Liston was a better boxer than Foreman.

Sonny Liston was a far better boxer than Foreman, and he had that strong broad-shouldered, long-armed build that made every punch hurt, from jabs to hooks to straight right hands.

And he lived angry, which helps a fighter fight.

People remember Ali's defeat of Foreman in 1974 as a great fight, and it was, in tactical terms. Foreman helped, by pressing so hard that he exhausted himself in the heat.

But for me, that first defeat of Liston was Ali at his finest. Still unproven, still so young, and going up against the man every heavyweight was afraid of... and with good reason.

He flat out planned for Foreman to get tired, and boy, did he ever. He showed up to beat Ali into submission, and that was his only goal. Nobody leaned backward like Ali did. Look at his Liston fights, when he was young. Dodging Liston's jabs and hooks and overhands, all by pulling his head JUST back far enough to avoid the blow... and countering immediately.

Ali was the most gifted in defense. Frazier the best in offense I think, and Foreman just so strong that he had to have an advantage.

But it was Liston, before Foreman. So strong, as an amateur in prison, the pro who showed up to demonstrate boxing to the prisoners said, literally, "get me outta this ring, that guy is gonna kill me!" That was the genesis of Liston's professional ambitions.