"But they'll have to swing along until somebody comes to beat me. I remember thinking as a child that this was a man who wanted to be left alone.". The photo depicted Ali standing over his opponent, Sonny Liston, after delivering a final blow that knocked Liston to the ground. [79][80][81] These include Muhammad Ali, who stated in a 1975 interview that he was a great admirer of Liston's talents: "Liston had a tremendous jab, could punch with either hand, was smart in the ring and as strong as any heavyweight Ive ever seen. Rogin discounted speculation that Patterson had thrown the fight, writing: "The genesis of all this wide-eyed theorizing and downright baloney was the fact that many spectators failed to see the knockout blows. [38], Patterson finally signed to meet Liston for the world title on September 25, 1962, in Comiskey Park in Chicago. Rogin called Liston's physique "awesomearms like fence posts, thighs like silos." What are you doing? He also took his gun. [47] Sitting on his stool between rounds, however, Liston was breathing heavily as his cornermen worked on his cut. Im free to be who I want.. I know it", Liston said afterward. Boston: Little, Brown. [15] In 1946, Helen Baskin, along with some of her children, moved to St. Louis to seek factory work. [24], In 1958, Liston returned to boxing. The date of death listed on his death certificate is December 30, 1970,[90] which police estimated by judging the number of milk bottles and newspapers around the front door of the property. And I said, 'Whoa, whoa, back up, baby. The story goes that Liston was born somewhere . Former champions James J. Braddock, Jersey Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles, Rocky Marciano and Ingemar Johansson all picked Patterson to win. Liston was overwhelmed by an abusive father, confrontations with the law, underworld managers and a change in African-American culture represented by Ali, Knopfler said. "He said: 'Look what they did!' Theories regarding the circumstance of Liston's death. A widely publicized account of Liston resisting arresteven after nightsticks were allegedly broken over his skulladded to the public perception of him as a nightmarish "monster" impervious to physical punishment. Traduo Context Corretor Sinnimos Conjugao Conjugao Documents Dicionrio Dicionrio Colaborativo Gramtica Expressio Reverso Corporate He cited Liston's inability to lift his arm: "There is no doubt that Liston's arm was damaged. Dave Anderson of the New York Times said Liston "looked awful" in his last workout before the fight. Sonny Liston, I think was possibly the greatest intimidator of all time. "The timekeeper was waving both hands and saying, 'I counted him outthe fight is over,'" Walcott said after the fight. He said that Liston was not quick with his hand or footwork, that he relied too much on his ability to take a punch, and that he could be vulnerable to an opponent with more hand speed. During a ringside interview after the fight, Terrellwith his swollen eye and deflated egowould later say he respected all boxers. [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! Jim Murray of the Los Angeles Times wrote that it was "no phantom punch." Biographer Wilfrid Sheed wrote in his book, Muhammad Ali: A Portrait in Words and Photographs, that Clay's protests were heard by ringside members of the Nation of Islam who initially suspected Dundee had blinded his fighter, and that the trainer deliberately wiped his own eyes with the corner sponge to demonstrate to Clay's approaching bodyguards that he had not intentionally blinded him. Liston's story, Knopfler said, "is great for a writer for many reasons. [8][9], There is no official record of Liston's birth. Ali called it "the anchor punch." [31] While Liston began working into shape with hopes for a heavyweight title shot, he also continued his criminal behavior. He had the whole package. In his sixth bout, he faced ranked heavyweight Johnny Summerlin (18-1-2) on national television and won in an eight-round decision. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. [105], Singer/Songwriter Rod Picott wrote and recorded a song titled "Sonny Liston" for his 2022 album "Paper Hearts and Broken Arrows. Stuttgarter Amtsblatt No. 