Sonny Liston Would of beat Ali if he would of faced him when he was younger

[ICB]

I agree with Sweetpea he was just too good for Liston and i didn't realize judges had it that close as Sweetpea said they must of been getting legless to have them scores because he was outjabbing outslicking Liston all night only round Liston won was the 5th.

[The Whirlwind]

Remember folks, everyone at the time thought Liston was going to murder the young loudmouth Louisville Lip.
It was a foregone conclusion.
Clay was going down it was only a matter of time.
Doctors checking Clay before the fight were concerned that his heart rate was too high and his hyper behaviour was because he was in an unstable condition.
People saw this as fear, and in part they may have been right, but there was also an equal measure of excitement as well.

Yeah we all know what happened... a Legend was born, the greatest boxing legend ever known to humankind.
Poor old Sonny, if only he had known to keep his hands up.

Personally I don't think there was ever a fighter in any weight that compares to Ali in early 1967.

[BIG H]

Clay wasn't at his prime either when they fought

Should be a question of early seventies Ali against early sixties Liston

[DarkDestroyer]

Whirlwind. i think you're right
The most beautyful thing that i have ever seen in a ring

[Punisher136]

The answer to your question is easy...... NO.

Ali would've beaten the crap out of Liston whether Liston was 25, 28, 32, or 35 years old. Ali was better, plain and simple.
Their fight wasn't close. The only round Liston won was the round where Ali was blinded by an illegal substance that got into his eyes.

I'm not gonna say the substance was illegal but thats exactly my point. Ali couldn't see for a whole round and gave liston plenty of opportunities to beat him. SInce liston couldn't beat him them, he wouldn't beat him at any point. He should've atleast made the fight earlier so ali could get the title of being the youngest heavyweight champ of all time as opposed to being 3rd all time.

[Jimanuel Boogustus]

Its hard to say. Liston was a recking ball. I still fancy Clay but Liston was past it when he fought in 64.

He was probably past it when he fought Patterson

[LUCKY_13]

I know there is alot of Ali fans out there. I mean even i love Ali but i don't think he was a god like many do which is fine because it there right as a fan.

Now for what my topic. When Sonny Liston first fought Ali he was 35 maybe older was out of shape and had a drinking problem and still was even on the score cards before his shoulder injury which was legit at least as far as my knowledge goes. So what i am saying if Sonny Liston was younger and in his prime i think he would of had a good chance at winning. Just my thought i looking forward to what people while say to that.

The argument can be 'if this happened' and 'if that happened', fact is he lost. I feel sorry for him that he was out of shape and drinking, but Ali was a champion and if Liston had any chance to beat him...he should trained hard and properly, he didn't. So Liston lost to Ali, but lost to himself also.

[Pugilistic]

liston still would not be able to handle the speed, movement and skill of ali

[Mr140]

Well i guess we will never find out but if did sound like a interesting idea i think so at least.

[rob7022000]

First, i just have to praise Mr140 for his series of of well thought out posts.

It has been claimed that Liston was much older than his official age when he faught Ali.

Liston was a much better boxer than people give him credit for and people just tend to associate him with raw punching power.

If I compare liston to fighters like Frazier and Shavers, then I would argue a prime Liston would have given Ali pre prison one hell of a fight. Post prison, where Ali would sit back and take punishment, I think it would be very close because unlike Frazier, liston would use that ram-rod jab. I remember Bob Foster's jab causing Ali problems.

I'd still give the edge to Ali, due to his freakish physical strength. Ali isn't usually associated with being a big puncher. I can't remember him setting his feet and letting a punch go with 80%-90% or even 100% of his power. However, I think a prime Liston would have forced him to do it, just to keep him off him.

Anyway, I'm biased because Liston is my second favourite fighter ever.

[Mr140]

listen man this is boxing is hard not to be bias on the fighters you like

[Majesty]

The score cards were as followed Judge had Liston 58-56, judge Ali up by the same thing and referee had it even he had more then a round. And I would have disagree Liston was past it at 35 dude and i think if he was younger in his prime he give Ali a hard time.

They scored on a 10 point must system back then I don't think so..

[Punisher136]

The score cards were as followed Judge had Liston 58-56, judge Ali up by the same thing and referee had it even he had more then a round. And I would have disagree Liston was past it at 35 dude and i think if he was younger in his prime he give Ali a hard time.

They scored on a 10 point must system back then    I don't think so...

Yeah that is very odd.

[Trainer Monkey]

I like Liston,but Ali in his prime was an incredibly frustraiting fighter for a heavyweight,because of his unreal elusivness.
And as another poster pointed out,Ali when he stopped slipping,and set,through a mule kick of a punch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU2YPXghFkU

[Majesty]

The score cards were as followed Judge had Liston 58-56, judge Ali up by the same thing and referee had it even he had more then a round. And I would have disagree Liston was past it at 35 dude and i think if he was younger in his prime he give Ali a hard time.

They scored on a 10 point must system back then I don't think so...

Yeah that is very odd.

Yeah there wasn't a 10 point must system back then, there was a round by round system

As in if Ali won rounds 1-2-3-4 and liston won round 5 with round 6 even it would be

4-1-1

I don't think there was a 10 point must back then. Heck there wasn't even one when Ali fought Frazier.