Joe Louis vs Sonny Liston
Joe Louis and Sonny Liston were two of the most dangerous Heavyweights to ever step into the ring. Both fighters were great finishers once their opponent was hurt. A prime Liston boasted an iron jaw and possibly the most punishing jab in the history of the sport. Louis brought a lethal combination of speed, accuracy and power to the table.
We fed all the data on these two fighters into our program and what follows are the round by round results!
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The fighters are in the ring receiving their last instructions from referee Arthur Mercante. Two of the most dangerous fighters in Heavyweight history are getting ready to square off against one another here tonight. Both have the ability to turn a fight with a single punch. Liston has a size and reach advantage as well as possessing one of the most punish jabs in the history of the division. Louis has knockout power in both hands as well as an edge in hand-speed.
The fighters have returned to their corners and the crowd is on the edge of their seats waiting for the bell to begin the opening round. And there’s the bell!
Round 1
The fighters exchange jabs in ring center. Louis ducks under and Liston jab and bangs a hard hook to the body! Louis with a big right cross to Liston’s head! Liston is moving back towards the ropes. Joe Louis opening up with several shots to the body and another to the head. Liston catches Louis with a combination coming off the ropes. Liston rocks Louis with a right uppercut. Louis digs hard to the body as the bell sounds ending the opening round.
Round 2
Louis ducks another Liston jab and bangs two lefts and a right to the body. Louis body shots have got to take a toll as the fight progresses. Louis with a left uppercut and right to Liston’s chin. Liston fires back and misses. A big right hand to Liston’s head. Liston’s knee’s bucked slightly! Joe Louis with a beautiful right uppercut. Liston ties him up. Liston’s taking a lot of punishment over these first two rounds. Louis raking Liston with sharp punches to the body – and now the head. Liston can’t seem to do anything here in this – the second round. There’s the bell!
Round 3
Here we are in the third – Oh! Liston catches Louis with a beautiful right uppercut. That punch stopped Joe momentarily. Here comes Liston! He’s digging hard to the body. I think Joe’s hurt by those shots! Left hook to the head by Liston. Night Train’s movin’ down the tracks! Louis lands a right hand. Louis jabs Liston. Liston unloading to Louis’ body. Liston machine-gunning Louis to the body and hurting him! A combination to the head from Sonny Liston – Louis is stunned! There’s the bell ending the round.
Round 4
We’re here in the 4th and both fighters are still unmarked. Louis and Liston trade jabs. Louis with a three-punch combination to the head. He’s backing Liston up. Liston goes hard to Louis’ body again. A big right cross from Liston. Left hook from Liston. Joe Louis nails Liston with a hard left uppercut. Both fighters are trading along the ropes… and there’s the bell.
Round 5
Louis and Liston trading heavy jabs as round 5 gets underway. Liston nails Louis with a hard left hook. Louis is staggered! Louis is in trouble! Liston opening up but Louis is riding with the punches well. Louis with a right to the body. Liston goes back to the body. A right to Louis’ head from Liston. Louis looks hurt again! Oh! Louis’ eye is swelling up like a balloon! There’s the bell.
Round 6
Louis fires a combination to Liston’s head. Joe Louis digs a hook to Liston’s side. Louis, a right and left to the head. Both fighters trade right hands. Louis goes to Liston’s body again. Two crisps shots to from Louis to the head. Louis nails Liston with a huge right cross! Liston’s backing up! Here comes Joe Louis. Louis – going to the body… now the head – and there’s the bell. Joe’s eye still looks bad but that was a big round for him, nonetheless.
Round 7
We’re in the 7th. The pace has slowed. Louis and Liston are clinching in ring center. Louis going to Liston’s body with a combination. Oh, nice right cross from Sonny Liston. That punch shook Louis! Liston with a big uppercut and down goes Louis!