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. The commotion was not lost on referee Barney Felix, who was walking toward Clay's corner. [35] Liston's victory was loudly booed. [61] The new date was set for May 25, 1965. He said they found Liston lying on his bed with a needle sticking out of his arm. I didn't think it was a powerful punch when I saw the fight from ringside," he said. He was a gentle man. [42], Liston's run-ins with the police had continued in Philadelphia. Larry Merchant, then a writer with the Philadelphia Daily News, wrote: "A celebration for Philadelphia's first heavyweight champ is now in order. When Walcott got back to Liston and looked at the knockdown timekeeper, Francis McDonough, to pick up the count, Liston had fallen back on the canvas. He allegedly later told an assistant that he took a dive because he was afraid of the consequences of beating Ali he thought it would put a target on his own back. Never seen this one before, thanks alot. It was probably Liston's best moment in the entire fight. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. interview with Alex Haley in Muhammad Ali by Thomas Hauser. "There was nothing Sonny feared more than a needle. 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.. [citation needed], The fight turned out to be a mismatch. Subsequently, Liston spent some months in Denver where a Catholic priest who acted as his spiritual adviser attempted to help bring his drinking under control. Two more arrestsfor disorderly conduct and resisting arrest and another for impersonating a copled to Liston being suspended by the Pennsylvania Athletic Commission on July 14, 1961. I want to prove to the world there's dirty work afoot.' In the 2001 film Ali, Liston was portrayed by former WBO Heavyweight Champion Michael Bentt. [14], Tobe Liston inflicted whippings so severe on Sonny that the scars were still visible decades later. Byrne sought an injunction blocking the fight in Boston because Inter-Continental Promotions was promoting the fight without a Massachusetts license. His wife said he was a kind & gentle hearted person who cared deeply for children & that no one ever saw that side of him except those closest to him I believe there's a documentary somewhere on YouTube I'd recommend watching it MatterUpbeat8803 19 days ago It was the third-fastest knockout in a world heavyweight title fight, and the first time the defending champion had been knocked out in round one. The Murder of Sonny Liston is an absorbing, albeit speculative, attempt at addressing the mystery that died with the man. There's never been anybody as ruthless. [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. [67] Some felt the knockdown was real but the knockout was fake. 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. Once he went down, I got excited. While valuing the photograph, appraiser Kathleen Guzman told. A wax model of Liston appears in the front row of the iconic sleeve cover of the Beatles' Sgt. It was more likely that Liston was out of shape according to a story in Esquire at the time, Liston trained as normal, running around five miles a day, eating hot dogs and drinking beer. He was also possibly much older than his listed 32 years than anything else Liston was the second-youngest of 25 children to parents who didnt exactly keep records of birthdates. Watch the interview you be the judge.. When Machen clinched in . and he was pointing at some little bandage over the needle mark in his arm. Never before seen Sonny Liston interview. Support this Channel: https://www.patreon.com/join/LegendsofBoxing Merchandise: https://www.redbubble.com/peo. One mile up on a mountain 13 miles west of Denver is the Shrine of Mother Cabrini. ", Knopfler compared writing a song about Liston to the work a sculptor performs on a statue. 1 contender in 1960, but the handlers of world heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson refused to give him a shot at the title because of Liston's links to organized crime. "[42], Liston made his second title defense on February 25, 1964, in Miami Beach, Florida against Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali). Tocco said that the living room furniture was in disarray, but the house did not yet smell of death. The connections to organized crime were an advantage early in his career but were later used against him. However, there were again rumors of alcohol abuse in training. He is a relatively elementary, one-track fighter." Muhammad Ali stands over Sonny Liston after dropping Liston with a short hard right to the jaw on May 25, 1965, in Lewiston, Maine, Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston: The Controversial Fight Behind Their Iconic Boxing Photo, Remembering Just Fontaine and His World Cup Record, an official member of the Nation of Islam, Senate subcommittee hearing turned up no evidence, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. With the proceeds, he traveled to St. Louis to live with his mother. [66], Former champions Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Floyd Patterson and Gene Tunney, as well as contender George Chuvalo