Sonny Listons power overrated?

[The_One77]

I just thought that Liston's power was never what it was cracked up to be, 11 men went the distance with him and the only good fighters he beat within the distance were Floyd Patterson (who had a china chin anyway), Zorra Foley and Cleveland Williams, who generally lost by tko.

I don't see how this guy hits harder than Tyson, Foreman or Frazier.

[THE REAL NINJA]

I just thought that Liston's power was never what it was cracked up to be, 11 men went the distance with him and the only good fighters he beat within the distance were Floyd Patterson (who had a china chin anyway), Zorra Foley and Cleveland Williams, who generally lost by tko.

I don't see how this guy hits harder than Tyson, Foreman or Frazier.

i agree not tyson foreman frazier lewis louis shavers alot of guys hit harder bowe maybe even holmes

[M26]

I say Sonny Liston was among the 5 hardest punchers of all time.

[Pugnacious_Z]

just coz ppl last the distance with sum1 doesnt mean he doesnt hit dat hard. look at vitali klitschko, all his wins except 1 are from KO or TKO, does dat mean dat he hits harder then tyson? NO. if u dont put the person in the postion to knock him, u cud have the hardest punch and it wudnt matter

[kapersky]

just coz ppl last the distance with sum1 doesnt mean he doesnt hit dat hard. look at vitali klitschko, all his wins except 1 are from KO or TKO, does dat mean dat he hits harder then tyson? NO. if u dont put the person in the postion to knock him, u cud have the hardest punch and it wudnt matter

u are on my ignore from now

[Dr.Depravity]

I learned something interesting about Sonny a week ago. My father In law said is was common knowlege that Sonny was a mafia fighter. He started out breaking thumbs and collecting, and was thought of as a tool by orginized crime for fixing fights. Who knows the truth.

[M26]

I learned something interesting about Sonny a week ago. My father In law said is was common knowlege that Sonny was a mafia fighter. He started out breaking thumbs and collecting, and was thought of as a tool by orginized crime for fixing fights. Who knows the truth.

Yes, I have heard that rumor as well. I remember reading an article about Listons mafia connections. The author of this article was pretty convinced that Liston was told by the mafia to lose against Clay/Ali in both of their fights.

I think Clay whupped Liston fair and simple in 1964. In 65' it is obvious to me that Liston threw the fight. As to why, I have no clue.

[Kid Achilles]

A prime Liston would have given Ali the toughest night of his life and could have conceivably knocked him out. Liston on his best night had all the skills and talent of a heavyweight great. People were comparing him to Joe Louis (which was never, ever done with Foreman at any point in his career). What set him back was a self destructive personality and an America that did not accept or appreciate him one bit.

No way is his power overrated. If anything, it's a bit underrated because of his relatively low KO %. You have to remember, this is a man who seriously hurt people with even his jab. He had the biggest fists of any heavyweight champion before or after him. Even a prime Tyson admitted he would have been afraid to fight Liston in an old TV special, afraid of the jab, and afraid of the hooks and uppercuts that would follow if he got by it.

Prime Liston was a monster who would have been a serious threat to any heavyweight who lived. The old guy who fought Ali in 64 and 65 wasn't even close.

[Warhawk46]

While Sonny Listen was a very good champion, I think you are overstaing his greatness to an extent.

He had very heavy hands, but slow movement. He was flat-footed, didnt use his feet to create angles. I think this is his greatest weakness. But his jab...like running into a concrete wall!

[cple]

In my opinion, his power is not overrated. Like Kid Achilles mentioned, his KO% isn't too entirely impressive, but that's deceptive. Liston had the power to stop nearly anyone he faced at any moment. People went into the ring with Liston fearing death. He was a badass mutha****a.

Watching Liston fight, i don't see too many glaring weaknesses. Yes, he wasn't too particularly quick, but he had decent mobility for a man his size, and fine boxing skill. Though Liston doesn't rate too very high on my "greatest heavyweights of all-time" list, he's up there on my "who-beats-who" heavyweight list.