[43] A month later, Liston was accused of impersonating a police officer by using a flashlight to wave down a female motorist in Fairmount Park, although all charges were later dropped. Standing 185 centimeters (6'1) tall and packing over 90 kilograms (200 lb) of pure muscle, there's a reason he was nicknamed "The Big Bear," and it wasn't for the hugs he gave.. His career in heavyweight boxing spanned from 1953 to 1970, and he spent all 17 of those years going guts for glory against the . He had the whole package. He was poking the bear a bit there . Elizabeth Bear wrote the short story "Sonny Liston Takes the Fall", published in The Del Rey Book of Science Fiction and Fantasy in 2008. It'll just be for slow guitar, soft trumpet and a bell.". Sonny Liston | Boxing's Most Intimidating and Unwanted Champion Rainy Day Boxing 302K subscribers 5.6M views 1 year ago Join Rainy Day Boxing for an in depth career tribute to arguably the most. Who are the four people who knocked out Sonny Liston? Knopfler, who now records as a soloist and performs with a backup band, has a wide-ranging curiosity that has produced an eclectic collection of songs. ", Knopfler compared writing a song about Liston to the work a sculptor performs on a statue. "It really has made an impact, actually from the very first time I performed it on 'A Prairie Home Companion,"' Knopfler said in a telephone interview. Alois Stevens, suggested to Liston that he try boxing, and his obvious aptitude, along with an endorsement from Stevens, who was also a priest, aided Liston in getting an early parole. In an interview with The Associated Press shortly before his death in May 2009, Liston said he regretted . Banker later learned that the police told Liston the same thing to his face. Wepner needed 72 stitches and suffered a broken cheekbone and nose. Some writers thought Liston brought bad press on himself by a surly and hostile attitude toward journalists. Clay confessed later he had been hurt by the punch, but Liston was unable to press his advantage home. In the sixth round, he carried it at belt level so that it was of no help in warding off the right crosses with which Clay probed at the cut under his left eye." It was the first time in his career that Liston had been cut. Half a mile above and beyond the shrine, looking down from the summit of the mountain, is a statue of the Sacred Heart. The last of Sonny Liston Andscape Liston had thrown a jab with his left arm and, leaning forward, took a right hook from Ali right to the skull. The Murder of Sonny Liston is an absorbing, albeit speculative, attempt at addressing the mystery that died with the man. Muhammad Ali (at the time a rising contender named Cassius Clay), however, predicted a knockout by Liston in the first five rounds. Three days before the fight, Ali needed emergency surgery for a strangulated hernia. Helen had one child before she married Tobe, and Tobe had 13 children with his first wife. He was still a world-ranked boxer when he died in mysterious circumstances in 1970. Byrne sought an injunction blocking the fight in Boston because Inter-Continental Promotions was promoting the fight without a Massachusetts license. Liston assaulted the officer, breaking his knee and gashing his face. According to Liston's trainer, Willie Reddish, Liston cancelled a planned tour to Africa in 1963 because he refused to get the required inoculations. It was 1965, not 1955. "[35] Although largely illiterate through lack of schooling, Liston was a more complex and interesting individual than has often been acknowledged. ", Ali clearly did not think he knocked Liston out. Although Clay often carried his gloves down at his waist, seemingly open to attack, he proved very difficult to hit. Any objective observer would have had to concede that Ali's counterpunch had landed, and landed with enough force to turn Liston's head, Rob Sneddon wrote in The Phantom Punch: The Story Behind Boxing's Most Controversial Bout. There are echoes of slavery in his upbringing." On the Spot show with Max Goldberg featuring the heavyweight champion [92] He had been suffering from hardening of the heart muscle and lung disease before his death. [62] The promoters needed a new location quickly, whatever the size, to rescue their closed-circuit television commitment around the country. In the 2020 film One Night in Miami, Liston is played by Aaron D. Alexander. Sonny Liston Interview - YouTube ", During an era when white journalists still described black athletes in stereotypes, Liston had long been a target of racially charged slurs; he was called a "gorilla" and "a jungle beast" in print. But by the sixth round his sight had cleared, and a clearly enraged Clay fought a blisteringly aggressive round landing numerous combination punches. RARE Sonny Liston Interview before the first Ali fight 1964 in Color Legends of Boxing in Color 2.47K subscribers Subscribe 16K views 8 months ago Very Rare interview with Sonny Liston and. Liston believed his date of birth to be May 8, 1932, and used this for official purposes[11] but by the time he won the world title an aged appearance added credence to rumors that he was actually several years older. My man. [36], Jack Dempsey spoke for many when he was quoted as saying that Sonny Liston should not be allowed to fight for the title. Authorities theorized that he was undressing for bed when he fell over backward with such force that he broke the rail of the bench. It was a good punch, but I didn't think I hit him so hard that he couldn't have gotten up. "Johnny wasn't a braggart," Davi told Liston biographer Paul Gallender. I'm the best ever. The ending of the fight remains one of the most controversial in boxing history. It was probably Liston's best moment in the entire fight. [87], Liston was found dead by his wife, Geraldine, in their Las Vegas home on January 5, 1971. Also, scar tissue, possibly from needle marks, was found in the bend of Liston's left elbow. Maule, Tex (March 9, 1964). ", Hutchison, Phillip J. He then left the fighters to go over to McDonough. ", Chuck Wepner on Liston's intimidating appearance. This victory is regarded by some as Liston's most impressive performance. A few months after Alis fight, Liston was dead from lung congestion though even that was shrouded in mystery and controversy. Roy Harris, who had gone 13 rounds with Floyd Patterson in a title match, was crushed in one round by Liston. It became known as the phantom punch and has been the subject of controversy and speculation for the last 55 years. A wax model of Liston appears in the front row of the iconic sleeve cover of the Beatles' Sgt. Sonny Liston Vs Floyd Patterson What If There Had Been A Third Fight Very Rare interview with Sonny Liston and Joe Louis. 