all declared they considered the fight to be a fake. It was 1965, not 1955. That would prove to be an understatement. Half a mile above and beyond the shrine, looking down from the summit of the mountain, is a statue of the Sacred Heart. Sonny Liston had a very sad upbringing & had to learn to survive at a young age. Interviewing and trash-talk have both gone through some tremendous evolutions, havent they? Was Pariah boxing legend Sonny Listons OD really a mob murder? Shaun Assael. After Liston arose, Walcott wiped off his gloves. r/boxing does not tolerate racism or intolerance of any kind. In "Song for Sonny Liston," Knopfler's voice is backed by electric guitar, a bass and drums as he tells the story of a sharecropper's son who went from prison to the championship to an early death under mysterious circumstances. A dominant contender of his era, he became the world heavyweight champion in 1962 after knocking out Floyd Patterson in the first round, repeating the knockout the following year in defense of the title; in the latter fight he also became the inaugural WBC heavyweight . For Sonny Liston, a Ballad to a Heavyweight, https://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/13/sports/othersports/for-sonny-liston-a-ballad-to-a-heavyweight.html. Caputo, one of the investigating police officers, "The whole department knew about it." I was about to say look at those mitts! Muhammad Ali (at the time a rising contender named Cassius Clay), however, predicted a knockout by Liston in the first five rounds. Liston's wife also recalled that her husband would refuse basic medical care for common colds because of his dislike of needles. One memo, dated 24 May 1966, outlined an interview with Houston gambler Barnett Magids, who believed Liston would win. [22], Early in his career, Liston faced capable opponents. The year 1959 was a banner one for Liston: after knocking out contender Mike DeJohn in six rounds he faced Cleveland Williams, a fast-handed fighter who was billed as the hardest-hitting heavyweight in the world against whom he showed durability, power and skill, nullifying Williams' best work before stopping him in the third round. In a pre-fight poll, 43 of 46 sportswriters picked Liston to win by knockout. ", The Liston song appears on an album called "Shangri-La." "He was scared, he was scared of so many things," Knopfler said. Patterson's fatal mistake was that he "did not punch enough and frequently tried to clinch with Liston. [59], Liston trained hard for the rematch, which was scheduled to take place November 13, 1964, in Boston. Carwin probably wasn't even that tall. His defense was described as "the gate-crossing of arms la Archie Moore. The champion was stripped of the belt when he refused to be drafted into the armed services during the Vietnam War, and he didnt box again in a match that counted until 1970. Tosches, Nick (2000). Liston's criminal record, compounded by a personal association with a notorious labor racketeer, led to the police's stopping him on sight, and he began to avoid main streets. 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. After Ali's win against Sonny Liston, he wouldn't . On May 7, backers of the rematch ended the court battle by pulling the fight out of Boston. Ali is waiting to hit me, the ref can't control him. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. From the opening bell Liston attempted to close with Clay, looking to land a hard punch to the head to end the fight quickly and decisively. [89], Following an investigation, Las Vegas police concluded there were no signs of foul play and declared Liston's death a heroin overdose. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Remembering Just Fontaine and His World Cup Record, The Man Behind the First All-Black Basketball Team, 8 Times Brothers Have Faced Off in a Championship, Every Black Quarterback to Play in the Super Bowl, Soccer Star Christian Atsu Survived an Earthquake. But then again, he took a pretty good beating in the fight. And it was probably for the best ticket-buyers didnt exactly get their moneys worth. Who needed that? To the rest of the world, it would be known as "The Phantom Punch." That shot, which Ali dropped Sonny Liston with on May 25, 1965, was far from a phantom. At one point, Clay was wiping his eyes with his right hand while extending his left arm"like a drunk leaning on a lamppost" Bert Sugar wroteto keep Liston at bay. ", It was later theorized that a substance used on Liston's cuts by Joe Pollino, his cut man, may have caused the irritation. "Some songs just seem to reverberate with people.". Frank Mir was around that height and was noticeably taller than Carwin. He talked