“Liston had a tremendous jab, could punch with either hand, was smart in the ring and as strong as any heavyweight I’ve ever seen,” Ali recalled. Liston is ranked 2nd in the ESPN.com list of "The Hardest Hitters in Heavyweight History." Johnny Tocco, a trainer who worked with George Foreman and Mike Tyson as well as Liston, said Liston was the hardest hitter of the three. Herb Goldman stated that Liston, when in his prime between 1958 and 1963, was the most feared fighter in boxing history.