Remembering One Of Boxing's Storied Bouts : NPR Sonny Liston: The Tragic Story of a Terrifying Man The World Boxing Association one of several boxing organizations was not too pleased, moving to strip Ali of his title and advising states not to agree to host the rematch. The Murder of Sonny Liston is an absorbing, albeit speculative, attempt at addressing the mystery that died with the man. 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). Don't confuse shyness with dullness, Sonny was. The Real Story behind the Ali-Liston Fights. "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. 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. [62] The promoters needed a new location quickly, whatever the size, to rescue their closed-circuit television commitment around the country. Muhammad Ali (at the time a rising contender named Cassius Clay), however, predicted a knockout by Liston in the first five rounds. The bout would need to be delayed by six months. His eyes swept the whole scene. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Liston won his final fight, a tough but one-sided match against future world title challenger Chuck Wepner in June 1970. Before he left for his bout with Clay, Sonny's training in Denver took him to some strange places. (4) Liston was supposed to take a dive when he fought Chuck Wepner six months earlier, and killing him was payback for his failure to do so. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. Mark Knopfler enjoyed widespread popularity in the 1980's as the leader of Dire Straits, lending his husky voice to hit songs like "Sultans of Swing" and "Money for Nothing." He is a relatively elementary, one-track fighter." He rounded out the year by stopping Nino Valdez and Willi Besmanoff. 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. [87], Liston was found dead by his wife, Geraldine, in their Las Vegas home on January 5, 1971. A few months after Alis fight, Liston was dead from lung congestion though even that was shrouded in mystery and controversy. r/boxing does not tolerate racism or intolerance of any kind. 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. Boston: Little, Brown. He said it was taught to him by comedian and film actor Stepin Fetchit, who learned it from Jack Johnson. Liston's wife also recalled that her husband would refuse basic medical care for common colds because of his dislike of needles. Sports Illustrated predicted a Patterson victory in 15 rounds, stating: "Sonny has neither Floyd's speed nor the versatility of his attack. 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. The grave's marker-plate bears the dedication: "A Man. ", 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." Interviewing and trash-talk have both gone through some tremendous evolutions, havent they? Knopfler said he enjoys boxing and other sports but reflected on a conversation he had with a friend about the fights. [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. 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. Walcott never did pick up the count. Patterson wanted a chance to redeem himself, so they met again on July 22, 1963, in Las Vegas. Hed shown up to the fight in the best shape of his life no hot dogs or beer in his diet this time and promised to take down Ali. Sit down!' 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 . After he won the title, Liston relocated to Denver permanently, saying, "I'd rather be a lamppost in Denver than the mayor of Philadelphia. [11][12][10][13][14] One writer concluded that Liston's most plausible date of birth was July 22, 1930, citing census records and statements from his mother during her lifetime. He also had a reputation for bullying people such as porters and waitresses. In the first fight, in Miami, a 22-year-old Cassius Clay danced around the ring, taunted Liston, promised reporters hed shock the world, and then delivered on that promise with a blistering late attack that prompted Liston to toss in the towel after the sixth round. A wax model of Liston appears in the front row of the iconic sleeve cover of the Beatles' Sgt. The governor of nearby Maine, John Reed, stepped up and volunteered to host it in the small town of Lewiston, where a resort and ice rink could provide some infrastructure. Writer Jack McKinney said, "I watched Sonny. During the interim, officials in Boston also got cold feet. One memo, dated 24 May 1966, outlined an interview with Houston gambler Barnett Magids, who believed Liston would win. Genuinely kind mobster who had been convicted of armed robbery and assault. The connections to organized crime were an advantage early in his career but were later used against 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]. 