Sonny Liston, Would He Have Kod 1992 Holyfield??

Holyfield makes it 10 before getting knocked cold. 1960 Liston was far more than just a puncher, and he'd not be intimidated or butted into submission.

And this is coming from a bigger fan of Holy than Liston. Liston was like two of prime Bowe...and he didn't get hit near as much.

 

Agreed. I'd also like to add, though Liston is a clear favorite, with Evander's heart and resilience, you can never count him out.

 

That's why I love Holy. He was insanely durable and resourceful. He had just as much heart as any heavyweight champion imo...the heart of a Frazier.

 

My fourth favorite fighter. After Liston, Frazier, and Patterson.

 

Yeah but Bowe had 3 inches, 30 lbs and 5 years on him. Liston wouldn’t

 

I think Evander Holyfield would beat Sonny Liston. He would weather the early storm and then go to work on Sonny. I am going with Evander by unanimous decision win.

 

Yeah but Holyfield stops Williams and Patterson as well. Probably not as dramatically as Liston, but he does stop them. I'd even back the best CW version of Holyfield to stop Williams, though I'd back Patterson to decision CW Holyfield. HW Holyfield stops Patterson.

But no, I don't think Liston stops prime HW Holyfield. I do think however, that the Nov 1996 Holyfield would have the best chance against Liston because that Holyfield was like a mountain of chiseled 218 pounds of granite and I would favor that Holyfield or the Holyfield of Bowe 2 over Liston (would also pick that Holyfield to defeat 1974 Foreman)

 

Prime Liston beats him up but Holyfield sees the final bell.

 

Well, imo, no one could negate their potentially optimised height and reach advantages as well as Bowe often did.

Liston is obviously shorter but actually better reached than Riddick. Sonny knew how to use that reach.

I think Liston would apply himself patiently and methodically to begin with.

However, if Evander ramps it up earlier - I think Liston would welcome that and happily reciprocate and enjoy notably greater success than Evander’s initial bombardments.

At range and on the inside, Liston presents a lot of concerns for Holyfield.

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Liston was the superior boxer, and had much much more power. Holyfield doesn't have an amazing speed advantage either truth be told. It would be very very unwise for him to engage in a firefight. Heart can only take you so far.

 

I wouldn't favor any version of Holyfield over Liston but certainly not the Holyfield of the second Bowe fight. He made it much harder than it had to be, by getting drawn in unnecessary slugfests like the first bout, though obviously not nearly as much. Also he only earned a thin as you can get MD from a noticeably declined Bowe. I don't see him outboxing Liston who was the superior boxer imo, and he's not gonna come out on top in a slugfest.

 

He also had combinations and decent power. The strength to controlling Liston in the clinches. He’d be better off at close range than standing outside on the end of Liston’s 84” jab.

 

You always reply a day later

 

Yeah Bowe was never a concussive hitter, definitely above average but not quite on same as Liston.

Holyfield in early 90s liked to engage too much and was almost stopped by the likes of Bert Cooper.

I feel like if you could mix younger Holyfield with older smarter Holyfield kind of like Big George you'd have a very formidable Heavyweight.

As it stands I think Holyfield would get stopped by Liston bad style match IMO.

 

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