Who was the better fighter, Sonny Liston or Evander Holyfield?

I used to think Liston was beast based on second and third hand accounts. Watching his fights changed my opinion.

Evander would beat him to a pulp.

 

Evander would have a hard time doing anything against a man who threw more punches a round then he did had a better jab more power could fight inside and outside. Evanders shotty defense eventually leads to his demise. Liston knocks him out and probably mid rounds

 

Liston's defence was even worse.

Liston doesn't have the power. In a punch up Liston would always fold first.

 

Listons defense was better. Liston also had twice the power of Evander not even close

 

Great Contrast between these two all -time GREAT fighters.

Liston - The giant, irresistible force, intimidating in and out of the ring, defeated opponents psychologically before they even stepped in the ring (influenced Tyson and Foreman in this respect), mysterious (as well as the Ali fights no one knows his real age and the circumstances around his death), hated by the masses during his time, probably the most misunderstood and under-appreciated heavy of all time.

Holyfield - The giant killer, gentleman, heart and honour of a modern day gladiator, refused to be intimidated, immovable object, loved by the masses during his time and still appreciated (and rightly so) to this day.

 

Liston fought a bunch of fat LHWs and cruisers.

 

I pondered on Holyfield v Patterson, you replied that Floyd was too chinny. I listed Ingo(2) Ali(2) Chuvalo, Cooper, Bonavena, Quarry(2) Moore and other decent punchers that failed to ko Floyd. You replied that Holyfield was better than any of them, I asked "Is that a given????[
Sounds like you selected Evander over Ali....

 

Holyfield was a roided up cruiser. You must have forgotten. Anyone smaller of note that Liston beat was well proven at HW. Patterson and Machen being the big two. Much more proven then say Moorer who beat Holyfield.

 

Very tough bout. Less if Sonny was jacked on PEDs too.

 

217 lb (98 kg) Was what Holy weighed in his rematch with Bowe I believe at that weight he would have beaten Liston, if he could beat a big heavy like Bowe then he could beat a smaller heavy like Liston tat win out-does anything Liston did in the ring, Bowe wa better than anybody Liston beat, Liston was too one-dimensional.