Sonny Liston vs. Lennox Lewis

Lewis has every conceivable advantage here.

I'd put big money on Lewis.

 

Tough, Does Lewis beat him with his reach or does Sonny hurt his body???

Too tough, Draw.

 

I really think that LL was better at everything...perhaps it´s controversial but IMO Lewis had a better jab than Liston.....and he was a heavier hitter too !
I give the edge to Lewis in terms of footwork and speed too......so, Lewis by TKO.

 

Ahhhh, I have always loved being a minority!

For my money Lewis is greater.....BUT Liston is better! I like Liston to stop him between rds 5-8.

 

Liston by early stoppage

 

Liston has the better jab and might be more powerful.

Ironically they both have the same reach ... I think Liston bangs him up.

 

Both men at their very best.

Id say Lewis by razor thin decision. I think when Lennox was sharp and focused he took a pretty good shot. Sonny Listion is definitley going to hurt him but I think Lewis can get through those moments and get Sonny`s respect.

Lennox Lewis face may look worse at the end though. Liston`s jab was very heavy and he used it better than Lewis.

 

Well Lewis was at his most dangerous I think when he genuinely had a bit of fear or apprehension about the other guy standing opposite him - and I think it's when he was at his best coz he would just come out an jump on the guy from the get go. And obviously against Liston that fear would be there in spades!! Liston was genuinely scarey and physically he would get everyone's respect also so I don't see this lasting long either way it goes - Lewis would come out fast and assert himself and look to get his own lightning bolts off from the get go a la Ruddock, Golota, Grant and he could definately get Liston's attention and could draw a squirm of shocked recognition from Listons stoneface a la Cleveland Williams but Lewis never fought anyone as good bad and dangerous as the prime Sonny Liston of the Cleveland Williams fights - and Liston wasn't reckless either and he had a lot more coordination and fluidity than he is ever given credit for - similarly to the way Lennox made the likes of Michael Grant and Vitali Klitschko look like uncoordinated lummoxs - so Lennox would seem slower and stiffer and more uncoordinated in comparison with Liston - Lennox could be quite crude when he was trying to get all his power into his opponents where Liston was naturally a bit more compact in his delivery and used hooks and uppercuts more naturally I think and Liston rarely if ever showed any hesitancy about anything coming back his way - Lennox at his core really didn't like getting hit and would be the first to resort to grabbing and smothering in this one and I think once Liston has his forward momentum going he's difficult to stop coming forward and I don't think Lennox would have anything to particularly surprise Liston with either and when it is bombs away Lewis would be the one I expect to be more rattled and be more rattled more quickly than anything registering on Liston - Liston in 5 bombs away rounds

 

Jab? Left Hook? Chin? Power? Head Movement? Stamina?

Debatable.

 

So would I. But only if Lennox imposes himself on Sonny early on. Otherwise I'd favour Liston.

 

I'll give you left hook, head movement, and stamina.

Lewis still wins.

 

I'm not sure what Liston showed he had great stamina, there's the Machen fight but Machen just looked to survive

 

It's not so much that Liston had extraordinary stamina (although I can't recall him gassing) it's more just like Lewis' wasn't that great.

 

Lennox's stamina wasn't the best, but near his prime he didn't have stamina issues, if we think the Tucker fight. When he got with Steward his stamina went backwards as he put on muscle mass but made less mistakes. Against Mercer in a high paced fight he did tire, against Tua and Mavrovic he didn't tire. I'm not sure if that was Mercer pressuring him more of Lennox being in better shape for those fights. Against Rahman 1 and Vitali he tired but he was past his best then

The thing is even when tired Lennox could find big punches in the late rounds

Another thing is in Liston's hardest fight he quit, which isn't necessarily a mark of bad stamina but it is a question mark on his ability to take it in a high paced war