Opinions on Sonny Liston

Yeah, seems to you Liston fans that there was no one more when he still could fight.
Ernie wanted the fight as much as Jerry did.

 

Most of guys that were retired were swarmers not sluggers and boxing punchers.

He should fought everyone there, like Ali fought younger generations without excuses for his layoff or his age!.

 

I never said that, but Ernie damn well had his chance. And as for Jerry, he started to become relevant around mid '67, when Liston was fighting in SWEDEN. Quarry fought exclusively in America until '71, and by the time that Liston made it back, he wouldn't have been a good fight for most people in top of the division.

 

Textbook case of a guy who was great but also ruined his own legacy.

 

He would be Joe Goddard’s spit bucket carrier if he was around back in the day! Wouldn’t get past Patsy Cardiff tbh

 

You can be a great & also over-rated. Just saying.

 

I mean, they are both true. He is an ATG, but some people have him as a top 5 guy, which he just flat-out isn't.

 

Might depend how the rating is done. Is he top five on accomplishments? No. Head-to-head? Maybe.

 

You have every right to believe this, but the problem with H2H arguments is that they are entirely conjecture. We all do it. I respect that you like the guy. But there is no evidence...there can be no evidence...that he is the H2H GOAT.

What is more, guys like Marciano are often criticized for "never handled a modern-sized heavyweight contender." Well, neither did Liston. Clark was 6'3". If you want to be generous, you can give him Wepner at 6'5". But the high quality guy of 6'4" to 6'9" is not on his record.

That is why it is is better to keep it about what a fighter accomplished in his day.

And Liston accomplished plenty. He had about 20 or so notable wins if you really get down into guys like Wepner and Marshall. He took on the guys that Cus D'amato steered Floyd from, and to me, that means he was unofficial champ for a lot longer than his one successful defense.

 

Well, see above on that one.

 

Cough cough Larry Holmes.

 

I did, & agree with every word.

 

Liston wanted no part of Quarry after Quarry KOed Foster.

 

Liston fought one bout in 1970 against Wepner, surely you don't think that a man at the end of his career is ducking someone at their peak.

 

A Wepner and Scrap Iron Johnson, hell he didn't fight Quarry and Ellis who were just contenders and smaller than Liston.