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Mark Knopfler's tribute to Liston, "Song for Sonny Liston", appeared on his 2004 album Shangri-La. "[40][41], Upon winning the world heavyweight title, Liston had a speech prepared for the crowd that friends had assured him would meet him at the Philadelphia airport. [85] Geraldine had a daughter from a previous marriage, and the Listons subsequently adopted a boy from Sweden. "But can he hit!" At the IBHOF, the casts of Listons hands were bigger than Lennox Lewis' which were also gigantic. In a pre-fight poll, 43 of 46 sportswriters picked Liston to win by knockout. Liston won 14 consecutive bouts, 13 by knockout, before fighting third-ranked Leotis Martin, previously beaten by Clark, in December 1969. Ali is waiting to hit me, the ref can't control him. Known for his powerful punch, the majority of his victories were knockouts. "But they'll have to swing along until somebody comes to beat me. Remembering One Of Boxing's Storied Bouts : NPR Rogin called Liston's physique "awesomearms like fence posts, thighs like silos." Tocco left the house before the police did. Due to Listons long association with the mafia and the reputation as a peerless tough guy, there was speculation that hed thrown the fight for some financial reward. But former Las Vegas police Sgt. I was down but not hurt, but I looked up and saw Ali standing over me. Press J to jump to the feed. Liston had never been knocked out before, and most people didnt even see the punch happen. NPR's Robert Siegel talks to Gary Robinov, director of Raising Ali, a film about the 50th anniversary of the heavyweight boxing match between Muhammed Ali and Sonny Liston in Lewiston, Maine.. He could have remained typecast as a musician performing rock songs. Sonny Liston had a very sad upbringing & had to learn to survive at a young age. Sonny Liston Once Shot a Gun at Muhammad Ali - Sportscasting Felix later said Clay was seconds from being disqualified. [94], On January 1, Liston's wife, Geraldine, called Johnny Tocco and said she had not heard from her husband in three days and was worried. Watch the interview you be the judge. [34] Many African-Americans disdained Liston. "[69] The fact that Liston did not complain about the clear breach of boxing rules (being declared knocked out without a count) and Ali's obvious state of bewilderment, shouting at Liston "Nobody will believe this" and asking his handlers "Did I hit him? Dave Anderson of the New York Times said Liston "looked awful" in his last workout before the fight. I know!" 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"Nat Fleischer [editor of The Ring] was sitting beside McDonough and he was waving his hands, too, saying it was over." Sonny Liston Interview - Rare - YouTube Beat me to it! [48] The challenger, his arms held high in surrender, was demanding that the fight be stopped and Dundee, fearing the fight might indeed be halted, gave his charge a one-word order: "Run! On May 7, backers of the rematch ended the court battle by pulling the fight out of Boston. As the years passed and Liston's financial situation worsened, he got angry and told the mob he would go public with the story unless they gave him the money. Liston decked Martin with a left hook in the fourth round and dominated most of the fight, but Martin came back and knocked Liston out cold in the ninth round. [citation needed] At this time, the head coach of the St. Louis Golden Gloves team, Tony Anderson, stated that Liston was the strongest fighter he had seen. ", Liston appeared on the December 1963 cover of Esquire magazine (cover photograph by Carl Fischer) "the last man on earth America wanted to see coming down its chimney".[106]. [83] Herb Goldman stated that Liston, when in his prime between 1958 and 1963, was the most feared fighter in boxing history. [72], "I was an 'intimidator' until I fought Sonny Liston. Only Massachusetts was willing to host the fight, though it was delayed from November 1964 to May 1965 so that Ali could recover from hernia surgery. [55], There is ample evidence that Liston did carry an injury to his left shoulder into the fight. The commotion was not lost on referee Barney Felix, who was walking toward Clay's corner. Sonny was definitely a specimen. ", One of the most vivid verses creates a word-picture of Liston in his prime with photographic clarity: "Black Cadillac, alligator boots, money in the pockets of his sharkskin suits." The previous month, Schreibauer had won a bronze medal in the European Championships. What are you doing? One of the reasons why sports stays alive in us is that there's part of us that wants to keep the child alive and recognizes that there is something important in doing that. According to a New York Times report the day after the fight, Clay was indeed an official member of the Nation of Islam. [33], Civic leaders were also reluctant, worrying that Liston's unsavory character would set a bad example for youth. In the third round, Marshall