At one point, Liston had Clay against the ropes and landed a hard left hook. [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. 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. 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. We cooked up that shoulder thing on the spot. Sonny knocked out Patterson at 2:06 of the first round, with that powerful left hook to the jaw 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. Sonny Liston, I think was possibly the greatest intimidator of all time. Midway through the first round, Liston threw a left jab and Ali went over it with a fast right, knocking the former champion down. Boston: Little, Brown. The ending of the fight remains one of the most controversial in boxing history. Liston retired in his corner due to an inflamed shoulder. Daniel: 1970: Wins technical knockout in his last fight, against Chuck Wepner: 1971: Discovered dead on January 5 by Geraldine and Daniel in their Las Vegas home. 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. He also wrote that Liston's win over Patterson proved that "in a fair fight between good and evil, evil must win." It was the first time in his career that Liston had been cut. [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. Helen had one child before she married Tobe, and Tobe had 13 children with his first wife. Sonny Liston: The 'Worst Mess In History Of Sports'. He was born in Sand Slough, Arkansas, U.S. on May 8, 1932. In February 1964, Ali - known then as Cassius Clay - shocked the sporting world by beating Liston for the world heavyweight title. There is no official record of his date of birth but a writer claimed that he was born on July 22, 1930. In that same book Liston was quoted two years after the fight: "Ali knocked me down with a sharp punch. For confetti we can use torn-up arrest warrants." [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. Tocco said that the living room furniture was in disarray, but the house did not yet smell of death. Sports Illustrated once wrote his hands"looked like cannonballs when he made them into fists. His fists measured 15 inches (38cm) around, the largest of any heavyweight champion. The two American fighters met again 15 months later, Ali winning . Boxing Record 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. (2) Professional gambler Lem Banker insists that Liston was murdered by drug dealers with whom he'd become involved. [22], Early in his career, Liston faced capable opponents. 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. Paul R Gallender, 2012. 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. Birth 1935 - County Limerick, Ireland. [99] (3) The mob promised Liston some money to throw the second Ali fight, but they never paid him. Name: Sonny Liston Birth Year: 1932 Birth date: May 8, 1932 Birth State: Arkansas Birth City: St Francis County Birth Country: United States Gender: Male Best Known For: Sonny Liston was. 15 months earlier, they'd accused him of pulling over a woman around 3 a.m. and impersonating a police officer. [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. He got out of prison in 52, won the Golden Gloves in Chicago, and went pro after less than a year Unfortunately, the only financial backers willing to put up the necessary money for him to turn professional were local mobsters, and Liston supplemented his income by working for the local mob as an intimidator-enforcer. "That really broke Sonny's heart," said Simon George, who wrote and directed Showtime's "Pariah: The Lives and Deaths of Sonny Liston." But former Las Vegas police Sgt. "He told me in the strictest confidence, but it was like he wanted to get it off his chest." But according to Sonny's trainer, Johnny Tocco, once there, his path led to prison: McDonough, however, claimed Walcott was looking at the crowd and never at him. "He said: 'Look what they did!' [101], Liston played a fist fighter in the 1965 film Harlow, made a cameo appearance in the 1968 film Head, which starred The Monkees, and played the part of The Farmer in the 1970 film Moonfire, which starred Richard Egan and Charles Napier. A stoic Liston finished the fight, but lost in an eight-round split decision. Liston would keep Frazier out of range with that monster of a jab which was better than Foreman's! [73] The bout was stopped after the ninth round due to cuts over both of Wepner's eyes. 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. America's first look at Liston since the Ali rematch was when he fought fifthranked Henry Clark in a nationally broadcast bout in July 1968. And in 1961 . Liston went from being a big-shouldered street thief with no education to heavyweight champ of the world and household name. This is just a glimpse into what was. The fight lasted four seconds longer than the first one. ", confirmed most people's belief that Liston had taken a dive. He was 6ft 1in (1.85m), and had an exceptionally powerful physique, with a disproportionately long reach at 84 inches (2.13m). One of the victories was over Amos Johnson, Liston's former sparring partner, who had recently defeated British champion Henry Cooper. 