What if Sonny Liston became champion and reigned until 1964?

It usually stands to reason that longer title reigns with more defenses raises a champions value and long term ratings. Not always but USUALLY….. in Liston’s case he’d likely be defending the title against the same people he beat in actuality such as Cleveland Williams, Zora Folley, Eddie Machen, etc. eventually however he’d run out of quality challengers in which case he’d either be less active or taking on second raters.

 

The one caveat I would highlight is that defending a title can possibly carry materially greater difficulties - in so far as, with the title up for grabs, challengers will or should bring their A game to the table, perhaps even exceeding all their hitherto performances via a single PB performance.

Lennox said it was easier to win a title as opposed to actually hanging onto and defending the crown.

I can’t recall if or how Lennox qualified his statement - the rationale I’ve applied above would seem to fit his possible reasoning.

There is also the question of a hunger satisfied and complacency setting in once a fighter reaches the top of the mountain.

Having said that, based on Liston’s specific case, I think he would’ve cleared out the same guys he took care of pre-title and yes, that would make a difference to many I would think.

However, for others it might not change their opinion since their view perhaps already allows for the assumed realisation of the hypothetical you’ve put forward - that being, IF Liston won the title in ‘58, there’s no one BUT Ali to come along and take the title from Sonny in ‘64.

With the title in hand from ‘58, we might’ve even have got to see Liston vs Ingo though I don’t see my man faring too well.

Ingo didn’t want any part of Sonny (except to promote in the mid to later 60s) but Liston holding the title would’ve forced his hand IMO.

 

Yeah, Cooper also. Imagine if Ingo and Henry (and manager Jim Wicks) still had it in them to avoid Sonny like the plague and flat out refuse a golden chance at the title…waiting and hoping for someone else to knock Sonny off his title - as Ali actually did do in ‘64.

 

Good points. Regarding Lennox saying it's easier to win than hold on to a title, I just read Larry Holmes second book in which he gets into the boxing business a bit more than his first book. He talks about paying sanctioning fees that all champions have to pay regardless of which belt they have. Also, lets say you have a mandatory defense, but you can fight a different opponent for more money, then you can be stripped of your belt, but takinbg the higher paying fight is a no brainer.