A toss up, but the key to beating Mike Tyson was a great jab. Sonny Liston had one of the best jabs ever, and a strong one as well.
The way I see this fight going is Mike Tyson doing what he always does, which is trying to attack Liston and get an early knockout. But Liston had a great chin, and forget the second Ali fight, he once fought a whole fight with his jaw broken. Tyson could catch him early on with some very solid hooks and uppercuts with his bob-and-weave, with great hand speed.
Then Tyson gasses out, realizes he can't hurt Liston, and gets discouraged. No way Tyson would be the bully in this one. Liston was very intimidating.
In round ten, Liston has weared down Tyson, and Mike is exhausted. Liston finishes him.
Liston KO10.
Liston was in his prime in 59/60 long before his fights with Clay/Ali, but was kept waiting by Cus D'Amato and the three 1 year trilogy of Patterson/Johannson. Everyday another old time trainer, fighter, etc that knew the real Liston passes away, so most rate Sonny only by his two Ali fights. I've been around boxing for 55 years now and saw the real Liston and believe me and many others that knew him and saw the real Liston and they'll tell you that he was miles ahead of the young Tyson.
Liston knocked out sparring partners with the jab alone, knocked out and sheared off teeth at the gum line and his uppercut would have been perfect for use against Tyson. They view it as another Foreman/Frazier type fight.
Sonny could box, slip punches and not taking anything away from Tyson, just feel that Liston was just a bigger version .Tyson himself has stated he copied Liston and idolized him and would not have wanted to fight him.
TKO stoppage by round 7 Liston wins.
Tyson at his peak was faster and hit as hard a Liston his constant bobbing weaving would cause Liston problems too if you watch Liston vs Patterson part 1 when Patterson bobbed and weaved Liston missed often Patterson quickly aborted that routine and was KOD fast Tyson would not have and his quick punches and body shots would hurt Liston Tysons jab was also as good as Listons at one point and he could take a punch Liston might of rocked Tyson a couple of time but would be knocked out in 5 or 6 rds
Everyone died around him you idiot his coach Cus D'mato practically adopted him and he passed away right before his fight against Buster. After that he had thugs, gangsters, and Don King in his corner. Even with them he beat a lot of great boxers from his generation. Tyson still holds the record as Youngest Heavyweight champ. In his prime no one could have stopped him. Tyson fan for life he accomplished more in the ring then you ever will in your life time. GOAT!!! Liston was great but a young Tyson would slip in with his peek-a-boo like style and end the night in the 4th round by a Left Hook.
KO 4 Tyson
Mike Tyson
both are bullies who lost when an opponent wasint intimidated and people say sonny was underrated how so ? and tyson is overrated and mentaly weak and people dont accept it and make excuses for him all the time if he lost because of his problems outside of the ring than that shows that he is mentaly weak and when he fought evander he lost because evander fought back now are you fans gonna invent excuses for that as well ? both guys have very decent chins tyson has the edge in speed and sonny has the height and reach both have power this is kind of hard to pick if both are mentaly weak so who wins and why ?
