Sonny Liston v Muhammad ali 1974

Well I don't think Ali sits on the ropes vs liston but he probably still has enough to outbox the much slower man.

 

If you're talking about a 1959 Liston, I give the nod to Liston.

The key to beating Liston was to stay away from him. The 1974 Ali didn't have the legs to do that for more than a few rounds.

Ali was a very smart fighter and may pull a rabbit out of his hat as he did with Foreman, but I don't think so.

 

The Ali who fought Foreman knocks out Liston.

 

Good question and not as easy to answer as some might think. Let's say it's the hungry Liston of '59-60 and not the overconfident poorly trained older version that got whipped by a near prime Clay/Ali. I think it would be a tougher fight for the '74 version of Ali than the one Foreman put up. George fought a stupid fight that night and Ali took advantage of it. Sonny would fight a more fundementally sound fight using his jab and follow up right, instead of swinging for the bleachers and gassing out like Foreman did. I would still go with Ali in this one but it would be more difficult for him.

 

atsch
We got some general Forum knowledge in this thread now...
Just because Foreman and Liston are big punchers dosen't mean Liston gets tired like Foreman Liston was a boxer and wouldn't throw all his hardest punches in the first few rounds like young Foreman did and get tired...

 

neither can i but i can see a 1957 liston beating everybody else except possibly louis

 

Sonny did have that "bully" mentality and nobody had played mental games with the Master intimidator..they became cowed, until Brash Kid Clay started to put dents into sonny's psyche, of course they had to be backed up in the ring...and when Sonny came for the Ref's pre-fight instructions Minus towels under his robe...and saw himself having to Look up to keep Clay's Gaze...A new kind of Experiance for Sonny before the first bell...he perhaps had an inkling that this was not quite the Skinny Kid who scraped past Jones, and had to climb off the Floor against Cooper....

Now can you imagine the "Fun" The fully Mature Man Ali would of had...with no need to Run..the Strengh to Tie Sonny up...but with still the fast combinations and Agility to call upon when needed...and punching Harder single shot...then Kid Clay...I think Sonny's mental fortitude lets him down...He just wants to fight...A rather Shy and indeed suspiciuous man where the Media Circus is concerned, Put Sonny in a dark Alley in Philly and he would probably be right at home...with the worlds spotlight on him..and an extremely incessant and eloquent verbal torturist in the other corner...

 

Wrong. Ali was in unbelievable shape and had unbelievable determination on the night he fought Foreman. Your response showed general forum knowledge in not understanding the reasoning behind the post. Nothing to do with comparing Foreman to Liston. Everthing to do with Ali's mindset and condition.

 

Who did a 1957 liston actually beat in real life?

 

:thumbsup

 

Liston in his prime vs this Ali? He would possibly drop Ali, and definitely hurt him a few times. I really don't think Ali would stay on the ropes vs Liston. Liston would be smart enough to not waste his energy like foreman did. I think Ali decisions him or stops him late, Liston would put up a real fight though.

Liston in 1974 has little to no chance since Ali would be fighting a corpse.

 

Again, my comments were about Ali's condition and mindset going into the Foreman fight as the exampe of a '74 version of Ali. I'm not comparing Liston to Foreman. It just seems Ali really was prepared and in great form on the night of the Foreman fight. He was up and mentally determined to win.

 

The 1974 Ali would have beaten any version of Liston. Still too fast and too good for Sonny.

 

Liston was way past his prime in 1974.