Sonny Liston vs Evander Holyfield primes

Holyfield’s tendency to brawl would probably be his undoing against Liston.

Holyfield could make it very close if he would fight according to his strengths, he is faster than Liston and could focus on quick combinations and counterpunching but imo Liston with his jab would outbox him for stretches and win a close decision, if Holyfield would try to make it a slugfest with Liston he would get knocked out.

 

Liston by devastating KO

 

I pick liston..

IMO brawl to brawl liston win..

If holy Box he can win..

 

Liston is a better brawler and a better boxer than Holyfield. Whichever route Holyfield decides to take, he is fu c k Ed either way.

 

Holyfield would brawl because it was his nature

Brawling with prime Liston gets you hurt

 

Looks like I'm the odd man!

I see a similar battle as with Liston vs Cleveland Williams who is same height as Holy. Big difference is Cleveland was limited with endurance.

1st round he busted up Liston fighting from the outside or maintaining distance when he threw. When they boxed inside is where Liston took control. I can see Holy dominating the distance like Cleveland. But unlike Williams, Holy's inside game is a bit tighter.

Side note- Bowe was one of the few big men who were accurate on the inside and didn't need distance to extend that long reach. Liston is a good boxer, but doesn't have that same inside game as Riddick. When Holy Bowe II -as long as Holy stayed outside, he limited Bowe.

I think that would cause Liston to do what he did against Clay, over extend, lunge, then follow as opposed to cutting the ring off.
Since LHW Holy took Qawi's best, @ HW, took Bowes, Foreman's & Tyson's best, I think he can take Liston's best.

A war goes the distance, Holy MD.

 

Sonny by KO.

 

Depending on which Holyfield gets in the ring imo. If he keeps his cool head on and elects to use his jab , bounce in and out and not go for a ko , then maybe he'd get a close decision win . But if he tries brawling and going for the kill , then he's walking in to Sonny s hands . Liston would rip his punches in , slamming uppercut s and banging to the body .
Holyfield would fight back of course ,he'd attempt to get Liston back but this would backfire on him . We'd see Sonny at his vicious best as he'd drop Holyfield several times before the ref call s it off .

 

I doubt if Sonny could knock him out. He may keep him at a jab's distance and win a decision however.

 

My money is on Liston. Holy a bit overrated at this point

 

Totally agree plus...the original poster put Holly at prime in 1959; at that time he wouldn't have been the same Holly we've seen.
1959 Holly vs. 1959 Bear? TKO or stoppage.
1995 Prime Holly vs. 1995 Prime Sonny? Same result.
My $0.02

 

Sonny it's underrated for his size IMO.

Vs floyd patterson is still his prime.
Patterson 1 & 2.

213 & 215,5lbs it's big enouh for me.

Holy 1990-1996 range 205-215 for comparison

 

Holyfield fought monsters .. even at the time he fought them Tyson and Lewis were very dangerous , highly skilled punchers. The first two fights w Bowe were titanic as well .. Holyfield was as game as anyone and had an exceptional chin .. I feel the Bowe third fight was a combo of him being on who knows what as well .. that said, a prime Liston was a monster .. Since I don't see anyone except maybe a prime Louis possibly knocking out Holyfield or possibly Frazier based on styles, I'd say Evander in a very close decision ..