Louis was dropped to his knees by that big Liston uppercut. Louis pulls himself up with the ropes at the count of 4! Here’s comes Sonny Liston! Liston with a right to the body. Liston with a right hook to the chin, and down goes Louis again! Joe Louis, down for the second time this round! Louis is slowly getting to his feet. He’s up at the count of 7, but he looks hurt! The referee taking a closer look at Louis. He’s going to allow this fight to continue. Liston with another big right to the chin! Louis is against the ropes. Liston going to the body! Two big shots to the head. Louis is taking a beating! Big uppercut from Liston. Louis is in all kinds of trouble. Louis staggers off the ropes. There’s the bell! Manny Seamon is going to have his work cut out for him in the corner.
Round 8
Joe Louis is moving a bit more as bell has sounded to begin the 8th round. Joe Louis moving to Liston’s left – using the jab. Liston nails Joe with another uppercut on the inside. Louis’ legs buckle slightly! Louis firing back! Joe Louis with a three-punch combination to Liston’s head. I think Liston’s hurt? Yes, Liston’s hurt! That three-punch combination hurt Liston! Louis digs to the body again. And now the head. Sony Liston is under heavy fire and he’s taking enormous punishment now! How Joe Louis recovered from the beating he took in the 7th to turn the tide here in the 8th, I have no idea! Louis digging hard again to Liston’s body and there’s the bell.
Round 9
Louis using his jab effectively. Liston seems to be slowing up. Louis with a quick right to the head and left to the body. Liston’s jabbing back. A good left to the body from Louis. They’re clinching again. Both fighters are taking a bit of a break. Joe Louis hooks to Liston’s head. Liston with a hook to the body. They clinch again in ring center. There’s the bell. Sonny Liston looks tired as he returns to his corner. I think the Louis body attack from the earlier rounds is beginning to pay off.
Round 10
Louis jars Liston with a 4 punch combination to the head. Joe Louis with a hard right to the temple. Liston’s left eye is beginning to swell. Louis snapping Liston’s head with three crisp jabs. Liston responds with a right to the body. Louis mixing up his attack upstairs, downstairs. Liston trying to use the jab, but he’s missing more than he’s connecting. Louis is fighting from long range, now. He’s scoring with sharp, clean punches. Liston needs to step it up. The momentum has noticeably turned in favor of Joe Louis.
Round 11
Sonny Liston with a nice left to the body. Louis with a nice straight left. Louis with a quick right to the chin, and Sonny Liston drops to one knee! Here comes the count! Liston’s up at 3, and here comes Joe Louis. Louis, with a sharp right hand to the head. Joe Louis has Sonny Liston trapped in the corner and he’s unloading the thunder! Liston’s in trouble! Liston’s taking a beating! I think this fight is going to be stopped! And there’s the bell. Talk about being “saved by the bell.” Sonny Liston was saved from an almost certain TKO. They’re working feverously in his corner, trying to clear his head. I don’t know if they can work magic, but they’re going to have to try!
Round 12
Liston’s standing up in the corner. I can’t believe it. His swelling seems to have gone down and he looks read to fight! There’s the bell. Liston with a hard snapping jab. Left hook from Louis. Down goes Liston! Liston’s on the seat of his trunks from that Louis left! He’s getting up slowly. Liston is up at the count of 7! He wants to continue! Louis tags Liston with three, four, five good head shots. Liston misses with a right. Louis – right cross! Liston’s down! That right cross drops Liston to both knees. Liston looks like he’s clearing his head and catching his breath. He’s up at the count of 8! Louis is jabbing. He’s backing Liston up. Big right cross and down goes Liston again! Sonny tried grabbing the ropes on his way down but missed. I don’t know if he’s going to beat the count. Wait, he’s up! He’s up at the count of 8! How much time is left? I can’t see the clock from here? I can’t believe Mercante is going to let this go on! God, I love this sport.
Louis with a combination to Liston’s head! Down goes Liston, again! Liston’s down for the 4th time in this round. He’s on his knees with his forehead pressed to the canvas. I don’t think he’s going to clear the cobwebs this time. I can’t even believe he’s conscious.
The count’s at 7, 8, 9… 10!
That’s it! Joe Louis has stopped Charles Sonny Liston at 2:59 of the 12th round! This was one for the ages, my friends!
This was an outstanding fight, and the true sign of a champion is being able to bounce back from adversity, and Louis certainly proved he could do that.
Joe Louis and Sonny Liston certainly put on a great show, and I take my hat off to both men.