BoxRec

Who was better.

Liston

two of my top 5 heavyweights of all time, and two of my favorites. i give liston the edge here but marciano defintley has a chance

This gives me a reason to break out the Mighty Univac fight simulator once again ....I'll run it tonight just out of curiosity. I have a hard time imagining Rocky winning this one.

I think Marciano was better, but Liston's style could be a bad match-up for him.

I go with Sonny.

Sorry in advance to the Rocky Fans....Seems reality based to me. Unusual outcome for TB II. Only ran this one time and here is what it came up with.

http://www.boxrec.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=62405

I tend to rank Rocky higher top 10 all time at Heavyweight, but I would favor Liston to beat Rocky.

I Feel Fine wrote:I tend to rank Rocky higher top 10 all time at Heavyweight, but I would favor Liston to beat Rocky.

Now how is this consistent?

I would pick Lennox Lewis to beat Joe Louis... I wouldn't rank Lewis over Louis... styles make fights... do you rank Tarver over Jones or Kirkland Laing over Duran?

Marciano was better than Liston, I agree that Liston could give Marciano trouble, especially early to mid rounds. But nobody knocks Rocky out, down maybe, but not out. Close decision either way, but I just fancy Marciano.

My observation is that most people would rank the 1959 (prime) Liston higher than the 1952 (prime) Marciano, and yet Marciano tops most 1950s heavyweight lists. Maybe because Liston didn't hold the championship in the 50s, even though most agree that the pre-champ Liston was better than the champ Liston.

I don't know that pre-champ Liston was better than champ Liston... despite everything Patterson was his best win, and I don't think he ever beats Ali...

I think it depends on what you're asking. If you're asking about performance then you could probably go either way. If you're talking about achievement then I would say that beating Walcott is better than beating Cleveland Williams. If you're asking who beats who I would go with 59 Liston.

Liston, by car crash / Texas chainsaw massacre

I wouldn't know who was better until I saw the fight.

Marciano, of course, never pulled anything like the two fakes Liston had with Clay.

If Rocky could weather the storm, he could win it. Liston would never outlast Rocky. He would bust him up something awful early. Maybe to the point where the referee would have no choice but to stop it. Rocky had more heart than any fighter who ever stepped inside a ring. If the ref let him fight, he would eventually impose his stronger will on Liston. Joe Louis said he could never have beaten Rocky. That says it all.

granberry wrote:I wouldn't know who was better until I saw the fight.

.

My guess is you still wouldn't know. But if you asked me nice I'd bring you up to speed.

granberry wrote: two fakes Liston had with Clay.

Nonsense.

I Feel Fine wrote:
I tend to rank Rocky higher top 10 all time at Heavyweight, but I would favor Liston to beat Rocky.


Now how is this consistent?

I rate Rocky as No5 of all time, and Liston as No10, but I think a prime Liston would beat a prime Rocky.

id have to pick liston just because of his style...but with his chin/heart i wouldnt be surprised to see decision for rocky.

I Feel Fine wrote:

granberry wrote: two fakes Liston had with Clay.

Nonsense.

Don't worry about crankberry. He's just a nutcase with an Ali fetish.

Decagon wrote:Only faggots rank fighters based on mystical "primes." Marciano accomplished a lot as a heavyweight; Liston didn't.

actually liston accomplished almost as most as anyone in history, read my article on sonny liston too see how. which is why i rank liston top 3. he accomplished ALOT and no champ was more dominaant against world class opposition in there prime than liston was

This would be close.

Rocky's style was made to order for Liston, but Sonny did not have great stamina & Rocky could fight for 300 rounds if he had to & still be dangerous right until the final bell.

The likeliest outcome is a Liston TKO, but it would not surprise me if Rocky survived a Liston onslaught & stopped Sonny late.

Liston would have been too big for Rocky. I pick Liston by stoppage in 8 rounds. Too bad that he is remembered more of the 2 Ali fights. But from 1958 to 1962, Liston beat stronger fighters than Marciano, and in their prime.

Heavyweight ratings: I pick Marciano over Liston
pound per pound ratings: The same
Head to Head matchup: Liston...Too big.

elmersalsa wrote:Liston would have been too big for Rocky. I pick Liston by stoppage in 8 rounds. Too bad that he is remembered more of the 2 Ali fights. But from 1958 to 1962, Liston beat stronger fighters than Marciano, and in their prime.

Heavyweight ratings: I pick Marciano over Liston
pound per pound ratings: The same
Head to Head matchup: Liston...Too big.

This post bothers me a little. Liston was 6'1" and 210-215. Marciano was 5'11" and 185-190. That's a noticeable difference, but hardly hulking or insurmountable. There have been hundreds of instances of fighters overcoming that size difference. Heck, Marciano himself destroyed a few guys bigger than Liston. Now, this is not to say that Liston's size wouldn't be an advantage against Marciano, but he wouldn't just be "too big." You could say, "I think Liston's size, along with his formidable skill and a stylistic advantage would enable him to beat Marciano" or something to that effect(which I think is probably what you meant), but the way you put it in that post was a bit irksome.