Sonny Liston vs. Jim Corbett

I don't know much about Corbett. The videos are pretty grainy, and it's hard to see who is punching whom. The newspapers said he could move his feet. But in those days, running the hundred yard dash in 10.5 seconds was fast, so how fast on his feet was he in comparison to more modern boxers? The videos I watched showed him looking athletic but a bit amateurish, as if he hadn't been trained/coached very well. Probably just a sign of the times. As was usual in fights of that era, there was a lot of clinching and holding and it was hard to stay awake to watch the whole thing.

Maybe if Corbett really does have some boxing skills and stays on his bicycle pedalling fast he could have a slim chance of lasting a few rounds. He's only 34 years old in 1900, maybe he could still move.

But Corbett's KO percentage was 20%. and he was K.O.'d 3 times out of his 24 fights. Liston's KO percentage was 72%, and he was KO'd twice in 54 fights.

Liston didn't fool around with you. I think he KO's Corbett in round 1.

 

Corbett's only chance is lasting 10 rounds without getting badly hurt. Liston's 85" reach and powerful jab will keep Jim on the outside all night. A more likely outcome IMO is Sonny finding the range after a few rounds and closing the show with a well placed right hand...sort of the way he caught Westphal. Too big, too powerful and deceptively quick. This is one time where a modern fighter has too much for a fighter from the past to overcome... both in size and style. Listo KO in 5.

 

The Corbett of the 61 round Jackson draw and 21st round knockout of Sullivan takes the UD here.

He was already dissipating from heavy drinking when he defended against Charley Mitchell, and his vision was compromised by the time of the first match with Jeffries, causing him to misjudge the "Hail Mary" hook which finally knocked him out. (At the time, his wife observed that he was squinting when reading the paper.)

Past prime though, he was able get the better of Jeffries for over 20 rounds, and accounts suggest Jeff was much faster than Sonny, although he obviously didn't have Liston's jab.

In a 24 foot ring for ten rounds, Corbett would have the speed to out jab Liston, and the evasion to remain out of trouble. He'd apply all the necessary caution to get the job done by the end of ten.

 

Liston has always been intimidated by the crazies, how do we expect him to react to a guy in a thong prancing around throwing rear uppercuts?

Sonny quits in his corner before the first round.