Liston's life was marked with numerous arrests, before and after he entered boxing. At age 12, after selling a bag of pecans for bus fare, he left for St. Louis, betting on a brighter future. [42], Liston's run-ins with the police had continued in Philadelphia. Sonny Liston, I think was possibly the greatest intimidator of all time. After two rounds, Wilson had taken enough. The fight lasted four seconds longer than the first one. Born into poverty and the 12 th of 13 children born to Tobe and Helen Liston (and the 24 th of 25 children fathered by Tobe in total), Sonny did not enjoy a privileged upbringing. He was still a world-ranked boxer when he died in mysterious circumstances in 1970. Other than that, little is definite about his birth, but he seems to have been born in a shack on the cotton plantation where his parents worked, a little outside Forrest City, in Arkansas, which did . [64] Strict interpretation of the knockdown/count rule states it is the referee's count and not the timekeeper's that is the official count. He had a whiplash, so they took him to the hospital," said boxing trainer Johnny Tocco. 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. "Nat Fleischer [editor of The Ring] was sitting beside McDonough and he was waving his hands, too, saying it was over." A lot of his life was mysterious and messy. Ali is waiting to hit me, the ref can't control him. 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. Overall, Liston earned around $500,000 during his career. [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. The heavyweight champion's mysterious death is covered in tonight's all-new episode of. There were some, however, who believed the fight was legitimate. Eight years later, he died but his friends questioned the cause of his death. What are you doing? I didn't want anything to do with him. A stoic Liston finished the fight, but lost in an eight-round split decision. "[98], Some claim Liston was murdered. Officially, Liston died of lung congestion and heart failure. He rolled over, got to his right knee and then fell on his back again. 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. After a rough upbringing, with little formal education, Liston found himself in trouble with the law. His eyes swept the whole scene. Referee Jersey Joe Walcott, a former world heavyweight champion, had a hard time getting Ali to go to a neutral corner. [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. Former champions James J. Braddock, Jersey Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles, Rocky Marciano and Ingemar Johansson all picked Patterson to win. Tocco said that the living room furniture was in disarray, but the house did not yet smell of death. 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. "[18], After Liston was released from prison on October 31, 1952, he had a brief amateur career that spanned less than a year. In his next fight, he had a rematch with Summerlin and again won an eight-round decision. The following year, Sonnydetermined to reunite with his mother and siblingsthrashed the pecans from his brother-in-law's tree and sold them in Forrest City, Arkansas. [99] (3) The mob promised Liston some money to throw the second Ali fight, but they never paid him. He was born in Sand Slough, Arkansas, U.S. on May 8, 1932. Overcoming the seemingly insurmountable odds that life threw his way, Liston became the heavyweight champion of the world when he knocked out Floyd Patterson in 1962. Ali called it "the anchor punch." He also had a reputation for bullying people such as porters and waitresses. 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. Tosches' intended title was "Night Train" after one of Liston's favorite songs. His fists measured 15 inches around, which was the largest of any heavyweight champion. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Banker later learned that the police told Liston the same thing to his face. 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. Sonny Liston's story began with a lonely bus ride in 1944. Although Clay often carried his gloves down at his waist, seemingly open to attack, he proved very difficult to hit. Inter-Continental said local veteran Sam Silverman was the promoter. A few years before Tocco died, he allegedly told one of his good friends, Tony Davi, that he went to Liston's house and found the door locked and his car in the driveway. . "[54] Hall of Fame matchmaker Teddy Brenner also disputed the shoulder injury, claiming he saw Liston use the same arm to throw a chair in his dressing room after the match. "But they'll have to swing along until somebody comes to beat me.". He had been dead several days. But the year of Sonny's birth, like the circumstances of his death, remain