Sonny Liston vs Cleveland Williams fights

The first Liston-Williams fight is one of the best performances I've seen from either man, particularly Williams. The first round Williams put on was really something; he's busy, fast, and crisp crisp with his punches and never gets wild while still throwing piercing, thudding shots to Liston's head and body. He bloodied Liston's nose- supposedly broke the nose, in fact- and really scores with an audible left to the body in another standout moment. While on the whole, I think Williams is an overrated fighter, this is certainly an excellent display on his part nonetheless. It's also one of Liston's better moments in terms of showing guts in the ring, as he did overcome some crushing shots and brutal onslaughts to take Williams out, and his jab is very impressive here- did you notice the moment when Williams is coming in and Liston practically bends him over backwards with a jab?

 

Oh, and I do think Williams' survival skills could really have used some improvement. He desperately needs to clinch in the sequence between the first and second knockdowns, but he instead pretty ineffectually runs away and backs himself into a corner, then doesn't seem to know what to do.

 

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqGRMLUlWYM&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcYSf4m9MEg&feature=related[/quote]

In the second fight in Houston, I think the Big Cat knocks Liston
down very briefly and Liston looks at Williams with a "You should
have never done that" type glance.

The second fight might also be the one where Liston's gloves may
have been "juiced" like in the Clay I fight.

 

In the second fight in Houston, I think the Big Cat knocks Liston
down very briefly and Liston looks at Williams with a "You should
have never done that" type glance.

The second fight might also be the one where Liston's gloves may
have been "juiced" like in the Clay I fight.[/quote]

Williams had Liston down? In what round?

 

Yeah, these fights were a better display of skills that Foreman-Lyle, but they weren't more exciting. Both men were down in Foreman-Lyle, while only one man went down in both Liston-Williams fights.

 

Williams had Liston down? In what round?[/quote]

I am working off of memory......Liston-Williams 2 only goes
2 rounds. (1960)

I think it was just a flash knockdown of Liston in Round 1 in
a corner.

I tried to find it on Your Tube but a prompt said it had been
pulled down due to some form of copyright problems.

I may be wrong.

 

I am working off of memory......Liston-Williams 2 only goes
2 rounds. (1960)

I think it was just a flash knockdown of Liston in Round 1 in
a corner.

I tried to find it on Your Tube but a prompt said it had been
pulled down due to some form of copyright problems.

I may be wrong.[/quote]

BoxRec shows no flash knockdown of Liston in the second Williams fight.

I will keep looking.

 

Sans one of Liston's earlier fights where he goes the distance in a losing effort with a broken bone, I think these are the best display of his toughness.

 

Thanks SuzieQ49..I will take your word for it.

 

Liston must've lost these fights, because he lost everytime someone stood up to him.

 

Sonnys head movement was brilliant in these fights and it had to be with the big cat torquing his left hook up.

 

In both fights you see the real Sonny Liston vs the real Cleveland Williams....not the versions of both that fought Ali.

 

Agree. I wonder how the same man could
take those williams punches without even blinking and being knocked out by an Ali punch that "did not even break an egg" ...