Lenny "The Guv'nor" McLean vs Prime Sonny Liston and Prime Floyd Patterson

[uncle ben]

Liston was a prison inmate turned mob enforcer turned heavyweight champion of the world. Lenny McLean was a bare knuckle boxer who stood 6'3 280 pounds in his prime and was said to have about 3,000 fights. He was at one time known as the toughest man in Britain and the unofficial British heavyweight bare knuckle boxing champion. Could he do what Cleveland Williams fail to do and knock out or beat Liston?

Could McLean, being 280 pounds with a 90 pound weight advantage over the 190 pound Floyd Patterson deck the smaller man?

[tophat1]

As tough as lenny must have been he wouldn't have stood even a slight chance against top level professional boxers, especially elite world champions

[TheReadyTimeBoy]

Both of them would have made mince meat out of him. Theres a huge difference between street tough guys and trained professional fighters. In this case, Liston was actually both.

Check out Bert Cooper's fight against some British bare knuckle champ. Cooper damn near takes his head off with left hooks.

[K-DOGG]

Lenny was as tough as a two-dollar steak; but the only way he'd have a chance would be if Sonny or Floyd agreed to removed the gloves and meet him on the cobblestones, IMO.

[Richard]

Liston was a prison inmate turned mob enforcer turned heavyweight champion of the world. Lenny McLean was a bare knuckle boxer who stood 6'3 280 pounds in his prime and was said to have about 3,000 fights. He was at one time known as the toughest man in Britain and the unofficial British heavyweight bare knuckle boxing champion. Could he do what Cleveland Williams fail to do and knock out or beat Liston?

Could McLean, being 280 pounds with a 90 pound weight advantage over the 190 pound Floyd Patterson deck the smaller man?

In the boxing ring with gloves etc Lenny would have been beaten Iam sure.On the pavement with just hands I can it see it being a far closer affair?.

[billeau2]

[ShoulderRoll]

Would Kimbo Slice in his prime have beaten Sonny Liston or Floyd Patterson?

That's the equivalent of what we are asking here.

[uncle ben]

Lenny was as tough as a two-dollar steak; but the only way he'd have a chance would be if Sonny or Floyd agreed to removed the gloves and meet him on the cobblestones, IMO.

If either Floyd or Sonny landed a bare knuckle left hook on his chin, what do you think the results would be?

[uncle ben]

Would Kimbo Slice in his prime have beaten Sonny Liston or Floyd Patterson?

That's the equivalent of what we are asking here.

Kimbo Slice looked more intimidating than Floyd Patterson

[K-DOGG]

If either Floyd or Sonny landed a bare knuckle left hook on his chin, what do you think the results would be?

Possibly them breaking something in their hands, a knuckle, a few metacarpals....or Lenny getting knockout out, down, or just getting pissed off.

A whole variety of things can happen when bare fist meets bone. I know Lenny was one tough, borderline psychotic s.o.b. when he was fighting. From everything I've read and heard he never lost on the cobblestones. That tells me he's tough. So, would one punch from Patterson do him in, probably not. Liston...doubtful; but Liston was tough too and more skilled, at least in gloved combat.

Having never seen Lenny fight without gloves, I can't ascertain how much skill he did or didn't have in the art of bareknuckle fighting, which is a completely different animal from professional boxing. However, since that was his realm and we're referring specifically, in this case, of him meeting one or the other professional boxer in a bareknuckle fight, I'd have to favor him to win.

Sonny and Patterson being professional world champions means they knew how to throw punches properly; but the results of impact on bone when wearing gloves is going to be different than not. Guys with gloves can throw far more over the course of a fight that guys without, simply because the gloves and tape protect their hands.

But one punch? Anything can happen.