Sonny Liston v Jim Jeffries Over 25 Rounds

[McGrain]

I pick Liston to outpoint Jeffries pretty clinically over 12 and 15, what about this longer distance? Arguably the hardest hitting HW v arguably the heavyweight with the best chin over 25 has to be a fascinating one.

Let's say they're fighting with the 1930's ruleset.

Peak for peak, both very well prepared.

Who wins and why?

[Marnoff]

I think Sonny just closes the show. I don't think the 25 rounds would factor in. Too strong.

[janitor]

While Jeffries is in my opinion the hardest heavyweight champion to take out Liston might just be the man to do it. Under the 1930s rule set he has an excelent chance of outscoring or stoping Jeffries over 15 rounds or 25 if he can last that distence. If he starts to tire down the stretch however Jeffries will have him.

If the fight is under the rule set of Jeffries era then Jeff will probably tie him up wear him down and stop him late.

[cross_trainer]

Jeffries has neither the chin (while good, it isn't THAT good) nor the one punch power to stand up to Liston in a slugfest. His best chance would be under his own rules--where he could fight out of the clinches without fear of separation and the skill on the outside to fight with smaller gloves vis-a-vis Sonny.

So, under 30's rules, I'd pick Liston by KO.

[Joe E]

Sonny was strong but Jeff is stronger.Sonny would cut Jeff up with his Jab as Fitzsimmons had cut him in there first bout,but this would not bother Jeff.Using more modern rules Sonny would definitly be out pointing Jeff but not much as Jeff was not the lumbering Ox people have made him out to be.Jeff could move side to side and in and out,not like Ali,but he could do it.Jeff was a decent Boxer. He was also hard to get at with effective punches as he fought out of a crough.Throughout the fight and at 15rds I would give sonny an edge based on there styles and based on the more modern rules.But at 25rds no.I see Jeff K.O.ing Sonny as 25rds was more advantages to Jeff.Jeffries K.O. 20th round

[mcvey]

I pick Liston to outpoint Jeffries pretty clinically over 12 and 15, what about this longer distance? Arguably the hardest hitting HW v arguably the heavyweight with the best chin over 25 has to be a fascinating one.

Let's say they're fighting with the 1930's ruleset.

Peak for peak, both very well prepared.

Who wins and why?
Its a moot point whether Sonny could go 25 rds ,he wasnt a dedicated trainer ,and liked his grog,but if he could I see him outpointing Jeffries behind his pole like jab.

[punchy]

I see a Liston KO after a brutal beating

[Ramon Rojo]

Liston by KO early

[C. M. Clay II]

I think Sonny just closes the show. I don't think the 25 rounds would factor in. Too strong.

Bingo!:good

[Duodenum]

Jeff wasn't really an infighter, but somebody who, like Foreman, would shove an opponent who moved in close back out into his comfortable punching range. Unfortunately for both Foreman and Jeffries, that would also be Sonny's comfortable range with his jab. Assuming that George and Jeff have a significant physical strength advantage on Sonny, it's still a punching sport, and Sonny possessed the long straight jab and extended hook necessary to outscore both from their mutually preferred distance. For me, it's a pick em situation over 25 rounds, but however long it lasts, and regardless of who wins, Sonny would be ahead on points at the match's conclusion. Jeff could only win by stopping Sonny.

[he grant]

Jeffries never even dreamed of anyone like Sonny ... Liston would have destroyed him inside of eight or ten rounds tops ....

[PowerPuncher]

As Joe Frazier said when asked what happens if he doesn't stop Ali by the round he predicted 'What the hell do you think Im just going to jump out of the ring or something'

It seems many people think 15 round fighters are going to jump out the ring at the end of 15rounds in a 25round contest

[he grant]

No but the Jeffries legend is that he was the toughest with the greatest stamina ... it's one thing to slug it out with smaller men but a whole other thing to take on an exceptional guy like Liston.

[heehoo]

Over 25 rounds? Let's see:

Liston had power in both hands, excellent reach (maybe the longest in history, not sure) and great boxing skills, to go along with a granite chin.

Jeffries had a great left, was slow but powerful, and was durable in his prime.

But over 25 rounds, I'd say Liston by KO. Too many hard, accurate shots to handle, even for Jeff.

[Brian123]

You guys are giving Jeffries the short end of the stick here!