of a fight with Joe Frazier, claiming, "It'd be like shooting fish in a barrel." In this case, Intercontinental Promotions Inc., which had the rights to Listons fight, also got to choose the first opponent for the new champion, should Liston lose. ", Ali clearly did not think he knocked Liston out. The fight lasted four seconds longer than the first one. It was a good punch, but I didn't think I hit him so hard that he couldn't have gotten up. Naturally, they decided that Ali would take on Liston. In the 2015 British crime film Legend, Liston is played by Mark Theodore in a scene where gangster Reggie Kray poses for a picture with the boxer. . Liston said he quit because of a shoulder injury. Ira Gay Sealy/The Denver Post via Getty Images According to the post, he returned back home later that morning and called his sparring partner Gary Bates to tell him he was leaving for Los Angeles but that they should get together when he returned in a couple of days. [21], Liston made his professional debut on September 2, 1953, knocking out Don Smith in the first round in St. Louis, where he fought his first five bouts. The mysterious life of Sonny Liston. Sonny Liston in Denver, Colorado. When he tried to muscle in for a bigger share, Conrad thinks his employers got him very drunk, took him home and stuck him with a needle. Very Rare interview with Sonny Liston and Joe Louis. Support this Channel:https://www.patreon.com/LegendsofBoxing Merchandise:LegendsofBoxing.redbubble.com I restore \u0026 colorize your projects, PayPal Donations: LegendsofBoxingYT@gmail.comThank you!________________________________________________________________________________All My YouTube ChannelsMy Main Channel \"Legends of Boxing\": https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC73ffQAknNEWJlRoFSWH_awMy Second Boxing Channel \"Legends of Boxing Strikes Back\": https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-QLrFyDnskqz5_z95mcOAMy History Channel \"Time Travel: Colorized Archive\": https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC29VFkNvVVi6_OzwFV2oTqQMy Documentary Channel \"Tales From The Past\":https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZpFIIYrCc1lOHbG-fUo5vwMein Dokumentation Channel \"Geschichten aus der Vergangenheit\" (Tales From The Past in Deutsch) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXBfWoE1KVXEzh9d2NrwBhASocial https://www.instagram.com/legends_of_boxing1/ Writer Jack McKinney said, "I watched Sonny. RARE Sonny Liston Interview before the first Ali fight 1964 in Color Legends of Boxing in Color 22K views 10 months ago On the Spot show with Max Goldberg featuring the heavyweight champion. ", 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." 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. I know!" 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. "From Bad Buck to White Hope: Journalism and Sonny Liston, 19581965. Dr. Alexander Robbins, chief physician for the Miami Beach Boxing Commission, diagnosed Liston with a torn tendon in his left shoulder. [87], Liston was found dead by his wife, Geraldine, in their Las Vegas home on January 5, 1971. "I remember him telling me one day that he found himself watching boxing but he didn't like the way it made him feel," Knopfler said. "He said, 'Cut the gloves off. Liston assaulted the officer, breaking his knee and gashing his face. In these feckless clinches he only managed to tie up one of Liston's arms. His fists measured 15 inches (38cm) around, the largest of any heavyweight champion. "There's no doubt that he was mean," Knopfler said of 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? and "Nobody will believe this!"[63]. [91] Coroner Mark Herman said traces of heroin byproducts were found in Liston's system, but not in amounts large enough to have caused his death. I dont have to be what you want me to be, Clay told agitated reporters. Many did not see the punch land, and some who did questioned that it was powerful enough to knock Liston out. He found a quarter-ounce of heroin in a balloon in the kitchen, and a half-ounce of marijuana in Liston's pants pocket, but no syringes or needles. Don't confuse shyness with dullness, Sonny was reluctant to talk to the press - the always painted a bad picture of him.Dwight Muhammad Qawi Braxton ATG Philly Joe Frazier Bernard HopkinsTags:pernell whitaker jersey joe walcott louis julio chavez evander holyfield lennox lewis felix sturm oscar de la hoya floyd mayweather miguel cotto marquez manny pacquiao pacman boxing boxer ko knockout tribute robbery mike tyson rocky marciano oscar de la hoya manny pacquiao foreman fight miguel cotto dead death muhammad ali cassius mike tyson clay