BoxRec

Could have happened, Liston wouldn't get a title shot because he's not ranked, so lets say it's a 10 rd bout. Marciano is 49-0, Sonny is 13-1. Who wins and how ?

I've always sensed that Liston might have been too much for Rocky, who was small and hittable. Sonny, who had brutish upper-body strength and packed knockout power in all his punches, might have stopped Marciano early. Something similar to Foreman-Frazier I.

But not in 1956. Liston was too green.

That year, Marciano would have beaten him down over five or six rounds. I could imagine Liston getting badly discouraged too, same as the first Ali fight.

However I do think the 1956 Liston might have scored an opening round knockdown, possibly even two. But Rocky would recover and pound Sonny relentlessly for the rest of the fight.

X2

I think one of two scenarios would occur. Either it's too big of a step up for Liston and Marciano is able to impose his will on him with constant aggression and wins something like 6-4, or Liston asserts himself and takes advantage of his superior power and strength and wins by a similar score.

At that time of the great Sonny Liston's career, I would favor the great Rocky Marciano over him.

But the 1958-61 version of Liston, who was a season veteran by then beats any version of Marciano in a slugfest by knockout in 11 rounds.