Sonny Liston's resume

Ok... The resume he compiled from 60-64 was pretty damn good.

 

Not convinced it isn't a testament to Liston's ability that the reigning champion found himself thoroughly shook beyond comprehension at having to get in the ring with him.

 

Ofcourse it's a testament. By that point floyd was a paper champion and his management knew it.

 

Indeed.

That was re: Patterson was a no show

It's a fairly famous drubbing at the hands of Liston. An all-time blowout. X2.

 

it is a blow out but floyd froze both times. was it the real floyd? Patterson was the man to beat at that point -and Liston did it twice but if that was the real floyd wouldnt that be like saying Liston was the real sonny that night in Lewiston when he himself was the victim of a blowout?

 

floyd was a paper champ by that point. liston was all guns blazing and the fight was only delayed because patterson was being protected.

 

And Liston-Machen II would have been a more merited rematch for my money than the return with the Big Cat had been. Could Sonny take Eddie out as Ingo did? Or would Machen have been significantly better with two good mitts? Liston might have been that much better prepared for his reign with a second go round against Eddie, and he was certainly never shy about rematching other qualiy opposition.

 

I posted here earlier (about 2 years earlier )
You can say this about other fighters but, had Sonny not had his past and demons, he may have been ready for the title circa 54-55 and, IMHO, would have brutalized the Rock.
People tend to trash the Sonny legacy after the Ali fights (he was getting old and the mystery still swirls around their two scraps). Does anyone go back and really analyze Ali's post-Foreman career? Never a Foreman rematch, lost the 3rd fight to Norton. IMO 'threw' the Spinks fight only to be in line for regaining the title for a 3rd time, etc...
Historically, Sonny never had the following that Ali, or others, had.
Ali (after Patterson) is my all-time fav fighter but Sonny seems to get raked over the coals whereas Muhammad gets the free pass...

 

Sonny was behind ingo in 58' and 59' in the ratings then ingo and Floyd were contracted to rematch the other. with those fights taking up 3 years 1961 was the earliest Liston was entitled to a shot.

 

This thread reminded me of one of my fav trivia questions which I know everyone knows the answer to. In this day and age of five 'paper champs' per division, you'll never have this again:-(.
"Between May 1959 and March 1966 (almost 7 years!) who's the ONLY heavyweight to appear in a title fight besides Floyd, Ingo, Sonny, or Muhammad?" *

*screw the Terrell WBA BS.

 

Tom McNeely fought patterson in jan 1961:good

 

From the rubber stamp onwards floyd was a paper champ.

 

maybe he should have fought machen or folly over radmacher but do you think there was an "uncrowned champion" doing the rounds at the same time who was a more worthy champion? I think Moore was the guy to beat to become the top heavyweight and all floyds chalengers bar radmacher were rated. There could be more suspact champions than patterson dont you think?

 

Hopefully. Patterson is Listons best win.