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. Liston went down at 1:44, got up at 1:56, and Walcott stopped the fight at 2:12. Professor Liston's research interests . It's widely accepted that Liston, a former heavyweight boxing champ, died from an accidental heroin overdose in 1970. During these same years Sonny Liston was on the comeback trail as well. And (4) Liston was supposed to take a dive when he fought Chuck Wepner 6 months earlier, and killing him was payback for his failure to do so. "[78] While much has been written about the effectiveness of his left jab, others have commented favorably on Liston's wide range of boxing skills. [30] Before his bout with Liston, Muhammad Ali consulted Machen and was advised that the key to survival was to make Liston lose his temper. Ali biographer Wilfrid Sheed wrote, in his Muhammad Ali: A Portrait in Words and Photographs, that Liston planned to throw the fight for reasons unknown and used the legitimate first-round knockdown for that end. In 2013 the son of a deceased mafia hitman published a book claiming that his father confessed to murdering Liston via forced drug overdose. Joe Louis commenting on TV at ringside said "It's looking good for Sonny Liston". Liston. Liston wins, 10 times out of 10. [42], Liston's run-ins with the police had continued in Philadelphia. It burned like hell. Muhammad Ali knocked out Sonny Liston in first round. [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. Walcott never did pick up the count. Heavyweight champion Charles "Sonny" Liston, winner of 35 of his 36 professional bouts and one of the most intimidating athletes in any sport, was facing a lightly regarded 22-year-old from. [55], There is ample evidence that Liston did carry an injury to his left shoulder into the fight. That got him killed. Liston biographer Paul Gallender claims that Liston fathered several children, though none with his wife. SO here are four theories behind who killed Sonny Liston at only the age of 40. [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. "[95], Sgt. Wepner, who also fought George Foreman and Muhammad Ali, said after his career was over that Liston was the hardest puncher he faced. Tosches, Nick (2000). Sonny couldnt read or write because his father worked him in the fields from the time he could walk Years later, he got his wife to teach him how to sign his name just so he could give it to kids who asked him for it his autograph. Many in the small crowd had not even settled in their seats when the fight was stopped. Listons body was discovered by his wife who was returning home from a two-week trip. Because of the shirt he wore during robberies, the St. Louis police called Liston the "Yellow Shirt Bandit." And for music fans, a wax model of Liston appears in the front row of the cover of the Beatles' Sgt. Although in the second fight, Liston appears to have taken a dive Again with the mob stuff. 9 He's like Foreman except stronger, more powerful, and slightly smaller. Daniel (Dan) Liston is Professor of Education in the Educational Foundations, Policy and Practice (EFPP) program and in the Curriculum and Instruction (C&I) program. SONNY LISTON FOUND DEAD IN 1971 Few tears are being shed for Charles (Sonny) Liston, heavyweight champion of the world, Sept. 25, 1962 to Feb. 25, 1964. Top contender Zora Folley was stopped in three rounds. He said they found Liston lying on his bed with a needle sticking out of his arm. He was also seeking to prove himself after his two embarrassing and suspicious losses to Ali. Meaning Sonny was number 24 out of 25 kids. Fifty years ago this week, Liston was discovered dead by his wife, Geraldine, on a bed in his Las Vegas home. Liston was the subject of a 2008 feature film based upon his life titled Phantom Punch. interview with Alex Haley in Muhammad Ali by Thomas Hauser. [89], Following an investigation, Las Vegas police concluded there were no signs of foul play and declared Liston's death a heroin overdose. Charles L. "Sonny" Liston was born in St. Francis County, Arkansas, to Tobe Liston and Helen Baskin. 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. "I didn't know what the heck was going on", Angelo Dundee, Clay's trainer, recalled on an NBC special 25 years later. The Devil and Sonny Liston is a biography of world heavyweight champion boxer Sonny Liston by Nick Tosches. When he tried to muscle in for a bigger share, his employers got him very drunk, took him home, and stuck him with a needle. Around the age of 20, Liston inevitably turned to crime and led a gang of young urbanites who committed muggings and armed robberies He was eventually caught and sentenced to 5 years in prison. In his sixth bout, he faced ranked heavyweight Johnny Summerlin (18-1-2) on national television and won in an eight-round decision. 