Most impressive, non-wipeout Sonny Liston performances?

[billeau2]

Hey there! Thanks much for the time taken to come up with those links and then replying! Much appreciation!

It was fun...I always do a cursory search and it gives me a chance to watch, or revisit some of the material myself. I love to watch Liston. He never wastes body movement and his punch technique is underrated. he never sets to throw that right, It is almost like he is shooting it over his own jab lol.

Edit: meant to say it he sets up the right in a manner where it looks like he does not set. He does not always set, but he throws it from many angles.

[Mario040481]

Eddie Machen gave him all sorts of issues.

Liston outfought him though he had to dig very deep.

Machen was a really good fighter. A long with Zora Folley, who Liston also beat, one of the guys who Patterson was steered away from during his reign.

I somehow didn't catch the reply you left. Thanks much. Curious as to what it was that would've caused Team Patterson to drive a different direction or, to use a term from today (although not really the with same definition,) stay off that side of the street than one with Machen and Folley? Wasn't Machen a "slickish" boxer type? As for Folley, I've still only watched the fight with Ali and if I remember right, Folley says in a prefight interview that this is his first world title challenge in a 14 year career with, at the time they fought, 85 previous fights, so I do my best to not even form personal opinion on fighters whom I know that little of nothing about.
But anyhow, if you've the time, wouldn't mind to read any opinions you may have, especially the steering Patterson away statements. either way, again, appreciate your replying

[Rusty Tromboni]

His fights w/ Patterson are epic.

Patterson was undersized and fought all wrong - exactly how you should NOT fight Liston. But Liston showed off his skills beautifully. But I think those performances were 1) custom made for Liston, and 2) his final rally - Liston's career wasn't commencing, it was already done. he was old.


Zora Folley, like Ghost said, was a poor man's Louis. Liston, conversely, was like an exaggeration of Louis: plodding, predictable, but once he had you cornered he was an unrelenting force of nature; wrath of God kind of stuff.

Williams was a big bag of nerves. His handlers really failed him. You see, like the Valdez fight, Liston's composure and ring generalship. He lets Williams blow his load, and then sets to work. Williams had an adrenaline dump and probably never saw someone take his best like Liston had. But the dude turned into a deer in the headlights. Kinda sad to watch. He just lets liston kick his ass.

Anyway, while I think the Patterson beatdowns are Liston at his best, he was on his way out. Liston clearly had faded by the time Ali showed up. If you give Ali a pass for his performances starting with Jimmy Young, then you can't give him credit for beating Liston. It's just not fair.

[Mario040481]

Machen fight in 720
https://********/NBPH9V6hqXQ

[QueensburyRules]

- -In the Machen/Pat fight in Sweden, just horrible watching Floyd go down with every breeze.

It's a testimony to his grit and underrated talent that he could fight such a long career with such a weak chin.

[johnbook]

Eddie Machen gave him all sorts of issues.

Liston outfought him though he had to dig very deep.

Machen was a really good fighter. A long with Zora Folley, who Liston also beat, one of the guys who Patterson was steered away from during his reign.

Machen has said that he was winning w.o. doubt when he got the liniment treatment that Ali later got.

[Zaroku]

he was great.. but.. he had demons.. and loved heroin.

[TBear]

One thing to consider is that many thought Liston was in his prime long before he beat Patterson for the title. He fought his way to the number 1 position but had to wait a long time after that to finally get a title shot. Many say Patterson refused to fight him for various reasons but the fact Liston was such a beast was as good as reason as any. Liston had to wait as number 1 contender for a couple years to finally get his shot. Even then he was a strong favorite to beat the champion.

[Rusty Tromboni]

One thing to consider is that many thought Liston was in his prime long before he beat Patterson for the title. He fought his way to the number 1 position but had to wait a long time after that to finally get a title shot. Many say Patterson refused to fight him for various reasons but the fact Liston was such a beast was as good as reason as any. Liston had to wait as number 1 contender for a couple years to finally get his shot. Even then he was a strong favorite to beat the champion.

This pretty much needs to be mentioned in the same breath as Liston's name, every time.

I'm not saying he would have been the best ever. But Liston is held to a different standard than everyone else. The dude was OLD when he fought Ali. Imagine if we held Hopkins to everything he did post Middleweight.

[OctoberRed]

Looking forward to that new Liston documentary on Showtime