The oft used bio/description of the "Boilermaker" sums him up pretty well:

"James Jackson Jeffries (Jim) was a great fighter at the turn of the century, when boxing styles and techniques were a bit cruder than today but fighters were more rugged and possessed greater spunk and stamina.

He was a big, strong heavyweight who struck sledge-hammer blows with each fist, similar to Rocky Marciano and George Foreman of more recent years. Jeffries often fought from a crouch and sprang forward with dangerous punches.

Fighting in a time when hard work and manual labor was at its peak, Jeffries was always in magnificent physical condition. He was rugged beyond belief, possessed a granite chin, and absorbed punishment without blinking. In addition, he was a patient fighter who seemed to possess unlimited endurance.
Jeffries won the Heavyweight Championship in only his thirteenth fight
He scored the quickest knockout in Heavyweight Championship history - 55 seconds
He was never defeated during his prime
He was never knocked down during his prime
--------------

No question he could go deep into a fight as he did with Jim Corbett and maybe Liston before the KO.

[pugilist_boyd]

everyone here must e talking about the shell of the real jeffries, the one who fought johnson.thats like judging louis by his rocky fight,ali by his last fights instead of his prime,or holfield by his most recent fight.the real jeff could out box you,a master at knowing the distance and timing to destroy you with a fastjab from the outside springing in and an awsome left hook.or he could simply trade with you untill you either fall down or die.a bloody jeffries ko,s liston inside of 15)

[Maxmomer]

I don't think much of Jeffries. He was badly troubled by a shot Corbett, drew with a weak chinned light-heavy in Choynski, and went life and death with a crude, slugging 180 pounder in Sharkey. Liston stops him.

[SuzieQ49]

Pugilist, I dont think Louis who fought marciano belongs in the same category as the ali who fought holmes and jeffries who fought johnson.


the louis who fought marciano was still whipping on the top young contenders in the heavyweight division, while ali in 1980 and jeffries were defintley not and coming off long layoffs.

[Mendoza]

I don't think much of Jeffries. He was badly troubled by a shot Corbett, drew with a weak chinned light-heavy in Choynski, and went life and death with a crude, slugging 180 pounder in Sharkey. Liston stops him.

This might be because you don't know enough to make a good guess.

Jeffries vs Corbett was about even until he KO.

Choynski was in his prime and a veteran with a KO win over Jack Johnson. Jeffries was a green novice. While the offical call was a draw, Choynski was floored 3 times, and coasted in the 2nd half of the fight.

Jeffries beat a prime Sharkey, likley Sharkey's best effort with an injrured shoulder, under white hot lights.

Corbett, Choynski and Sharkey are Hall of fame fighters.

I could say Liston could not put away quick boxer Machen who was NO Corbett.

Liston lost to and was FLOORED and LOST by a smaller and weaker Marshall.

And Liston was badly KO'd vs Martin.

[mcvey]

This might be because you don't know enough to make a good guess.

Jeffries vs Corbett was about even until he KO.

Choynski was in his prime and a veteran with a KO win over Jack Johnson. Jeffries was a green novice. While the offical call was a draw, Choynski was floored 3 times, and coasted in the 2nd half of the fight.

Jeffries beat a prime Sharkey, likley Sharkey's best effort with an injrured shoulder, under white hot lights.

Corbett, Choynski and Sharkey are Hall of fame fighters.

I could say Liston could not put away quick boxer Machen who was NO Corbett.

Liston lost to and was FLOORED and LOST by a smaller and weaker Marshall.

And Liston was badly KO'd vs Martin.
Including the Martin defeat is a little like including Jeffries ko by Johnson, M. Even at an advanced age Liston floored Martin before he ran out of gas. I think Liston had more tools than Jeffries,,and if he trained diligently ,I see him winning this fight,by dec or tko.

[SuzieQ49]

I could say Liston could not put away quick boxer Machen who was NO Corbett.


Watching the films, Machen looked alot more polished and modernized than corbett. Corbett fought bareknuckle style, a style that wouldnt work in the 1960s.......machens style was very modernly technical

[mcvey]

Sonny Liston looks powerful, but if you actually look at his record, he only has a 72% KO average, not even close to Vitali, Foreman and Marciano who all have around 90%.

Jeffries wins this, he has an iron chin and Liston doesn't have the stamina to go the distance.
Liston ,not only looked powerful, he was powerful,he had a giants statistics compressed into a 6' 1'' body. Ko percentages dont tell the full story and should be used only as a guide, Ike Williams was a great puncher ,yet his% is not astounding.