lennox lewis eric morales barrera floyd mayweather fedor emelianenko ufc boxing ko k.o. To this day, I'm convinced that's what the coroner saw in his examthat hospital needle mark. Liston went down at 1:44, got up at 1:56, and Walcott stopped the fight at 2:12. Although the opening round saw Clay largely on the defensive, it was soon established that Clay could reverse roles quickly and take to the offensive with a remarkably fast series of combinations delivered to Liston's head. [107] The story speculates that Liston threw the Ali match for the good of society. He rounded out the year by stopping Nino Valdez and Willi Besmanoff. Time magazine said Liston had worked himself into the best shape of his career. He won by a seventh-round technical knockout, and seemed on the verge of making a comeback to the big time. "I didn't know what the heck was going on", Angelo Dundee, Clay's trainer, recalled on an NBC special 25 years later. "A blues song just for fighters: The legend of Sonny Liston. It became known as the phantom punch and has been the subject of controversy and speculation for the last 55 years. Concert Preview/Interview: John Lodge of the Moody Blues on Reprising "Days of Future Passed . [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. Liston captured the Chicago Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions on March 6, 1953, with a victory over 1952 Olympic Heavyweight Champion Ed Sanders. His family's home state of Arkansas did not make birth certificates mandatory until 1965. [25][26], In 1960 Liston won five more fights, including a rematch with Williams, who lasted only two rounds. Liston had never been knocked out before, and most people didnt even see the punch happen. He would not close in until the accumulated inside damage and Liston's own frustration had sapped the challenger's strength and will." "[18], After Liston was released from prison on October 31, 1952, he had a brief amateur career that spanned less than a year. Two of the best-known are "The Boxer" by Simon and Garfunkel and "Hurricane" by Bob Dylan. Tobe and Helen had 12 children together; Sonny was the second youngest child. However, when Clay returned to his corner, he started complaining that there was something burning in his eyes and he could not see. [86] Former light-heavyweight champion Jose Torres said, "I have never met an athlete in baseball, basketball or football who is smarter, more intelligent than Sonny Liston". He took one and went down. Stevens organized a sparring session with a professional heavyweight named Thurman Wilson to showcase Liston's potential. knockout kimbo slice evander holyfield nogueira wladimir vitali klitschko haye mma brutal bareknuckle headbutt lowblow foul dirty boxer funny bob sapp david cesar chavez joe frazier rocky marciano larry holmes felix trinidad jackson new tribute video highlight dirtiest best brock lesnar julio cesar ricky hatton randy couture israel vasquez juan manuel marquez antonio margarito felix tito trinidad antonio rodrigo minotauro marco antonio barrera john ruiz freddie roach hector camacho pernell whitaker willie pep sugar ray robinson shane mosley antonio tarver roy jones joe cortez lennox lewis david haye haymaker wladimir vitali vladimir klitschko klitchko prediction prefight postfight press conferencetex cobb gerry cooney jerry pierre coetzer floyd roger mayweather arturo gatti rocky graziano graciano tony zale dariusz michalczewski rocky rocchigiani henry maske james toney vassily jirov vasily unbelievable knockout ko k.o. Mark Knopfler's tribute to Liston, "Song for Sonny Liston", appeared on his 2004 album Shangri-La. 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. Emily Post would probably recommend a ticker-tape parade. He died circa December 30,. QUESTION 1 Charles "Sonny" Liston was born c.1930 into a sharecropping family that farmed the poor land of Morledge Plantation near Johnson Township, St.Francis County, Arkansas. We had a return bout clause with Clay, but if you say your guy just quit, who is gonna get a return bout? Please read the rules before posting/commenting. [58] Despite Liston carrying an injury and being undertrained, Clay stated in 1975 that the first fight with Liston was the toughest of his career. Walcott never began a count in the ring because of Ali's non-compliance and his physical struggle with getting Ali to go to that neutral corner. The bout would need to be delayed by six months. He sunk to the canvas, and as he was down, Ali stood over him, taunting and demanding his stunned opponent get back up. Then again, you can also have guys like Ali or Mike Tyson. [30], Liston became the No. Reminds me of former UFC fighter Shane