Thread: Sonny Liston vs. George Foreman

Two of the most menacing characters in boxing history.

Both had serious power in their punches and were viewed as unstoppable at one point.

Who wins this? Keep in mind that they actually sparred when George was younger.

The Foreman who blew away Frazier would blow away any version of Liston in my opinion.

I'll take Liston by KO/TKO. I think George was too crude at the time to deal with Liston's sledgehammer jab and power punching.

These were the 2 of the most intimidating heavyweight champions ever. Liston had a powerful jab and I think he would have kept George at bay with that, coupled with the fact that George looked up to Sonny I would say Liston would win on points.

At first I went straight to Foreman, but you guys got a point there--Liston's jab was something that would have given Goerge some trouble--it was like a power shot, and George woulda been off-balance or interrupted in his coming in to fire punches. Lyle's jab really blew Foreman's game. But George got Lyle in the end who was a great boxer and hit as hard as Liston for sure. Ron Lyle was no joke. He is the 70s version of Sonny Liston.

If it werent for Ali and Foreman I think Lyle woulda been champ.

I'm going with Liston too

Foreman is not going to physically impose his will on Liston ... who hit just as hard but was a better boxer

I say the Liston who was cleaning out the division while Patterson avoided him beats Foreman

I also give Liston the edge due to his being a better boxer. Maybe 7 out of 10 fights. As with all huge punchers, I'd have to make a concession to Foreman's chances, mainly because Liston could be hit and it wouldn't take more than a couple of Foreman bombs to put Liston in trouble.

Good thread.

Just like all hypothetical matchups, it very much depends on 'which' Liston and 'which' Foreman are fighting.

Liston was already over the hill by the time he fought Patterson. He had cleared out the division twice by them and was most probably much older than his official birthdate states. By the time he fought Cassius Clay, he had already slown down, got ponderous and was sacrificing technique in favour of power punching - a bit like Tyson several generations later. The younger Liston was never a speedster, but he was much faster. Whatever age he was, he was a vicious fighter and a tough tough man. There is no way any version of Liston would be intimidated by any version of Foreman.

Sonny did have a solid technique. He was never flashy, and he modelled himself on Joe Louis. I think his jab and the straight right/left hook combo would have caused Foreman lots of problems, and Sonny's power was up there with the best of them.

Foreman was an awesome physical specimen, he would have been easily the biggest strongest fighter that Liston had ever faced. When he was young, he launched an all out assault on his opponents. I think that he would have been too wild, too crude to blow Liston away. I think Liston weathers the storm and starts to take control after the 3rd round, stopping Foreman in the mid rounds.

Foreman Mark II, after his comeback was a totally different animal. He was old, so had limited stamina, a different persona in and out of the ring and he was a cagey, clever old pug. He set ambushes for people and was quite clever about it. I think that a prime Sonny doesn't get suckered into this, and just systematically beats George up over 12 rounds.

'Prime' Foreman (IMO) is something we never saw. He retired after the Jimmy Young loss before he was in his prime, and he came back after he had left it. I think prime Liston defeats both Young Foreman and Old George ...... but neither of those is Prime Foreman. Who knows what would have happened, because we dont know how good he would have been in that prime.

Foreman was definitely prime against Ali, Norton, Roman, and Frazier.

Young, yes, but he was in his prime. I don't see how you cannot be in your prime after 35 or so fights. Its like saying Waldo wasn't in his prime when Sanders raped him.

Originally Posted by Beanflicker

I'll take Liston by KO/TKO. I think George was too crude at the time to deal with Liston's sledgehammer jab and power punching.

No way my friend, young Foreman had a killer jab of his own. Foreman's jab was one of the first things I remember about him. Liston was a monster in and out of the ring, but Foreman would have dismantled him in the ring.

Originally Posted by beenKOed

Originally Posted by Beanflicker

I'll take Liston by KO/TKO. I think George was too crude at the time to deal with Liston's sledgehammer jab and power punching.

No way my friend, young Foreman had a killer jab of his own. Foreman's jab was one of the first things I remember about him. Liston was a monster in and out of the ring, but Foreman would have dismantled him in the ring.

lol

Liston was more of a monster than Foreman and he didn't abandon his jab like Foreman did when he fell in love with his power.

Originally Posted by TysonBomb

I don't see how you cannot be in your prime after 35 or so fights. Its like saying Waldo wasn't in his prime when Sanders raped him.

I disagree, different people hit their primes at different times. Prime = top form, both physically and skill wise. Wlad of 2003 isn't nearly the fighter Wlad of 2007-onward is.