9, 1 March 2018, p. 8, New York Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions, "Photographic image of 'Tale of the Tape', "Sonny Liston vs. Floyd Patterson (Tale of the tape)", "From THE RING: The greatest heavyweight of all time", "25 Greatest Fighters of All Time (Heavyweight)", "ESPN Classic - Liston was trouble in and out of ring", "Jacob's Beach by Kevin Mitchell: review", "Hard Times, Good Times: Charles "Sonny" Liston - Boxing.com", "Dismayed D'Amato Is Expecting To Get Back Manager's License", "Esquire covers commemorate boxing's prime", "Cassius Clay-Sonny Liston I: 50 Years Later", "Sonny Liston vs. Cassius Clay (1st meeting) - BoxRec", "1964 Clay vs. Liston Judges' Scorecards from Miami Beach Bout. | Lot #80073 | Heritage Auctions", "Muhammad Ali's Toughest Fight Wasn't Against Joe Frazier", "Fifty Years Later: The Mystery of Muhammad Ali's 'Phantom Punch', "I WAS THERE: George Chuvalo Watches Sonny Liston Take a Dive - YouTube", "Fifty Years Later: The Mystery of Muhammad Ali's 'Phantom Punch' | Boxing News", "Daytona Beach Morning Journal - Google News Archive Search", "Sonny Liston the most talented Heavyweight in history", "George Foreman Discusses Friendship With Sonny Liston", "Sonny Liston: Say Goodnight to the Bad Guy Boxing News", "LOTIERZO'S LOWDOWN Sonny Liston: The Most Underrated Heavyweight Champ In History", "The Most Feared Fighter in Boxing History: Charles 'Sonny' Liston remembered", "Liston KO'd Popular Patterson for Title", "O Unlucky Man: Fortune never smiled on Sonny Liston", "Sonny Liston Meets the Press - Boxing.com", "Like Fights Against Ali, Liston Death a Mystery", "December 30, 1970: Mysterious Death of Sonny Liston", "19 YEARS LATER: Liston Death Remains Mystery to His Friends". A wax model of Liston appears in the front row of the iconic sleeve cover of the Beatles' Sgt. Dave Anderson of the New York Times said Liston "looked awful" in his last workout before the fight. "A blues song just for fighters: The legend of Sonny Liston. The film starred Ving Rhames as Liston and was produced by Rhames, Hassain Zaidi and Marek Posival. And that guy did come along and beat him Twice And it was Muhammad Ali. 1 contender by 1960, but the handlers of the heavyweight champ at the time, Floyd Patterson, refused to give him a shot at the title because of Liston's links to the mob. As the years passed and Liston's financial situation worsened, he got angry and told the mob he'd go public with the story unless they gave him the money. Banker said he was told by police that Liston had been seen at a house that would be the target of a drug raid. 2023 Barstool Sports. . [25][26], In 1960 Liston won five more fights, including a rematch with Williams, who lasted only two rounds. Liston claimed he was born in 1932, yet his rap sheet for his 1950 arrest for armed robbery listed his age as 22, making him born in 1928. [51], Liston failed to answer the bell for the seventh round, and Clay was declared the winner by technical knockout. Ali initially stood over his fallen opponent, gesturing and yelling at him, "Get up and fight, sucker!" The grave's marker-plate bears the dedication: "A Man. Liston was allegedly present at dealer Earl Cage's residence during a raid by narcotics detectives. JustinvR Brown Belt. (1) Liston had been deeply involved as a bill collector of a loansharking ring in Las Vegas. He rounded out the year by stopping Nino Valdez and Willi Besmanoff. "[35], U.S. President John F. Kennedy also did not want Patterson to fight Liston. After two rounds, Wilson had taken enough. There are no official records of his birth His home state of Arkansas did not make birth certificates mandatory until 1965, but people believe he was born sometime around 1930-1932. Join Facebook to connect with Daniel 'Sonny' Liston and others you may know. [10][11] It has been suggested Liston himself may not have known what year he was born, as he was not precise on the matter. 780 46K views 8 years ago Heavyweight Champion Sonny Liston's son visits his gravesite. You could feel the deflation, see the look of hurt in his eyes. The Devil And Sonny 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? ", 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]. The suspension was honored in all states. He was paroled after serving six months of a nine-month sentence, and was not prohibited from boxing during 1957. Eddie's brother, Joe, is Sonny's cut man and his trainers, Willie Reddish and Johnny Tocco, round out his entourage. ", Chuck Wepner on Liston's intimidating appearance. [97], "The month before he died, some guy ran into Sonny while he was making a left turn. Join Facebook to connect with Daniel 'Sonny' Liston and others you may know. [citation needed], Liston competed in the 1953 United States National Championships at Boston Garden and passed the preliminaries, stopping Lou Graff in the second round on April 13, but lost in the quarterfinals to 17-year-old Jimmy McCarter on April 15. Ali's impressive start to his career earned him a shot at Sonny Liston for the Won WBA, WBC, The Ring, and lineal heavyweight titles in his 20th career fight in February 1964. 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