Sonny Liston Versus Lennox Lewis

If they fought 10 times and Lennox won the majority there would be some fights where Liston beat Lennox severely. Listons ability to deal with the best super heavyweights is sort of a ? whereas Lennox's weakness to power lesser than Listons is more of a solid thing.

 

I agree that Lewis improved afterward but let’s not overstate it - he was near his peak, & had by a measure of years at that point some great performances in his rear view mirror. Does how much Lewis improved outpace the margin between Mercer & Liston (& the jabs of both men) becomes the question.

Mercer was similar in size to Lewis?

 

I was in class and 229 was the first google results… so very possible im wrong haha.

 

lol Google is very inaccurate when it comes to this stuff. I suspect they use post-retirement weight/more current numbers as opposed to their weight when active.

Boxrec is much more accurate for this kinda stuff.

 

If it's the charged up Lewis of the Rahman 2 fight, Liston's chances are about even imo...maybe a bit less.

Lewis of the Ruddock, Mercer, McCall 1 and Rahman 1 fights gets stopped in 3.

 

I scored Mercer a clear winner in that fight. Always felt LL just lacked something. Fought a bit scared IMO. I like Liston in this one.

 

Liston would dodge that fight unless he wants to spend 5 nights on a quack-handle

 

Shavers was about 210,,,,,

 

Lewis plus Steward IMHO would have found the "recipe" for Liston.
They found the "recipe" for other punchers like Vitali and Tua.
I don't claim that Vitali and Tua are in the rank of Liston as puchers, but I would favor Lewis.

 

Lewis had problems with guys who could jab. That's Sonny Liston. Prime Liston takes him out.

 

Tua from Lewis was terrible and had much less range than Liston. I don't think Lennox found a way against Vitali, and if he had, there would have been a second fight. Prime Liston is much better than McCall, Bruno, 37-year-old Holyfield and 35-year-old Mercer

 

Lewis has the edge bigger, more skilled, hit just as hard and with great ring IQ, Liston would have his moments but a very safety first approach from Lennox would see him controlling the majority of the rounds

 

Lewis without problem by late rounds stoppage.

 

"Range" is not all. Ali had smaller range than the Liston, Usyk of Fury, Mercer of Lewis, Lewis of Grant, Byrd of Vitaly,...

He didn't Lewis on the way, but Steward.
It is difficult to estimate who would be fight (that they would have been) obtained in points.
To keep Vitali's face with all 12 rounds.

Forum members chose Lewis over Liston H2H:
https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/h2h-heavyweights-mount-rushmore.717538/
Convincing; Lewis is second and Liston is seventh.
2000 Peak Lewis (Grant, Botha, Tua) would be a danger for every Liston from Patterson, and Williams fights.
That's why it's 21:9 here in favor of Lewis.