who wins these fights, prime vs. prime? I want straight up answers. I don't want to read things like, "with modern day nutrition and training"... and all that. Here goes- Jack Johnson vs. Wladimir Klitschko Jack Dempsey vs. Vitali Klitschko Tony Galento vs. Jameel McCline Joe Louis vs. Muhammad Ali Joe Louis vs. Lennox Lewis Rocky Marciano vs. Mike Tyson Rocky Marciano vs. Joe Frazier Sonny Liston vs. Riddick Bowe Joe Frazier vs. Mike Tyson Jerry Quarry vs. David Haye
Jack Johnson vs. Wladimir Klitschko Jack Dempsey vs. Vitali Klitschko Tony Galento vs. Jameel McCline Joe Louis vs. Muhammad Ali Joe Louis vs. Lennox Lewis Rocky Marciano vs. Mike Tyson Rocky Marciano vs. Joe Frazier Sonny Liston vs. Riddick Bowe Joe Frazier vs. Mike Tyson Jerry Quarry vs. David Haye
Jack Johnson vs. Wladimir Klitschko Jack Dempsey vs. Vitali Klitschko Tony Galento vs. Jameel McCline Joe Louis vs. Muhammad Ali Joe Louis vs. Lennox Lewis Rocky Marciano vs. Mike Tyson Rocky Marciano vs. Joe Frazier Sonny Liston vs. Riddick Bowe Joe Frazier vs. Mike Tyson Jerry Quarry vs. David Haye Some of these are very close, like the Louis fights where he has a very live chance and in which it depends which era Ali shows up. Some are blowouts.
Jack Johnson vs. Wladimir Klitschko Jack Dempsey vs. Vitali Klitschko Tony Galento vs. Jameel McCline Joe Louis vs. Muhammad Ali Joe Louis vs. Lennox Lewis Rocky Marciano vs. Mike Tyson Rocky Marciano vs. Joe Frazier Sonny Liston vs. Riddick Bowe Joe Frazier vs. Mike Tyson Jerry Quarry vs. David Haye
This content is protected vs. Wladimir Klitschko Jack Dempsey vs. This content is protected Tony Galento vs. This content is protected This content is protected vs. Muhammad Ali This content is protected vs. Lennox Lewis Rocky Marciano vs. This content is protected Rocky Marciano vs. This content is protected This content is protected vs. Riddick Bowe This content is protected vs. Mike Tyson This content is protected vs. David Haye
In a best 2 out of 3- Jack Johnson vs. Wladimir Klitschko -Klitschko 2-0 (1) Jack Dempsey vs. Vitali Klitschko -Klitschko 2-0 (2) Tony Galento vs. Jameel McCline -McCline 2-0 (1) Joe Louis vs. Muhammad Ali -Ali 2-1 Joe Louis vs. Lennox Lewis -even (1-1-1 (1)) Rocky Marciano vs. Mike Tyson -Marciano 2-1 (2) Rocky Marciano vs. Joe Frazier -Marciano 2-1 (1) Sonny Liston vs. Riddick Bowe -Bowe 2-0 (2) Joe Frazier vs. Mike Tyson -Frazier 2-1 (1) Jerry Quarry vs. David Haye -Haye 2-0 (2)
Pretty much agree except for Bowe over Liston. I don't like anyone with a bad defense and minimal mobility over Sonny and I think he's a Tyson type results guy against those types. Quarry could beat the Hayemaker. Would he though? If he fights him 2x, those low hands of Haye's will get him clipped once. does he survive? Actually Haye against some others like Bonavena/Ellis/Patterson would have some real nice matches too. If David had fought back then, he may have been the best of that bunch, but avoid Frazier.
Assuming both would be at their best... Liston vs. Bowe could be a great fight. Say what you will about Bowe but he was tough. At his best he had a very good jab that was also powerful. He had power in both hands. He was very strong. He had good speed and mobility. He was very durable even if he did get hit more than he should have sometimes. Bowe also fought to the level of his opponent... or how good he thought his opponent was. Liston is an all-time great and was never really seen as an underdog (even in the rematch with Ali). Bowe would be at his best vs. a fighter like Liston. Tunney, Marciano, and Bowe are the only Lineal HW Champs without a KO/TKO defeat on their record. Liston was stopped 3 times. Liston was not very fast and 4 1/2" shorter than Bowe. Bowe was also a solid 25 lbs. heavier than Liston. Reach? Well, both have been listed with an 84" reach at some point but I believe that Bowe's reach was longer. Anyway, Liston would have to punch up at Bowe and everyone should know that the shortest distance from point A to point B is a straight line. Bowe went 2-1 (1) vs. all-time great Holyfield. The loss to Holyfield was by MD. Bowe knocked out Pinklon Thomas, Bert Cooper, Tyrell Biggs, Bruce Seldon, Pierre Coetzer, Michael Dokes, Jesse Ferguson, Herbie Hide, Jorge Gonzalez, and Evander Holyfield among others. He decisioned Tony Tubbs, Evander Holyfield, and Larry Donald among others. He beat Andrew Golota by DQ x2. He fought Buster Mathis Jr. but the fight was ruled a NC after Bowe landed a KO blow to Mathis while he was already down in the 4th round. Liston decisioned Johny Summerlin x2, Marty Marshall, Bert Whitehurst x2, and Eddie Machen among others. He knocked out Marty Marshall, Wayne Bethea, Frankie Daniels, Ernie Cab, Mike DeJohn, Cleveland Williams x2, Nino Valdes, Willi Besmanoff, Howard King x2, Albert Westphal, Roy Harris, Zora Folley, Floyd Patterson x2, Hnery Clark, and Chuck Wepner among others. He was decisioned by Marty Marshall and knocked out by Ali x2 and Leotis Martin. To be honest both mens resumes can be criticized. Both men beat notable fighters but some of these notable fighters weren't very good by the time Liston and Bowe fought them (Valdes and Dokes come to mind). Some of the other notable fighters were never that good to begin with but were notable none the less (Williams and Gonzalez come to mind). Liston knocked out Folley and Patterson x2. He decisioned Machen. All good things. Liston was at least 14 Lbs heavier than these men and as much as 24 Lbs. Bowe knocked out Holyfield and decisioned him. He also lost a MD to Holyfield. Bowe also knocked out Seldon, Coetzer, and Hide. He also decisioned Donald. All good things (even the loss to Holyfield ain't bad). Bowe was the bigger man in these fights, he only had 5 Lbs. on Seldon. Bowe would be the taller and bigger man vs. Liston... something Liston would not be used to. Bowe would be in his comfort zone as usual.