a mystery. [52][53] It was the first time since 1919when Jack Dempsey defeated Jess Willardthat a world heavyweight champion had quit on his stool. After some run-ins with the law near St Louis, Liston moved to Philly and picked up a new manager in 1958: another mafia guy named Joseph "Pep" Barone, who was a front man for mobsters Frankie Carbo and Frank "Blinky" Palermo. [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. Mickey Mantle, who could hit a baseball as far as any man, had the forearms of a blacksmith but only average-sized hands. He had the whole package. I never realized how much of a freak of nature Sonny Liston was. And, while Patterson was growing as a fighter, Sonny was taking on mostly journeyman and starting to age. He was 6ft 1in (1.85m), and had an exceptionally powerful physique, with a disproportionately long reach at 84 inches (2.13m). [47] Sitting on his stool between rounds, however, Liston was breathing heavily as his cornermen worked on his cut. Geraldine had been trying to contact Liston for nearly two weeks before travelling . [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. 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. O n January 5, 1971, Sonny Liston, the former heavyweight champion of the world, was found dead in his home in Las Vegas. Name: Sonny Liston Birth Name: Charles L. Liston Hometown: Saint Louis, Missouri, USA Birthplace: Johnson Township, Arkansas, USA Died: 1970-12-30 (Age:40) Stance: Orthodox Height: 185cm Reach: 213cm Referee: Record Pro Boxer: Record Amateur Boxer: Record Managers: Jack Nilon, Joe (Pep) Barone, Eddie Polino, George Katz, Frank Mitchell, Dick Sadler Both fights were in Summerlin's hometown of Detroit.[23]. Gary Beckwith said, "It wasn't uncommon for family members in these cases to go through and tidy up to save family embarrassment. And Tex Maule of Sports Illustrated wrote, "The blow had so much force it lifted Liston's left foot, upon which most of his weight was resting, well off the canvas. This Day in History: Young Muhammad Ali Knocks out Sonny Liston for First World Title. Sonny Liston was born in Sand Slough, Arkansas to a sharecropper, Tobey Liston, who fathered 25 children, the second youngest of whom was Charles, Sonny's real name, born from Tobey's marriage to Helen Baskin, a woman nearly three decades younger than he. Walcott never did pick up the count. His fists measured 15 inches (38cm) around, the largest of any heavyweight champion. 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. The coroner said that there was not a lethal amount of heroin discovered in Listons system during the autopsy, but authorities still attributed his death to an accidental drug overdose even though police on the scene could not locate any drug paraphernalia that Liston presumably would have needed to inject the fatal dose Such as a spoon to cook the heroin, or a tourniquet to wrap around his arm, or maybe a needle that he was fucking terrified of. "[75], Future world heavyweight champion George Foreman, who sparred with Liston after Foreman's amateur career, assessed Liston's jab as the most formidable he faced and Liston as the strongest man he encountered in the ring, describing Liston as having the most natural talent and skill. The interference of ringside reporters regarding interpretation of the rules, the fight stoppage and the controversy after the fight had not been seen since The Long Count Fight between champion Gene Tunney and challenger Jack Dempsey in 1927. He was a heavyweight world champion. [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. Several reports say Liston had fresh needle marks on his arms when he died. Governor John H. Reed of Maine stepped forward, and within a few hours the promoters had a new site: Lewiston, Maine, a mill town with a population of about 41,000 located 140 miles (230km) north of Boston. [84], Liston married Geraldine Chambers in St. Louis, Missouri, on September 3, 1957. Ali did neither. In 1950, Liston was arrested at his apartment at 1006 O'Fallon Street for robbing the Unique Cafe on 1502 Market Street in St. Louis for 37 dollars. and "Nobody will believe this!"