BoxRec

What would have happened if Joe Frazier had defended the title against Liston rather than take on Bob Foster ?

BOXINGBARMY1 wrote:What would have happened if Joe Frazier had defended the title against Liston rather than take on Bob Foster ?

The 1970 Frazier would have beaten Liston IMO but again IMO a peak Liston would have stopped Frazier in an absolute war

Liston had lost to Leotis Martin in nine rounds a year earlier, going down on his face, so you would expect a quicker win for the 1970 model of Frazier, who was a monster, every bit as monstrous as the 1988 version of Mike Tyson. Frazier hit Bob Foster so hard that Foster broke his ankle in the fall.
OK, some people compare Liston with George Foreman when they throw Frazier into the equation, but I doubt that Liston would have brushed Frazier aside as Foreman did. Liston would probably have lost heart anyway as Frazier continued to get up as he did against Foreman in their first fight.
It's all Frazier.

Liston should have been involved in the tourney after Ali was stripped, but can naturally see why he wasn't.

In someways though I do feel the dubious nature of his fights with Ali have kind of enhanced his legacy I think (as weird as it sounds) people seem to ignore that Ali was a stella amateur and went on to become IMO undoubtedly the greatest heavyweight of all time.

Yet I still feel when people, from around that era, speak about the Liston vs Clay fights that had Liston not have some involvements and a dodgy past he would have munched Clay. Doesn't matter that Liston was in his mid 30's, probably slowing up already, didn't exactly have a great long reign to prove his championship credentials and that scrawny kid from Louisville went on to become one of the greatest of all time.

A bit like Leonard vs Duran, oh it was Duran's partying that cost him against Leonard in rematch - nothing about Leonard maybe learning to adapt and just doing what he should have done in fight 1. Leonard came pretty close to beating a "no excuses" Duran fighting the complete wrong fight.

Would people be that stunned now if Joshua beat Vitali now?

Tend to agree with Bennie.

Would have been a good tussle though.

Listons' jab v Fraziers' bobbing and weaving left hooks and right crosses.

Could have been FIGHT OF 1970!

BOXINGBARMY1 wrote:Tend to agree with Bennie.

Would have been a good tussle though.

Listons' jab v Fraziers' bobbing and weaving left hooks and right crosses.

Could have been FIGHT OF 1970!

Liston was detested by anyone who was anyone in boxing and was never going to get a break. You are right, he had the ability to make it a tussle for a few rounds with Frazier but boxing is all about timing and it was Frazier's time.