur bouts. Lots of self doubt within Tyson. Always was the case.

 

We actually agree on something. :yep

 

Apart from when he nearly KO'd Buster. Remind me how many talented 6'4 230lb boxer punchers Liston faced.

Who did? Evidence please.

Are you really comparing fighting Razor Ruddock to lasting a few rounds with a 180lber who took a ten count against Harold Guss and Embrel Davidson?

McBride was actually winning in the ring, in Tyson's last fight. Liston surrendered his championship on his stool.

Who does? Name them. Larry Holmes never avenged a loss either. Do you rate Patterson above him too?

Still waiting on all those Buster Douglas fights that aren't on his Boxrec page.