Which of these HW fighters had the best boxing skills?

Lewis
Old Foreman
Liston
YoungForeman

 

Liston, he had better head movement than Foreman and Lewis, Lennox had a faster jab than Foreman and better movement.

 

How I see it

 

Lewis
Liston/old Foreman
Young Foreman

 

Lewis
Liston
Foreman

 

Sonny Liston did have the better boxing skills in his peak years, 1958-1962. He could slip punches, he had that 84 inch reach, not to mention, that very punishing left jab, good combinations, he did not have the footwork of a 1964 Muhammad Ali but he could move. That left hook with those massive 14 inch fist was very devastating, and back then he could take a punch, remember the two Cleveland Williams fights in 1959 and 1960. Sonny was fighting fighters that were in fine shape, not the steroid fatties of today. Prime George Foreman was not a boxer but someone who appeared to go into a fight just swinging at the fences, he lacked stamina, but had the punch to take care of business. His opponents were overwhelmed, the bald selling grill George was slow and pudgy, got hit a lot, but could still hit. Lennox Lewis was a better boxer than George, he had stamina, had a good left jab, and a very big right hand, but was vulnerable to a right hand as Oliver McCall and Hassim Rahman proved in their first fights against Lennox.

 

Sonny Liston was vulnerable to right hands, too.

It just wasn't as noticeable because he wasn't fighting guys the size of Rahman and McCall who were 6'2" 230 pounds and could bang.

Instead, he was fighting guys who were usually under 200 or guys like Albert Westphal, who was 5'7". His most intimidating opponent was Cleveland Williams, who was much lighter than those guys (Rahman/McCall) and still moved like a newborn deer on those legs.

I'd go Lewis first. Liston second. Foreman third.

 

It's either Lewis or Liston at #1, Foreman at #3. He might have beaten them both prime for prime though

 

1. Lewis
2. Liston
3. Foreman

This, of course, proves that Primo would’ve beaten them all.

 

It was the Williams fights that Liston is defined by IMO...Two of the most impressive ko's I can imagine is Liston soaking up everything that the Bid Cat could muster and the turning the switch and demolishing his man...not just once, but twice,...and remember that this was an entirely different version of Williams than that husk oof him that Ali fought. Liston was skilled..but that wasn't what buttered his biscuit, career wise...it's like someone saying of Segovia "yeah, he was a great guitarist, but he could also blow a mean harmonica too..."

 

Liston...the other two had some holes that they made up with other attributes. Liston has the best jab ever imo had better defense then both.

 

#3: Lennox Lewis
#2: Sonny Liston
#1: George Foreman

TBH, I can't believe I'm the only person who'd have Foreman at #1.

 

Yeah I know, this place is flooded with Foreman fans.