The story goes that Liston was born somewhere . Sonny Liston: The Tragic Story of a Terrifying Man Knopfler, who was born in Scotland and grew up in northern England, said Liston's story was "exciting subject matter because it's so mysterious." Never seen this one before, thanks alot. When caught in January 1950, Liston gave his age as 20, while the St. Louis Globe-Democrat reported that he was 22. On the Spot show with Max Goldberg featuring the heavyweight champion Sonny Liston Interview - YouTube [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. 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. 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. It burned like hell. The Ring magazine ranks Liston as the tenth greatest heavyweight of all time,[4] while boxing writer Herb Goldman ranked him second and Richard O'Brien, Senior Editor of Sports Illustrated, placed him third. "Sonnyboyliston | Race Record & Form | Racing Post", "Moonfire (1972), a film by Michael Parkhurst -Theiapolis", NYSAC World Heavyweight Champion - BoxRec, Lyrics to a song about Liston by Mark Knopfler, FBI Records: The Vault - Charles Sonny Liston, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sonny_Liston&oldid=1137950795, International Boxing Hall of Fame inductees, 20th-century African-American sportspeople, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2016, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2022, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2016, Pages with login required references or sources, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Hackman, Timothy. "You're putting things on and you're taking this out and molding it," Knopfler said. [87], Liston was found dead by his wife, Geraldine, in their Las Vegas home on January 5, 1971. For those too young to remember, Sonny "The Big Bear" Liston was a legendary heavyweight boxer. Felix later said Clay was seconds from being disqualified. Hall of Fame announcer Don Dunphy said, "Here was a guy who was in prison and the guards used to beat him over the head with clubs and couldn't knock him down." The victim sought out the executioner." He won by a seventh-round technical knockout, and seemed on the verge of making a comeback to the big time. And the Muslims were coming up. Ali did neither. [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. 10 Wild Stories From The Life Of Sonny Liston - Listverse He was still a world-ranked boxer when he died in mysterious circumstances in 1970. Reminds me of former UFC fighter Shane Carwin. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. 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. [107] The story speculates that Liston threw the Ali match for the good of society. Many in the small crowd had not even settled in their seats when the fight was stopped. According to a New York Times report the day after the fight, Clay was indeed an official member of the Nation of Islam. 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. In an interview with The Associated Press shortly before his death in May 2009, Liston said he regretted . "[94], A bronze copy of a marble statue of Liston sculpted by Alfred Hrdlicka in 1964 was erected in 2008 between Old Castle and Karlsplatz in Stuttgart, Germany. World light-heavyweight champion Jos Torres said, "It was a perfect punch." The Murder of Sonny Liston: A Story of Fame, Heroin, Boxing & Las Vegas. More on that in a second. "Some songs just seem to reverberate with people.". In the third round, Marshall nailed Listonreportedly while he was laughingand broke his jaw. Dennis Caputo of the Clark County Sheriff's Department was one of the first officers on the scene. Sonny Liston was one of the hardest hitters the boxing world has ever seen. Unfortunately for Martin, however, his career ended after that fight due to a detached retina he suffered during the bout. Both fights were in Summerlin's hometown of Detroit.[23]. Half a mile above and beyond the shrine, looking down from the summit of the mountain, is a statue of the Sacred Heart. On the album's lyric sheet, below the Liston song, Knopfler includes a famous quotation from Liston from 1962: "Some day, they're gonna write a blues for fighters. After demolishing these top-ranked fighters in the heavyweight division, Liston was regarded as the top-contender champion-in-waiting. I remember thinking as a child that this was a man who wanted to be left alone.". [72], "I was an 'intimidator' until I fought Sonny Liston. In the novel, Liston not only drinks but also pops pills and works as a sometime enforcer for a heroin ring in Las Vegas. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. ", 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]. .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. In that same book Liston was quoted two years after the fight: "Ali knocked me down with a sharp punch. My man. "[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. "There was nothing Sonny feared more than a needle. Liston went down on his back. After two rounds, Wilson had taken enough. There's never been anybody as ruthless. [42], Liston's run-ins with the police had continued in Philadelphia. In the third round, Clay began to take control of the fight. At that point, the fight was scored as even on the official scorecards. Sports Illustrated writer Gilbert Rogin wrote that "that final left hook crashed into Patterson's cheek like a diesel rig going downhill, no brakes." Sonny Liston interview with Max Goldberg before his fight with Cassius [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. The film starred Ving Rhames as Liston and was produced by Rhames, Hassain Zaidi and Marek Posival. His family's home state of Arkansas did not make birth certificates mandatory until 1965. Sheed says that the punch and the knockdown "may have been genuine, but when referee Joe Walcott blew the count and gave him all evening to get up, Liston's rendition of a coma wouldn't have fooled a possum. Audiences at home were confused and outraged. Some writers thought Liston brought bad press on himself by a surly and hostile attitude toward journalists. "He said, 'Cut the gloves off. [citation needed], The fight turned out to be a mismatch. When Patterson met with the president in January 1962, Kennedy suggested that Patterson avoid Liston, citing Justice Department concerns over Liston's ties to organized crime. [5][6] Alfie Potts Harmer in The Sportster also ranked him the third greatest heavyweight and the sixth greatest boxer at any weight. Tale of the tape: Fight poster for Sonny Liston v Cassius Clay in 1964. . After repeated overnight detention by the St. Louis police and a thinly veiled threat to his life, Liston left for Philadelphia. ", It was later theorized that a substance used on Liston's cuts by Joe Pollino, his cut man, may have caused the irritation. When Machen clinched in . 