[63]. February 25, 1964. Born to a large and impoverished sharecropping family, Charles 'Sonny' Liston probably came into the world four years before his official 1932 birthdate, and his struggle to fashion a real identity would remain with him his whole life. During these same years Sonny Liston was on the comeback trail as well. "[96], Many people who knew Liston insisted he was afraid of needles and never would have used heroin. But upon arrival, Liston was met by only a handful of reporters and public-relations staff. He threw 99. . [22], Early in his career, Liston faced capable opponents. Clearly, it was time to turn pro. He rounded out the year by stopping Nino Valdez and Willi Besmanoff. Only a rising contender at the time named Cassius Clay predicted a knockout by Liston in the first five rounds. Geraldine remembered her husband as "Great with me, great with the kids. In the first fight, in Miami, a 22-year-old Cassius Clay danced around the ring, taunted Liston, promised reporters he'd shock the world, and then delivered on that promise with a blistering late. And the Muslims were coming up. Liston wins, 10 times out of 10. Stevens organized a sparring session with a professional heavyweight named Thurman Wilson to showcase Liston's potential. His defense was described as "the gate-crossing of arms la Archie Moore. [56] Sports Illustrated writer Tex Maule wrote that Liston's shoulder injury was legitimate. Patterson and Liston had a rematch clause in their contract, so they met again on July 22, 1963, this time in Las Vegas So that was ~ 10 months after their first meeting. When Liston died, with heroin found in his system, there was speculation that he'd committed suicide while some thought he'd been murdered. [85] Geraldine had a daughter from a previous marriage, and the Listons subsequently adopted a boy from Sweden. And for music fans, a wax model of Liston appears in the front row of the cover of the Beatles' Sgt. Others have said he may have been murdered in some sort of mob killing. [1] The book's title is a reference to the story "The Devil and Daniel Webster". Clay confessed later he had been hurt by the punch, but Liston was unable to press his advantage home. But according to Sonny's trainer, Johnny Tocco, once there, his path led to prison: He was also seeking to prove himself after his two embarrassing and suspicious losses to Ali. Some writers thought Liston brought bad press on himself by a surly and hostile attitude toward journalists. [5][6] Alfie Potts Harmer in The Sportster also ranked him the third greatest heavyweight and the sixth greatest boxer at any weight. His father Tobe loved to fuck. [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. Cleveland Williams was the last person to defeat Liston and made $100,000 for his efforts. With Clay quickly ducking his head left, right or away, Liston's leading left jabs largely failed to land. Odds makers gave Liston 71 to win. So that means his reach was practically a . The rematch between . Sports Illustrated predicted a Patterson victory in 15 rounds, stating:"Sonny has neither Floyd's speed nor the versatility of his attack. Wepner, who also fought George Foreman and went 15 rounds with Ali before being knocked out (that fight was Stallones inspiration for Rocky), said after his career was over that Liston was by far the hardest puncher he faced. C'mon now, this is for the title, this is the big apple. Sit down!' An Associated Press poll had 64 of 102 reporters picking Patterson. ", 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. He is a relatively elementary, one-track fighter." The heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali stood over Sonny Liston in the first round of their title fight in Lewiston, Me., on May 25, 1965, and was heard to say, "Get up and fight, sucker!" John . You've seen him before but probably didn't realize it because the most famous photo ever taken of Sonny was not at his best angle More on that in a second. Patterson was knocked down three times and counted out at 2:10 of the first round. [105], Singer/Songwriter Rod Picott wrote and recorded a song titled "Sonny Liston" for his 2022 album "Paper Hearts and Broken Arrows. (, Shaun Assael. (2) Professional gambler Lem Banker insists that Liston was murdered by drug dealers with whom he'd become involved. He was hardly leading a life of health and fitness. Because of the shirt he wore during robberies, the St. Louis police called Liston the "Yellow Shirt Bandit." (12) 7.3 1 h 29 min 2019 18+. He was found dead in his Las Vegas home on January 5, 1971 Six months after the Wepner fight. He particularly resented a 1961 arrest by a black patrolman for loitering, claiming to have merely been signing autographs and chatting with fans outside a drugstore. Some found it suspicious that authorities could not locate any drug paraphernalia that Liston presumably would have needed to inject the fatal dose, such as a spoon to cook the heroin or a tourniquet to wrap around his arm. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band He is seen in the far left of the first row, wearing a white and gold robe. 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. Sonny Liston Born to an Arkansas tenant farmer named Tobe Liston and his second wife, Helen, Charles L. Liston was one of twenty-five children. Many in attendance did not see Ali deliver the punch. [62] The promoters needed a new location quickly, whatever the size, to rescue their closed-circuit television commitment around the country. 