How good would Sonny Liston be in this era.

[uppercut510]

anyone from the old school beats fighters of this era according to these posters...

[KillaCamNZ]

Too small.

And I doubt he would have lasted very long in today's age anyway - you can't get away with putting substances on your gloves to blind opponents anymore.

[Sheldon312]

Liston KOed feared KO artist Cleveland Williams twice in a few rounds. Williams was 6 ft. 4 inches and 218 pounds of pure muscle and no fat. In other words he was just as big as most of today's blubbery fat overweight 250 pound heavyweights if you are going by muscular bodyweight. In those days most heavyweights came to fight in top condition and lean like a light heavyweight.

But was Cleveland Williams really better than Wilder, Joshua, Ortiz, and Fury

[4truth]

Liston KOed feared KO artist Cleveland Williams twice in a few rounds. Williams was 6 ft. 4 inches and 218 pounds of pure muscle and no fat. In other words he was just as big as most of today's blubbery fat overweight 250 pound heavyweights if you are going by muscular bodyweight. In those days most heavyweights came to fight in top condition and lean like a light heavyweight.

Williams was not 6' 4" and Liston was likely no taller than 6'0

[billeau2]

There is more to size than simply weight. Liston was a big heavyweight. His neck, shoulders, his wrists, legs...he was all muscle. Does one say a great Dane is bigger than a Pit Bull? Look at Liston's size and reach, what heavyweight has more reach? stronger legs? etc? AJ has a nice physique, so did Williams, but neither man was a bigger individual because of more weight.

If one quantifies skills, and talents, Liston would dominate today. Liston is indeed extremely underrated because of the Ali fights. If Vlad could hurt AJ... and Wilder would have to take a lot more than he did against Ortiz and be able to hurt Liston.

I think Fury might develop into a world class talent the likes of whom might be able to give Liston some problems, at the top of his game, when and if he reaches it. But again, Liston was a finisher and if he hurt Fury he would not let him off the hook and would not take his foot off the gas.

[GGG Gloveking]

Half the forum would call him a bum until he beat Whyte

[FinitoxDinamita]

I see him beating everybody except for Fury.

[!! Anorak]

Here's footage of a Liston bout, proving he fought undersized opposition:

[chrisJS]

He would be undisputed champion. He is the most underrated HW champion.

I think him followed by Patterson are the two most underrated heavyweight champions in history.

[Coolkill]

Usyk would school him.