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 also appears in the sequel, Blood's a Rover. Rogin wrote. He had been deliberately snubbed. Liston retired in his corner due to an inflamed shoulder. #1 December 1963 extended Interview with Champion Sonny Liston - discusses Ali defense, his contenders, even the JFK Assassination 12-02-2022, 12:32 PM Pretty cool interview. Sonny Liston Interview in Color - YouTube "[59], Liston is ranked second in the ESPN.com list of "The Hardest Hitters in Heavyweight History. [49], Clay later said that in round five he could only see a faint shadow of Liston during most of the round, but by circling and moving frantically he managed to avoid Liston and somehow survive. 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. "I didn't know what the heck was going on", Angelo Dundee, Clay's trainer, recalled on an NBC special 25 years later. [39] Leading up to the fight, Liston was an 85 betting favorite, although many picked Patterson to win. In "Sailing to Philadelphia," a duet with James Taylor, Knopfler told of Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon traveling from England to North America to draw the Mason-Dixon line. 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. Sonny Liston had a very sad upbringing & had to learn to survive at a young age. 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. Liston was knocked down in the first round, but came back to control the next two rounds and had Griffin hanging on at the end. ", Knopfler compared writing a song about Liston to the work a sculptor performs on a statue. There are echoes of slavery in his upbringing." The previous month, Schreibauer had won a bronze medal in the European Championships. 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. In these feckless clinches he only managed to tie up one of Liston's arms. [100] A successful racehorse which won the Irish St Leger classic race in 2021 was named Sonnyboyliston. 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. Interview with Floyd Patterson - Washington University in St. Louis He had the whole package. RARE Sonny Liston Interview before the first Ali fight 1964 in Color [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. McDonough, however, claimed Walcott was looking at the crowd and never at him. After Liston arose, Walcott wiped off his gloves. All Rights Reserved. Muhammad Ali talking about Henry Cooper, Sonny Liston, and - YouTube 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. Emily Post would probably recommend a ticker-tape parade. [67] Some felt the knockdown was real but the knockout was fake. "[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. 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. Ali is waiting to hit me, the ref can't control him. "He had a left like Henry's hammer," Knopfler sings, "a right like Betty Bamalam. Never before seen Sonny Liston interview. Support this Channel: https://www.patreon.com/join/LegendsofBoxing Merchandise: https://www.redbubble.com/peo. "At about noon on the day of the fight, (Magids) reached Resnick again by phone," the memo read. Patterson, a 4-1 betting underdog, was knocked down three times and counted out at 2:10 of the first round. Joe Louis commenting on TV at ringside said "It's looking good for Sonny Liston". Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. [74], Writer Gilbert Rogin assessed Liston's style and physique after his win over Zora Folley. Ali called it "the anchor punch." It is hardly the first recording by a rock musician about boxing. Muhammad Ali called it his "anchor punch," a quick right hand that the young heavyweight champion claimed he had learned from his friend, actor Stepin Fetchit. Liston angrily responded by questioning whether Dempsey's failure to serve in World War I qualified him to moralize. [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. [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. [59], Liston trained hard for the rematch, which was scheduled to take place November 13, 1964, in Boston. [99] (3) The mob promised Liston some money to throw the second Ali fight, but they never paid him. Numerous fans booed and started yelling, "Fix!" [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. C'mon now, this is for the title, this is the big apple. The Devil and Sonny Liston. But he spoke to his friend Resnick on the day of the fight and was told not to bet on the champion. [61] The new date was set for May 25, 1965. The victim sought out the executioner." While true he also sent women to the hospital, which his sparring partner confirms. Tocco said that the living room furniture was in disarray, but the house did not yet smell of death. "But can he hit!" Banker later learned that the police told Liston the same thing to his face. The mysterious life of Sonny Liston. Sonny Liston fought for only $10,000 during his career. On This Day: Muhammad Ali knocks out Sonny Liston with - The Ring The fight lasted less than one full round, with Ali knocking out Liston at the 1:44 mark. "[82] 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. In his 1965 rematch with Ali, Liston suffered an unexpected first-round knockout that led to unresolved suspicions of a fix. The story goes that Liston was born somewhere . 