It would have been a 'good fight', in 1970. But New York State wasn't going to give Sonny Liston a boxing license. The only east coast venue that had the $$$ to make the fight. And Joe Frazier didn't want to go out to Las Vegas. That's when Sonny Liston tried to put pressure on the Desert Inn in Las Vegas to host the fight, and put pressure on Joe Frazier. A NO! NO!
liston lost by ko against leotis martin, i think that he would not have a shot por the belt in 1970. and anyway he was murdered. but a prime frazier would have been too much for an old liston, i am not sure even if prime liston would beat a peak frazier.
i often wonder this. billy walker did not like him one bit. Liston's idea of a joke was to make like to shake hands then back handed billy in the nuts with his other hand then say "take a bow". If he did this when introduced to heavyweight boxers who could handle themselves I have no doubt when he was swaning around vegas he did this to the wrong guys also.
Sonny Liston was at a stalemate in the summer of 1970. He blew a shot a Jimmy Elllis by getting Knocked-Out by Leotis Martin in December 1969. After beating fringe Top 20 Ranked Heavyweight Chuck Wepner, in June 1970, Liston was hoping for one last shot at the Title. With Muhammad Ali coming back, he knew he would be left out in the cold. His dream, was to fight Joe Frazier in late-1970, before Ali fought him. Beat Joe Frazier. Then fight Ali, with a chance to redeem himself, with no-strings attached anymore. Davey Pearl was his manager in 1970.
really if liston had not been murdered , can you imagine an old liston against frazier,a green foreman,a green shavers,lyle..? i think that liston had not said his last word.
Sonny may just have had some luck against Joe Frazier,,,,,,,may have. Early only, if that fight went past 5 rounds, it would have been all over. In late 1970, Liston only wanted one fight, against Joe Frazier, then hope for an Ali III in 1971. It was a 'money only' thing now.
Liston did not look that bad against wepner but both george foreman and joe bugner stopped wepner much easier than sonny did around this time. As a yard stick, younger fighters not yet ready for the title, at the start of their careers were doing beter against comon opponents.
foreman stopped wepner in 3 rounds and it was his pro fight number 4, he was very green and weaker than he was in his prime,
As much as I 'dig' Sonny Liston....... People make too much out of that Chuck Wepner fight. It as purely a 'money thing',,,,,,,,a lousy $13,000. That win wasn't leading to anywhere. The victory had nothing to do with getting a shot at Joe Frazier. The loss to Leotis Martin sealed Sonny's fate.