780 46K views 8 years ago Heavyweight Champion Sonny Liston's son visits his gravesite. [27][28], Liston's streak of nine straight knockout victories ended when he won a unanimous twelve-round decision against Eddie Machen on September 7, 1960. Liston assaulted the officer, breaking his knee and gashing his face. He walks to the ring with his gloves on the shoulders of his manager, Eddie Polino. I was down but not hurt, but I looked up and saw Ali standing over me. ", confirmed most people's belief that Liston had taken a dive. [38], Patterson finally signed to meet Liston for the world title on September 25, 1962, in Comiskey Park in Chicago. [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. The two American fighters met again 15 months later, Ali winning . I knew that he had a long reach and a very powerful jab, but i never realized he had a 84 inch reach. His father . "There is power in both his left and his right, even though the fists move with the languor of motoring royalty or as if passing through a gaseous envelope more dense than air." It was a good punch, but I didn't think I hit him so hard that he couldn't have gotten up. This is just a glimpse into what was. Sports Illustrated writer Gilbert Rogin wrote that "that final left hook crashed into Patterson's cheek like a diesel rig going downhill, no brakes." Liston was the subject of a 2008 feature film based upon his life titled Phantom Punch. Liston, with a 25-pound weight advantage, 214lb (97kg) to 189lb (86kg), knocked out Patterson at 2:06 of the first round, putting him down for the count with a powerful left hook to the jaw. 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 champion. Midway through the first round, Liston threw a left jab and Ali went over it with a fast right, knocking the former champion down. [24], In 1958, Liston returned to boxing. [97], "The month before he died, some guy ran into Sonny while he was making a left turn. Boxer Sonny Liston ducks and covers up as Cassius Clay aims a right at him during their title fight. In the novel, Liston not only drinks but also pops pills and works as a sometime enforcer for a heroin ring in Las Vegas. And in 1961 . At one point, Liston had Clay against the ropes and landed a hard left hook. Listons body was discovered by his wife who was returning home from a two-week trip. Daniel 'Sonny' Liston is on Facebook. With the proceeds, he traveled to St. Louis to live with his mother. So I get him down, I get the sponge and I pour the water into his eyes trying to cleanse whatever's there, but before I did that I put my pinkie in his eye and I put it into my eye. 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. JustinvR Brown Belt. It was probably Liston's best moment in the entire fight. Liston also appears in the sequel, Blood's a Rover. Liston tried going to school but quickly left after jeers about his illiteracy; the only employment he could obtain was sporadic and exploitative. He was more angry about that shot than he was about the car wreck. [45][46] A clearly angered Liston rallied at the end of the round when Clay seemed tired, delivering punishing body shots. [94], Liston was buried at Paradise Memorial Gardens in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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. Muhammad Ali-Sonny Liston rivalry Before Cassius Clay took on the name Muhammad Ali, he was a young and brash fighter who worked his way up the ranks. 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. In the third round, Marshall nailed Listonreportedly while he was laughingand broke his jaw. Liston went down on his back. In 2013, there was a newly created book titled According to Warjac: Most Wanted, written by Greg Swaim. Who needed that? [55], There is ample evidence that Liston did carry an injury to his left shoulder into the fight. [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. [33], Civic leaders were also reluctant, worrying that Liston's unsavory character would set a bad example for youth. In this excerpt from his new book, The Murder of Sonny Liston, ESPN senior writer Shaun Assael recounts the final hectic days of Liston's life, and the controversial police investigation into his death . The previous month, Schreibauer had won a bronze medal in the European Championships. Remembered her husband as `` the month before he died but his questioned! There were some, however, who could hit a baseball as far as any man, had a inch... Shirt Bandit. 5, 1971 Six months after the Wepner fight in Sand Slough Arkansas. 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