Sonny Liston vs. Jersey Joe Walcott

Another good break down. :good

 

IMO Liston uses his jab and longer reach to set up the big punches to work Walcott down and eventually lands a punch like Marciano did. interesing fight though.

Liston KO win

 

One thing I'd say about Sonny Liston is it wasn't like he wasn't used to runners?? Everybody ran from Liston!!? For their own good?! You saw what happened when they didn't run a little bit?! Liston was a beast!! An executioner!! The differential in strength he had over people was almost unfair - but at the same time I don't even think that Liston was slow or lumbering anyway?? Not in the sense that he was going after people as quickly as he possibly could but was just too slow to corner them?? Liston just took his time in there - more often than not it was just his approach to not rush in all guns blazing like say a Tyson - Big Sonny tended to box his way in behind that HEAVY HEAVY jab - he didn't seem to mind having to follow people around and switch and change direction - after all people always moved faster than him?!! For a reason...if they didn't they were as good as dead and it would be painful - the man was a monster!! I know all about Patterson's chin but who else KO'd him twice back to back both in one round?? As soon as he got to people that was it - for me Liston eventually catches Walcott leaving his chin out to dry not too dissimilarly to the end in Louis-Walcott II

 

Liston would outdo the burnt-out Louis Walcott faced. He'd land more over the course of the fight, enough to sway the battle in his favor. Whatever it is you make of his defensive skills, Jersey Joe couldn't possibly dodge all the incoming jabs fired at him; Liston would keep it in his face all night.

 

I dont see Liston as being any better than than the post war joe louis walcott schooled. It is a genuine 50-50 fight only walcott has more proven class.

 

I think that Liston wins this one, but I am not sold on a KO win


Although Joe lacks the offensive power to ***** Liston, I don't see him losing in a big way neither; Walcott's defensive skills and great footwork carry him to a honorable loss by decision

 

Liston would probably win, but Walcott's no Machen. Walcott won't play defense the entire match. He's more likely to get greedy and into an exchange unwisely and get stopped then anything else. There will be competitive spells from Walcott. I can envision a lot of the ploddy elements of Liston made to look a little silly the way the late great Louis was made to look mechanical by Walcott.

 

I think Joe would be too unpredictably shifty and feinty for Sonny to zero in and draw a bead on. And, as Louis discovered, Walcott could be extremely dangerous when cornered. JJW, at his best, would continually beat Liston to the punch. I just don't believe Sonny would be allowed to settle down and be able to predict Joe's next move. He'd be frozen into his tracks by hesitation.

Granted, Walcott was a dozen years into retirement by the time Lewiston came along, but he'd remained in great shape, and wasn't exactly dwarfed by either Liston or Ali. He strove to keep himself under 200 pounds (reflecting a prevailing mentality of the day), and only hit that weight for the sub par performances against Ten Hoff and Layne.

There's a school of thought which holds that Sonny looked his best at 204 for Bethea (although I believe 212 was optimal for him). In any event, Whitehurst 2X, Marshall 2X, Summerlin 2X, Machen, Joiner and Leotis each proved one need not carry 200 pounds to be able to hang with Liston, throughout Sonny's entire career span.

Although Ten Hoff wasn't the best showing for JJW on a rain slick canvas, he did demonstrate that he could deal with a quality jab on somebody with an 84" reach. It was a pretty clear cut decision.

 

If he could have just stayed away from Liston like machen did, and done a little more effective offense than Eddie, then Joe may have won, but if he could very well have been caught like Folley was caught and likewise have been ko'ed.

 

At half an inch taller, you HAVE to give it to Liston. Isn't that the definitive guide to comparing HWs?

Too bad Yao Ming doesn't box.....tall ****.

 

without the film we will never know if folley came to fight or was caught in the headlights like patterson and harris. summerlin, whithurst, marshal, neal wealch, even cab, king and besmanoff gave liston so much extra resistance it makes me wonder if many fighters simply froze against Liston. although walcott could be (and was) knocked out in real life it was never without giving his all. Liston still knocked out brave men but not elite fighters who realy gave proper resistance. I am not saying this makes Liston a bully I am saying thats how it panned out, the best fighters he knocked out never got going and offered nothing back. Walcott would offer plenty back and at the very least, like duodenum says JJW would cause hesitation and upset Listons stride.

 

I love a focused Walcott here his legs would give Sonny problems and he had enough power to keep Sonny in check. I think the sight of Sonny in the opposite corner would keep JOE ON HIS TOES but he almost did it vs the faster and harder hitting Louis so that Walcott or the one fought Marciano in fight 1 takes it.

By the way I met Walcott and I met Sonny, Walcott was equally Scary looking, thick neck,head, shoulders


Walcott by UD

 

There is no doubt it is an interesting, competitive match up but you kind of agreed with my point ... if he fights to survive he can survive ... if he fights to win he has to take risks and that is not to his advantage ... he will have to get hit and exchange with a bigger guy, a stronger guy, a man with a terrific jab and a huge reach advantage ...

 

It's funny because Walcott won one big fight in his career, the third Charles fight ... the fourth is recognized as more a less a push with an under performing Charles ... other than that he is known for losing to Louis twice, losing to Charles and losing to Marciano ... the first Louis fight is in question but I never saw the would fight so I simply do not know on that one ... does that whole fight exist on film ? At the same time Liston cleaned out a division and from 58 to 63 dominated the sport ...

 

This is a very poor post.

From 44-50 walcot beat everyone he faced bar savold (injury) and rocky (come from behind stoppage).

He beat charles, maxim, ray, bivins as well as a host of ranked heavyweights and he deserved the first louis fight.

Liston did not dominate the sport from 58. That is a complete misrepresentation.

He had a great 1960 and that's the earliest from which you can claim he ruled the division.