Prime for prime Muhammad Ali V Sonny Liston

A younger Liston has less trouble keeping up with Ali's footspeed -- but still some trouble. I see the fight being much more competitive but Ali walking away with a 7-5 decision or so, winning most of the later rounds.

 

Ali would dispose of Liston at any era, prime or not.

 

Liston had the heart of a bum, which would prove significant n the later rounds. Ali late TKO

 

Ali 10-5.

 

Liston was allegedly controlled by the mob, so he never beats Ali, unless the fight is held outside of the United States. I find it intriguing that Liston showed better movement against some of the fighters that he dispatched before and after Floyd Patterson, yet follows Ali around the ring absorbing jabs and straight rights.

Prime for prime, Ali probably still wins a UD, but it wouldn't surprise me if a prime Liston catches Ali and hurts him en route to a late round stoppage. Still, unless Ali's caught by a solid, but suprising shot like the left hook Henry Cooper landed, he probably beats Liston by decision, prime for prime, 8 times out of 10.

 

Ali always beats Liston.

 

Ali UD. This fight really wouldn't be that close as Liston is at a huge stylistic disadvantage here.

 

why do you say that ? did you know him ? or do you base you're opinion upon the fact that he quit against ali ? try growing up as sonny did in the time that sonny did and in the same circumstances as sonny.. let's see what choices you would have made in you're life ?
i am white and from europe but if i grew up as a black guy in a country where they would tread me as a second class person probably i would also steel and break the law and become a bum, why not ? and second : every toppclass fighter trains and works hard for it so they don't have the heart of a bum.

but to answer the question : a prime ali is also to good for a prime liston

 

Prime Ali is alway Liston's kryptonite

 

I think Ali would beat him, maybe points, maybe tko. Styles just make fights, Liston wasn't made for taking out fast fancy dancy tap tap type fighters. To put it in context, I think Liston would beat any version of Frazier and I think he'd beat Foreman too, he'd annihilate Norton.

 

Prime Ali would probably make Liston quit even quicker and easier than the green one did.

 

Machen also felt that Listton was prone to following him in a straight line. Movement seemed to give Liston some trouble.

 

I think a fighter with no heart wouldn't have come back after getting dominated and having his nose broken against a fast puncher like Cleveland Williams. Sonny just seemed to have a lot more determination at that point of his career.

I feel the Ali of 1967 was simply too quick and had the experience to avoid Liston's power and outpoint him to a decision.

Liston made Ali miss at times but due to Ali's speed was hit atleast once out of every combination Ali threw. I think his reactions were slightly off and his conditioning was terrible so he was hit a lot more and ran out of stamina a lot sooner than he would have in his prime, not that he was that badly out of it against Ali.