Liston vs Tyson

[jrosales13]

It seems like some posters only know Liston due to the Ali fights.

he was actually a very good fighter.

It would be an interesting fight. Liston jab would of caused Tyson some problems.

[jri9d0]

I see Tyson having all of the advantages speed, power, agility the man as Larry Merchant stated “was built for punishment.”

I don’t see this fight going past 6 with Tyson hovering over Sonny ala Ali style prompting Liston to get up.

[CumulousClouds]

I think Liston stops Mike mid-late by TKO on cuts.
When a fighter had a good hard jab Tyson didn't do so well at jumping in and out of range with his monstrous combos. Listons jab is the best in Heavyweight history with an 84 inch reach.

Yeah that's insane..longer reach than the klitschkos and stood 6'-6'1

I disagree with most here and feel that Liston will not be scared and will quite possibly intimidate Tyson. In the fight I see Liston staying on the outside and controlling Tyson with his long reach and powerful jab. In close I can see Liston pushing Tyson and punishing him after some combos by both. I think Liston stops him in the mid-late rounds.

That's what I forgot to add..yeah Liston coulda possibly put alot of fear in Tyson! And Tyson would come forward and Liston would be all over him..and if Liston backed up tyson he could KO Tyson easy

[RA-Box]

Strangely enough, I see it going down exactly how the Tyson/Douglas fight went down.

[JDezi4]

Patterson got on the inside, Tyson could. And he is also a lot tougher than Patterson and hits a lot harder.

[CumulousClouds]

It seems like some posters only know Liston due to the Ali fights.

he was actually a very good fighter.

It would be an interesting fight. Liston jab would of caused Tyson some problems.

Yeah seriously!

[CubanGuyNYC]

"I'm the best ever. I'm Sonny Liston. I'm Jack Dempsey. There's never been anyone like me. I'm from their cloth..." - Mike Tyson

I don't sit around and conjure up fantasy match-ups all day. I guess that's why these dream fights always catch me a little by surprise. I've never given this one any consideration. It's a good one.

Despite Liston's abilities as a heavyweight, Tyson's qualities would perhaps be just a bit too much. Sonny was powerful and physically tough. His vaunted jab would definitely be an asset in any match. But, on his best day, Tyson's speed, explosiveness and power in both hands would be difficult for any ATG heavyweight to deal with. The comparison to Floyd Patterson falls flat, in my opinion. Patterson had nothing on Tyson as far as fighting ability goes. It's akin to saying that I would do well against Tommy Hearns because my style is exactly like Marvin Hagler's. (Not really, but you get the point.)

Mike Tyson obviously emulated Sonny Liston. In this case, I think the original is the real thing. Mike Tyson is/was emotionally fragile. Sonny would probably have played the role of intimidator in this fight. I don't think Liston was quite as soft of heart. This is where the real question mark lies, in my opinion. Could Tyson's physical gifts overcome the less gifted, but tougher, more intimidating Liston? The more I think about it, the tougher the choice becomes. I have to go with Tyson, though. The fight probably wouldn't have lasted long enough for Tyson to feel unsure of himself. And, let's face it, Sonny might've been the tougher man, but he didn't have Ali's heart, either. Tyson TKO 5 over Liston.

[CubanGuyNYC]

That's what I forgot to add..yeah Liston coulda possibly put alot of fear in Tyson! And Tyson would come forward and Liston would be all over him..and if Liston backed up tyson he could KO Tyson easy

At his peak, Mike Tyson was a very good defensive fighter. He was a hard target. The constant bobbing and weaving, the speed and the ever-present threat of an unexpected explosion of bombs made him tough to open up on. But that high-energy style, by definition, is geared towards an early win. That's why it was always thought that a quality fighter would have a chance against Tyson if he got past the first five rounds or so.

Of the many reasons why Mike Tyson lost to "Buster" Douglas, the biggest might be that Tyson had abandoned the defensive approach that had brought him success. He became the steady target of countless well-placed jabs.

[CumulousClouds]

At his peak, Mike Tyson was a very good defensive fighter. He was a hard target. The constant bobbing and weaving, the speed and the ever-present threat of an unexpected explosion of bombs made him tough to open up on. But that high-energy style, by definition, is geared towards an early win. That's why it was always thought that a quality fighter would have a chance against Tyson if he got past the first five rounds or so.

Of the many reasons why Mike Tyson lost to "Buster" Douglas, the biggest might be that Tyson had abandoned the defensive approach that had brought him success. He became the steady target of countless well-placed jabs.

Great stuff!! One of those fights that would be interesting!

[MartinC]

Tyson would stop Liston in the first