nailed Listonreportedly while he was laughingand broke his jaw. [70] There have been a number of unproven theories as to the background to the purported dive including that Liston was threatened by the Muslims, or agreed to lose in return for a share in the more marketable Ali's future purses. [108] The book suggests that Sonny Liston may have been murdered and a possibility that the crime was never investigated. In that same book Liston was quoted two years after the fight: "Ali knocked me down with a sharp punch. "A blues song just for fighters: The legend of Sonny Liston. (2) Professional gambler Lem Banker insists that Liston was murdered by drug dealers with whom he'd become involved. [100] A successful racehorse which won the Irish St Leger classic race in 2021 was named Sonnyboyliston. He rolled over, got to his right knee and then fell on his back again. The second fight? [5][6] Alfie Potts Harmer in The Sportster also ranked him the third greatest heavyweight and the sixth greatest boxer at any weight. A stoic Liston finished the fight, but lost in an eight-round split decision. [39] Leading up to the fight, Liston was an 85 betting favorite, although many picked Patterson to win. Either way, nat fleisher as the KD timekeeper had NO right telling Walcott the fight was over. Boxings brightest young star was again squaring off against a renowned bruiser in a rematch of their thrilling and controversial heavyweight championship fight one year prior, a fight that was followed by 14 months of international intrigue and the combustible politics of the 1960s. Good lord, Sonny's mitts are massive. Never before seen Sonny Liston interview. 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The grave's marker-plate bears the dedication: "A Man. He sunk to the canvas, and as he was down, Ali stood over him, taunting and demanding his stunned opponent get back up. [97], "The month before he died, some guy ran into Sonny while he was making a left turn. Liston's wife also recalled that her husband would refuse basic medical care for common colds because of his dislike of needles. [10] His family, but not one Charles (or Sonny) Liston, can be found in the 1930 census, and in the 1940 census he was listed as 10 years old. [15] In 1946, Helen Baskin, along with some of her children, moved to St. Louis to seek factory work. The fight ranks as one of the shortest heavyweight title bouts in history. Sad how they portrayed sonny in such a negative light he seems like a genuinely kind person. Odds makers gave Liston 71 to win. #muhammadali #henrycooper #sonnyliston #dougjones #heavyweight #greatness #boxing #legend #larryholmes #ironmike #sonnyliston #intimidating #bad #big #greatb. Sit down!' [45][46] A clearly angered Liston rallied at the end of the round when Clay seemed tired, delivering punishing body shots. Two of the three official scorers, or judges, awarded the round to Liston, and the other scored the round even. Geraldine called Liston's attorney and his doctor, but did not notify the police until two to three hours later. He used the platform to expound on the political theory that was so reviled in white America, defending Malcolm X and condemning racial oppression this was still months before President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Theories regarding the circumstance of Liston's death. The suspension was honored in all states. It made a champion out of Clay, who declared that hed shook up the world.. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. [citation needed], The fight turned out to be a mismatch. [67] Some felt the knockdown was real but the knockout was fake. Tocco called the police, and they broke into the house. Dr. Alexander Robbins, chief physician for the Miami Beach Boxing Commission, diagnosed Liston with a torn tendon in his left shoulder. Anyone can read what you share. "The timekeeper was waving both hands and saying, 'I counted him outthe fight is over,'" Walcott said after the fight. He also cited medical evidence: "A team of eight doctors inspected Liston's arm at St. Francis Hospital in Miami Beach and agreed that it was too badly damaged for Liston to continue fighting. Sonny Liston Interview 82,818 views Apr 2, 2014 1.3K Dislike Share Save haNZAgod 93.2K subscribers Subscribe A rare interview with former Heavyweight champion of the world, Sonny Liston.. [73] The bout was stopped after the ninth round due to cuts over both of Wepner's eyes. Tosches, Nick (2000). However, David Remnick, for his book King of the World: Muhammad Ali and the Rise of an American Hero, interviewed one of Liston's cornermen, who told him that Liston could have continued: "[The shoulder] was all BS. Liston angrily responded by questioning whether Dempsey's failure to serve in World War I qualified him to moralize. ", The Liston song appears on an album called "Shangri-La." "Yes, it was good and honest". [93] Liston had been hospitalized in early December, complaining of chest pains. In The Devil and Sonny Liston by Nick Tosches, published in 2000, when many of Liston's former acquaintances were still alive, Tosches posits that Liston's idol Joe Louis introduced him to heroin, and that he ultimately overdosed. [19], On June 23, 1953, a team consisting of ten recent St. Louis Golden Gloves champions of all weight classes, with Liston on top as the heavyweight, was gathered to represent the United States in an International Golden Gloves (USA vs. West Europe) competition at Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis. Writer Jack McKinney said, "I watched Sonny. "He was scared, he was scared of so many things," Knopfler said. The bout would need to be delayed by six months. But a Senate subcommittee hearing turned up no evidence of any match-fixing, and doctors confirmed his explanation that hed taken such damage to his shoulder that he couldnt feel his arm.