Send in your 175-199 pound fighter to outbox/stop 1958 Sonny Liston

Well Leotis Martin I believe was 199lbs when he came from behind and ko'd Sonny, but that was a 1969 Model of Liston. Also Sonny was winning that fight rather easily til he got a gushing bloody nose. I think with all that blood maybe he couldn't breathe properly and that's when Martin ko'd him. Holyfield would have a chance but rather slim, Evander was still very much a boxing beginner when he beat Qawi the first time, I think he only had 12 pro fights. Sonny in 58 was in his prime, Holyfield had a lot of courage but I think he'd get a horrendous beating and the ref stops it.

 

Langford, Marciano, Holyfield. I’m working with limits, here. Tunney is a pretty strong choice I think.

Maybe Conn or Walcott…

 

Billy Conn and Jersey Joe Walcott, then Gene Tunney and Ezzard Charles.

All these guys have good chances of making it to the ending bell, and they have the mix of speed, skill and stamina required to win this.

 

Tunney might be the only one I could be convinced would be the actual favourite vs Liston (maybe). I give guys like Holyfield & Marciano a shot but they are clear underdogs.

 

Many lesser men than the ones mentioned made the distance against Liston though they were out-boxed.
Marty Marshall made it to the final bell 2/3 times they fought, Burt Whitehurst made it both times.
Eddie Machen, allegedly with a compromised arm, made the distance, and all the men I mentioned were better than him speed-wise.
Then there's the Ali performances...
The problem is Liston's finishing ability against very defensive-abled fighters. I don't think he would KO the men mentioned above, and if they can stick around to the finish, they have enough skills and speed to outbox him and stamina to outlast him.

 

I guess those guys have a chance. I wouldn't bet on it though.

 

Agreed.

 

I could see the Ali of Cooper/Moore/Jones (he was just over 200 for Jones and could have sweated it off) doing similar things to Liston that he did in their first fight. Maybe not quite as much power behind his punches but the speed would have been tough for Sonny I think.

 

I don’t think Tunney would take this fight.

my guess is Billy Conn could do well for several rounds before getting stopped.

Walcott is another one who could do well before losing to the superior firepower.

 

You think Tunney would be too fearful?

 

I like Walcott's chances because he wouldn't let Sonny get set, he'd continually move in and out, side to side, and he packed a wallop.

 

Tunney was a very cautious fighter, he wouldn’t take a fight he wasn’t sure he could win. Tunney turned down George Godfrey for a reason and only offered to fight Harry Wills as he knew Wills was over the hill.