Carwin. Liston was particularly known for his immense strength, formidable jab, long reach, toughness, and his infamously intimidating appearance. The Murder of Sonny Liston: A Story of Fame, Heroin, Boxing & Las Vegas. The ending of the fight remains one of the most controversial in boxing history. In The Greatest, the 1977 film about the life of boxer Muhammad Ali in which Ali played himself, Liston was portrayed by Roger E. Mosley. [88] On returning home from a two-week trip, Geraldine had smelled a foul odor emanating from the main bedroom and on entering saw him slumped up against the bed, a broken foot bench on the floor. Liston also appears in the sequel, Blood's a Rover. People around the world tuned in via satellite to watch the match, which was fought in front of 2,434 paying ticket-holders, the smallest crowd in heavyweight championship fight history; people there suggested the crowd was more like 4,000, but nonetheless, it was a very small in-person audience. He rolled over, got to his right knee and then fell on his back again. Numerous fans booed and started yelling, "Fix!" You really never watched the first fight did you? The toxicology report said his body was too decomposed for the tests to be conclusive. Three days before the fight, Ali needed emergency surgery for a strangulated hernia. [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. The match had more storylines than a soap opera. The most iconic photo in boxing history documents the knockout that almost nobody saw happen. "He told me in the strictest confidence, but it was like he wanted to get it off his chest." Liston won his final fight, a tough but one-sided match against future world title challenger Chuck Wepner in June 1970. On July 28, 1963, Liston joined a group of 500 African Americans in Denver who marched to a post office to mail letters urging the Colorado congressional delegation to pass the Kennedy administration's civil rights package. He was 6ft 1in (1.85m), and had an exceptionally powerful physique, with a disproportionately long reach at 84 inches (2.13m). He then outpointed Julius Griffin, winner of the New York Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions, to capture the Intercity Golden Gloves Championship on March 26 (representing Chicago). They fought for a third time on March 6, 1956, which Liston won by a ten-round unanimous decision. Sonny Liston had a very sad upbringing & had to learn to survive at a young age. Officially, Liston died of lung congestion and heart failure. After demolishing these top-ranked fighters in the heavyweight division, Liston was regarded as the top-contender champion-in-waiting. But by the sixth round his sight had cleared, and a clearly enraged Clay fought a blisteringly aggressive round landing numerous combination punches. It made a champion out of Clay, who declared that hed shook up the world.. [55], There is ample evidence that Liston did carry an injury to his left shoulder into the fight. The organization was seen as an extremist anti-white people hate group and opponents of desegregation and Martin Luther King Jr. Clays propensity for self-promotion and controversy seemed to fit in with the groups inflammatory rhetoric. Create Space Independent Publishing Platform. Although Clay often carried his gloves down at his waist, seemingly open to attack, he proved very difficult to hit. ", confirmed most people's belief that Liston had taken a dive. Although Liston was widely regarded as unbeatable, he lost the title in 1964 to Muhammad Ali (then known as Cassius Clay), who entered as a 71 underdog. It burned like hell. "[96], Many people who knew Liston insisted he was afraid of needles and never would have used heroin. [60] The extent to which Liston's heavy drinking and possible drug use may have contributed to his surprisingly poor performances against Ali is not known.[15]. 589 Share 23K views 1 year ago Rare interview of Sonny Liston colorized. Sonny Liston, once the heavyweight champ, died at the age of who-knows-what some days before Dec. 30, 1970. Beat me to it! More on that in a second. There's something really primal about the whole thing, obviously. After repeated overnight detention by the St. Louis police and a thinly veiled threat to his life, Liston left for Philadelphia. Arthur Daley of the New York Times wrote that Liston's handlers knew he "didn't have it anymore,"[65] and allegedly they had secretly paid sparring partner Amos Lincoln an extra $100 to take it easy on him -[citation needed] - the same man, incidentally, that Liston dismissed in less than two rounds a full three years later.
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sonny liston interview