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. [22], Early in his career, Liston faced capable opponents. Sonny Liston - BoxRec When caught in January 1950, Liston gave his age as 20, while the St. Louis Globe-Democrat reported that he was 22. Muhammad Ali: FBI probed 1964 Sonny Liston fight for match-fixing 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. He was scared of the black-power movement. 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. Former champions James J. Braddock, Jersey Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles, Rocky Marciano and Ingemar Johansson all picked Patterson to win. "Johnny wasn't a braggart," Davi told Liston biographer Paul Gallender. [29] Machen's taunting and his spoiling tactics of dodging and grapplingat one point almost heaving Liston over the ropesso alienated the audience that Liston received unaccustomed support from the crowd. . . [16] Listonaged around 13, according to his later reckoningsremained in Arkansas with his father. His death was, too. On May 5, 1956, a policeman confronted Liston and a friend about a cab parked near Liston's home. "He said: 'Look what they did!' Machen's mobility enabled him to go the distance but he was clearly outpointed despite Liston being penalised for a low blow in the 11th round. He was a gentle man. Rocky Marciano, the former heavyweight champion, said that he appreciated the punchs strength upon re-examination. "[42], Liston made his second title defense on February 25, 1964, in Miami Beach, Florida against Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali). He was also seeking to prove himself after his two embarrassing and suspicious losses to Ali. 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. 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. At one point, Liston had Clay against the ropes and landed a hard left hook. Liston tried going to school but quickly left after jeers about his illiteracy; the only employment he could obtain was sporadic and exploitative. Frank Mir was around that height and was noticeably taller than Carwin. [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. Liston was particularly known for his immense strength, formidable jab, long reach, toughness, and his infamously intimidating appearance. [103], Sonny Liston was featured in a novel "Girl Fighter" with a brief reference to his early life, his rise to WBC heavyweight champion and his eventual losses to Clay/Ali.[104]. 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.. Larry Merchant, then a writer with the Philadelphia Daily News, wrote: "A celebration for Philadelphia's first heavyweight champ is now in order. [56] Sports Illustrated writer Tex Maule wrote that Liston's shoulder injury was legitimate. Concert Preview/Interview: John Lodge of the Moody Blues on Reprising "Days of Future Passed . Caputo, one of the investigating police officers, "The whole department knew about it." Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston: The Controversial Fight Behind Their But upon arrival, Liston was met by only a handful of reporters and public-relations staff. "Better get me out of this ring," exclaimed Wilson, "he is going to kill me! Rogin called Liston's physique "awesomearms like fence posts, thighs like silos." [55], There is ample evidence that Liston did carry an injury to his left shoulder into the fight. "It was common knowledge that Sonny was a heroin addict," said Sgt. December 1963 extended Interview with Champion Sonny Liston - discusses Liston was allegedly present at dealer Earl Cage's residence during a raid by narcotics detectives. Maule, Tex (March 9, 1964). Many in the small crowd had not even settled in their seats when the fight was stopped. [32] Ironically, Patterson's manager, Cus D'Amato, associated with racketeers and had his manager's license revoked by the New York State Athletic Commission for alleged misconduct in connection with the Floyd PattersonIngemar Johansson title fight in June 1959. I want to prove to the world there's dirty work afoot.' More on that in a second. ", Ali clearly did not think he knocked Liston out. During these same years Sonny Liston was on the comeback trail as well. It burned like hell. Also, McDonough did not bang on the canvas or motion a number count with his fingers. Underworld connections and his unrecorded dates of birth and death added to the enigma. Liston was depicted as a bad guy by the media, a handbreaker for the mafia. For those too young to remember, Sonny "The Big Bear" Liston was a legendary heavyweight boxer. "Now (after seeing video) I think Clay, seeing the opening, snapped the punch the last six inches. 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. Mike DeJohn was the highest paid boxer at $15,000 while James Dickey received $20,000.

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