More intimidating fighters: Liston, Foreman, or Tyson?

Sonny Liston IMO.

 

They were each the most intimidating of there time.

 

Liston. He was feared greatly for several years. So was Tyson. The Foreman loonies aren't going to like this, but George was scary for only about 21 months and 3 1/2 fights. He was respected early on to a degree, but wasn't considered "intimidating" until after he savaged Frazier and that aura was mostly stripped away after Ali.

The press was calling Liston "The Most Intimidating Fighter in the World" as early as 1958 and didn't stop until 1964.

 

Tyson
Liston

Foreman

 

It probably comes down to personal preference to some extent.

There are however several schools of intimidation, and these guys are all of the same school.

Might be worth giving somebody with a more complex approach a shout.

 

Great post.

Liston, Tyson & Foreman were intimidating in an overt, obvious, bully-boy way. Of the 3, I would give the vote to Liston, he was the first of the 3 hence was the "original". Further, he Tyson was barely out of his teens and although intimidating in a boxing sense, Liston's aura appeared much deeper & sinister.

I reckon Joe Louis would have been very intimidating in a less obvious way...the cold, poker face, the quiet persona. There's an old saying "empty vessels make most noise" - Louis appeared the complete opposite of this.

 

An then you have Jack Johnsons insincere smile which says "I don't think much of you, but I am being polite, you poor ******* I am just going to toy with you".

 

Janitor - I agree - Johnson crossed my mind too.

Another that springs to mind - Marciano - he didn't "give it large", but if I try to imagine what it must have been like knowing you were going to fight him, his relentlessness, seemingly endless stamina and willingness to hit you anywhere and just keep on going must have been very intimidating & wearing...

 

If i was a heavyweight, id be afraid more of fighting Holyfield, because i know, no matter what, its going to be a LONG night, with no easy way out.

I think Liston was the most inditimating, even tyson admitted, the one man hed be scared of would be was Liston.

Liston was invovled in organised crime and Tyson was a petty thief, im not sure about Foremans resume outside the ring.

I think Ali was interviewed about this once where he said Liston was the Scariest, Frazier the toughest and Foreman the hardest hitting.

 

Liston had the full package of intimidation, from the shady people backing him, to the scowling public image and surly demeanor. Top fighters were kept away from him and he was kept from the title. Even presidents didn't want him near the sport ! And that's before you look at his skills and power. He seemed as angry, resentful and mean after a fight as he was before, and as a fighter he looked immense at the staredowns before a fight and he was good as those in the game knew.

I remember early Foreman as more of a bully type character bigger than all the others but not especially mean or highly skilled, just massive and powerful.
Tyson was great for the media and loved by the fans. His blend of speed and power was awesome and he didn't need a "mean persona" as he seemed so much better than his opponents. I think opponents were frightened by his skills not his aura.

So for me Liston is the great intimidator and the prototype for that sort of fighter. Will we ever see another?

 

Tyson and Foreman tie for #1

 

Look, Joe Frazier and Ken Norton both had decision wins over Muhammad Ali. George Foreman stopped Frazier in the 2nd round (a one-sided ass beating) and then stopped Norton in the 2nd round (another one-sided ass beating). Going into his fight with Ali... he was a very intimidating man and naturally the favored fighter.

 

I think for a few years in the seventies Foreman was extremely intimidating both in his persona and the way he fought.

 

Liston's baleful glare is the stuff of nightmares I think. A true 1000 yard stare if ever there was one. That, and his bad boy image and physicality definitely made him one intimidating *******.

I think as said above that Foreman wasn't that intimidating until he destroyed Frazier and Norton. At that time though, he must have been a hell of a frightening proposition. But he didn't have that true aura of menace that Sony did, I don't believe.

Tyson I think was a bit of a mixture of both. He wasn't quite as intimidating in the flesh as Liston, but he brought elements of Liston's bad boy persona and elements of George's projection of invincibility, as well as that whole gladitorial look that he fashioned for himself.

Louis is a good shout too...the cool assassin. And Ali. Ali intimidated fighters, but in a totally different way to Liston, Foreman and Tyson. I believe he had both Liston and Foreman intimidated before their fights.