Prime Charles vs Prime Liston

True we really dont know how Liston would have handled a solid fighter coming after him. Like I said this is a tough fight for Charles to win but also a tough fight for Liston. Charles did not just fight a defensive fight. He had excellent tools and he would have been the best fighter that Liston faced until Ali.

I would not bet a load on Charles but I would book all the bets on Liston expecting a blow out and would not be surprised If Prime Charles won a close decision or swelled Sonny up and stopped him.

 

The fact that Liston decimated Floyd Patterson (twice) probably gives us a decent idea of how he would fare against Charles. Patterson and Charles were virtually the same size and weight. In my opinion, Patterson had much better foot and handspeed than Charles. Patterson was probably a better technical boxer than Charles and possessed good defensive skills as well. Liston had no problem walking down Patterson and finding the mark with his punches. This fight probably goes the same way. Early knockout!

 

Syyles make fights. A Marciano or Frazier were made for him. If Charles chose to slug with him he'd end up like Patterson. Ezzard was not a great heavyweight in his ability to take big punches. He was dropped and hurt time and again as a middleweight and light heavyweight. He became a very good heavyweight but that success was driven by his complete skill set.

I would not put too much focus on Leotis Martin as Sonny was easily in his early forties at least.

 

sonny was younger agaisnt marty marshal and still lost to a smaller guy than charles. even at his peak Liston struggled against tough fast guys like whitehurst for heavens sake, patterson had been KO'd by ingo you could argue that exposed him- and like mike spinks agaisnst tyson floyd did not fight anything like a confident fight against liston. anyone who froze was made for liston. most feisty fast guys who stood up to him lasted the distance.

 

You are really revising history over Whitehurst, making much more of the fight than actually took place. The list of quality fighters that Liston decimated speaks for itself. It's interesting as I'm beginning to see the same criticism as I do against Tyson. He only loses to the men who stood up to him like all the others did not.

 

liston did have a good run. he realy earned his shot by beating the best contenders in some style. like all champs you can pick holes though, perhaps i am biased because i sence liston is over rated. he was a hard fight for any ATG. maybe because he beat good guys so easy im guilty of thinking it was too easy and picking fault? maybe it is just that I am reminded that others knocked out the same guys before he did? so many people jump on the "liston is a superman" bandwagen when sonny has at least as many flaws as less regarded champions. I dont dislike him. you cant dismiss him entirely against charles since he was exciting and impresive to watch, i just think charles had the answers for him.

 

I really dont know how to rate certain guys. Liston has always been overrated and underrated by some. Charles was tough and as a heavyweight other than a one punch KO loss to Walcott and a beat-down in fight 2 by Marciano in fight 2, Charles hung in with some hard punching heavyweights and stopped bigger men than Sonny. I know the Marshall loss Sonny was Young and the Martin KO loss he was old but Ezzard had better tools as a puncher and boxer than both of those men. I would love to see Charles L. and E. Charles in a match. It may be more competitive than most think.

 

Liston's favored.

Can't argue that, just can't.

Now, does Charles have a chance in say a 10 fight series (Considering there is no damaged to each fighter. Like in some alternate reality). Sure he could, but I'd expect him to win 2 times at most perhaps 3.

 

No doubt it could be competitive but to do so Charles would have to box and move in a style he rarely showed at heavyweight. If he tried to slug with Liston like he did Rocky he'd get crushed much earlier .. I just don't see Ez being able to take the punishment ..

 

Whitehurst who supposedly troubled Sonny lost virtually every round on the cards of the second fight and was saved by the bell, admittedly it was closer in the first when Sonny pressed the action more. Machen was beaten comfortably despite Sonny being docked 3 points.

Sonny had his jaw broken versus Marshall and his nose broken early versus Williams and didnt quit so i think questioning his toughness is a moot point.

People dont seem to realise just how big Liston was. Barring his height and weight his tale of the tape measurements match up with with the Bowes, Lewis' and Klitchkos of the heavyweights. His reach, chest, biceps, thighs, waist, calf, neck and fist measurements are huge.

As good a LHW as Charles was, im like John Thomas and h2h have Liston very high, I cant see him out boxing or out slugging Sonny

 

I agree with certain points but let us also remember that Whitehurst was still KO'd 2 times by Archie Moore around the same period of time and Whitehurst was not near the heavyweight that Charles was.

Like I said Liston was underrated and overrated. Charles would have to fight a more of fight like he did in Marciano 1, box but get inside and make Liston feel it. Liston was old vs Leotis who was not known as a puncher but Leotis went inside and hurt Liston with the right left (Ezzard had this)

Sonny would be the favorite but I think Ezz is a live underdog

 

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5YbsN73eOk[/ame]

Prime Sonny but Ezzard has better offensive tools than Eddie

 

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3x7OyhXkiA[/ame]

Sonny was not prime but if you watch the early rds still formidable

I am not saying that Charles would do this to Sonny but his offense would certainly one of the best that Sonny faced other than Ali and better than Ali in some areas

 

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjFq5aOYYJM[/ame]

Wallace was not Sonny Liston but a bigger guy than Sonny with skills

 

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Je9fncDgI-s[/ame]

He was pressured by Satterfeild but look at the right hand left hook ,quite a combo