Sonny Liston vs Jersey Joe Walcott

[BrocktonBlockbuster49]

I am going to start another post about all time greats vs average heavyweights who would pose trouble to them.

but of course niether of these do are average heavyweights, sonny is a top 10 heavyweight of all time, and walcott is at least top 15 if not top 12.

but tough sonny is ranked higher all time, i think walcott had the style to beat liston. walcotts boxing and counterpunching skills, his hand speed, ring smarts, and add on his stylish shuffle and left hook would give liston fits.

liston was at his worst IMO against fast counterpunch slick boxers. even coutnerpunching eddie machen managed to give him a lot of problems in their 12 round fight. and eddie wasnt close to being in the same class as walcott in terms of boxing and defense. walcott had a decent chin, and its fair to say in his prime he was knocked out by two hard hitting heavyweights of all time joe louis and rocky marciano. and that shows liston can take walcott out as well.

but i see walcotts style giving liston fits with liston chasing walcott and walcott coutnering and moving and doing his shuffle. it will be hard for liston to get trhough walcotts defense and liston wasnt the best fighter after 10 rounds so that would pose even more trouble for liston. i also think he could back liston up and stall listons if he gets some good shots in there beccause walcott had a lot of power, enough to floor liston.

anyone else see walcott beating liston because of his style???

its funny cause walcott was the referee in ali-liston II

[Sherlock]

I'd have to say Liston by late TKO. Liston was really only given a serious fit against Ali, in which both bouts are shrouded in controversy. Liston had good hand speed and was a skilled boxer. It wouldn't be a walkover, but I'd say Liston handles Walcott pretty fairly.

I'd have to disagree that Walcott could back Liston up. Liston had one o the best jabs and chin in heavyweight history. I've seen the shot Cleveland Williams nailed him with that didn't even make Liston blink, and I'd say consensus is Williams is more powerful than Walcott.

Its hard, in my opinion, to rate Walcott against any other heavy due to his emergence as a great so late in his career. He is underrated and a great fighter, but I think Liston takes him out late, probably round 10 or 11, in a spirited encounter.

[dempseyfire]

I agree Walcott's counterpunching would greatly trouble Liston, as well as anybody. The Walcott who beat Louis in their first fight is one of the best HWs of all time, and incredibly under-rated. I wouldn't count him out vs Liston.

But Joe, while having a very solid chin, could be hurt (he was knocked out by the huge but realitively soft puncher Abe Simon), and I see the Liston jab setting up a monster left hook that takes Walcott out in the 10th in a fight he's winning but taking damage in.

Very good fight though. Two of the my favorites . .

[tiredoldngrey]

I think it is most likely that Liston would win, using his jab to back up and wear down Walcott...but I also feel that there is a very real chance of that jab proving Liston's undoing. Consider; Walcott was more than good at slipping a jab and countering with force. He floored Louis with a right off slipping a jab and dropped Marciano with a hook. Charles was cold-cocked by a left hook. Leotis Martin proved Listo could be kos by a real single punch

[Ambling Alp]

Have to go with Liston in this one. Liston wouldn't have that much trouble catching Walcott, and then he would take him out. Liston could take a punch well; he was way past his prime when he lost to Leotis Martin. Liston would probably win by KO in about the 6th or 7th round.

[Roco]

The problem I have is that I can't see Walcott shots troubling Liston too much. I would take Liston by late KO.

[Crease]

The Walcott who beat Louis in their first fight

Am I missing something here? Walcott never defeated Joe Louis. If you are referring to their 1947 clash, Joe Louis won that fight.

is one of the best HWs of all time, and incredibly under-rated.

I'm with you on that, one hundred percent. Walcott is horribly underrated these days. Definitely a top 20 Heavyweight.

[Crease]

Liston vs Walcott

Entering this fight, Liston would have to be the favourite and I would expect most people to predict a Liston victory. But this isn't the easy fight that some or making it out to be.

Walcott's style and flamboyance would give Sonny great difficulty and I think BrocktonBlockbuster said it best:

walcott had the style to beat liston.
i see walcotts style giving liston fits with liston chasing walcott and walcott coutnering and moving and doing his shuffle. it will be hard for liston to get trhough walcotts defense

And I go along with that.

Walcott had the tools to win this matchup, and I wouldn't have been surprised if he did.

[Techno89]

I agree that Walcotts style would be a challenge for Liston but I just think that if Liston caught him then he will be able to over power Walcott. But It would be an interseting and close fight.

But Liston wins

[Goodnight, Irene]

The Walcott who beat Louis in their first fight

Am I missing something here? Walcott never defeated Joe Louis. If you are referring to their 1947 clash, Joe Louis won that fight.

is one of the best HWs of all time, and incredibly under-rated.

I'm with you on that, one hundred percent. Walcott is horribly underrated these days. Definitely a top 20 Heavyweight.

Most (not all) observers felt Walcott won the first fight with Louis (to my knowlege, the full film does not exist).

[Cutman Scabbers]

Jersey Joe was a great fighter, but I don't think he'd match up well against Liston.

[raylawpc]

The Walcott who beat Louis in their first fight

Am I missing something here? Walcott never defeated Joe Louis. If you are referring to their 1947 clash, Joe Louis won that fight.

is one of the best HWs of all time, and incredibly under-rated.

I'm with you on that, one hundred percent. Walcott is horribly underrated these days. Definitely a top 20 Heavyweight.

Most (not all) observers felt Walcott won the first fight with Louis (to my knowlege, the full film does not exist).

Two the three most important observers thought he lost . . .

[Goodnight, Irene]

Well, thats not always the best indicator, putting it mildly

I often think of Louis' popularity, as well. Remember that Ali got some breaks when he was a popular champion...it wouldnt surprise me if that was the case here. That said, I admit to not having seen the full fight.

[iamasadlittleboy]

Am I missing something here? Walcott never defeated Joe Louis. If you are referring to their 1947 clash, Joe Louis won that fight. I'm with you on that, one hundred percent. Walcott is horribly underrated these days. Definitely a top 20 Heavyweight.

Most (not all) observers felt Walcott won the first fight with Louis (to my knowlege, the full film does not exist).

Two the three most important observers thought he lost . . .

Funny feeling that I have read that even Louis felt he lost it.

[Goodnight, Irene]

Walcott might have better luck with a Tyson or Dempsey, because he would not need to negotiate Liston's absurd reach.

Sure, Tyson and Dempsey were significantly speedier than Liston, but Walcott had good speed of his own and, more importantly, GREAT timing.

I think he'd start an underdog against all three, but hes live any way you slice it. Just a little more durability and his stock would go quite a ways up, IMO.

[Crease]

Most (not all) observers felt Walcott won the first fight with Louis

Two the three most important observers thought he lost . . .

To be fair, I do remember reading that.

[raylawpc]

Most (not all) observers felt Walcott won the first fight with Louis (to my knowlege, the full film does not exist).

Two the three most important observers thought he lost . . .

Funny feeling that I have read that even Louis felt he lost it.

I don't recall Louis ever saying that he felt he lost to Walcott. As I recall, he said he was disgusted with his performance. Those two things are not the same.

[iamasadlittleboy]

Two the three most important observers thought he lost . . .

Funny feeling that I have read that even Louis felt he lost it.

I don't recall Louis ever saying that he felt he lost to Walcott. As I recall, he said he was disgusted with his performance. Those two things are not the same.

You may be right, I wasn't reading a first hand account, think it was some pictorial history of boxing books (the Nat Fleischer things) so I'm likely wrong :)