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. Less than 10 days later, he was Muhammad Ali, a name given him to Elijah Muhammad, the head of the Nation of Islam. Naturally, they decided that Ali would take on Liston. Pan, 2017. I don't think there was any way for him to beat Clay at that time, but if he entered the ring in a different mindset, to box and not try and get him like Patterson and others, he could of went the distance. C'mon now, this is for the title, this is the big apple. That got him killed. Entire books have been written about the fight, and one, released in 2015, sought to end the suggestion that Liston took another fall. The fight lasted less than one full round, with Ali knocking out Liston at the 1:44 mark. Then again, you can also have guys like Ali or Mike Tyson. 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. It'll just be for slow guitar, soft trumpet and a bell.". Geraldine called Liston's attorney and his doctor, but did not notify the police until two to three hours later. For me, the most fascinating thing about Liston was the fact that his birth date is unknown. Writer Jack McKinney said, "I watched Sonny. Liston didn't seem to mind though. Shaun Assael. He returned with four consecutive knockout victories in Sweden between July 1966 and April 1967, all four co-promoted by former world heavyweight champion Ingemar Johansson. Liston biographer Paul Gallender claims that Liston fathered several children, though none with his wife. Charles L. "Sonny" Liston (c.1930 December 30, 1970) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1953 to 1970. 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. ", 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." Clay brought Malcolm X along with him to Miami, and amid the controversy, the fight was almost canceled. He could probably drive his thumb through your skull like Michael Myers, It's crazy to think about the fact that Sonny Liston was an actual gangster running with gangs.. and then he looks so soft spoken in the interview. "[35] Although largely illiterate through lack of schooling, Liston was a more complex and interesting individual than has often been acknowledged. [34] Many African-Americans disdained Liston. Remembering One Of Boxing's Storied Bouts Robert Siegel and Melissa Block recall the fight between Cassius Clay and and Sonny Liston, the fight at the heart of the off-Broadway play Fetch Clay, . (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. In his sixth bout, he faced ranked heavyweight Johnny Summerlin (18-1-2) on national television and won in an eight-round decision. I dont have to be what you want me to be, Clay told agitated reporters. 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. Mike DeJohn was the highest paid boxer at $15,000 while James Dickey received $20,000. In the 2020 film One Night in Miami, Liston is played by Aaron D. Alexander. Liston's wife also recalled that her husband would refuse basic medical care for common colds because of his dislike of needles. r/boxing does not tolerate racism or intolerance of any kind. He won eight fights that year, six by knockout. Beat me to it! 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. The fight lasted four seconds longer than the first one. Muhammad Ali (at the time a rising contender named Cassius Clay), however, predicted a knockout by Liston in the first five rounds. "[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. After he won the title, Liston relocated to Denver permanently, saying, "I'd rather be a lamppost in Denver than the mayor of Philadelphia. It made a champion out of Clay, who declared that hed shook up the world.. Byrne sought an injunction blocking the fight in Boston because Inter-Continental Promotions was promoting the fight without a Massachusetts license. Sonny Liston had a controversial boxing career, winning 54 of 58 bouts from 1953 to 1970. "The timekeeper was waving both hands and saying, 'I counted him outthe fight is over,'" Walcott said after the fight. Did Sonny Liston Take a Dive in His Second Muhammad Ali - Sportscasting Muhammad Ali biographer Jonathan Eig shared a new theory as to why Sonny Liston may have taken a dive in the boxers' second bout. "[59], Liston is ranked second in the ESPN.com list of "The Hardest Hitters in Heavyweight History. Maule, Tex (March 9, 1964). Sonny Liston in his prime . One memo, dated 24 May 1966, outlined an interview with Houston gambler Barnett Magids, who believed Liston would win. Banker said he was told by police that Liston had been seen at a house that would be the target of a drug raid. He was 6ft 1in (1.85m), and had an exceptionally powerful physique, with a disproportionately long reach at 84 inches (2.13m). 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. The toxicology report said his body was too decomposed for the tests to be conclusive. While true he also sent women to the hospital, which his sparring partner confirms. The suspension was honored in all states. [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. "I was rooting around in my childhood, maybe the way you do when you get to a certain age," Knopfler said. He is seen in the far left part of the row, wearing a white and gold robe, standing beside the original-look Beatle wax figures. [20], Liston signed a contract in September 1953, proclaiming: "Whatever you tell me to do, I'll do. According to Liston's trainer, Willie Reddish, Liston cancelled a planned tour to Africa in 1963 because he refused to get the required inoculations. The match had more storylines than a soap opera. He sunk to the canvas, and as he was down, Ali stood over him, taunting and demanding his stunned opponent get back up. Anyone can read what you share. Soon, he was known as Cassius X, eschewing the last name given to his enslaved family by their owners. It was the first time in his career that Liston had been cut. Clay confessed later he had been hurt by the punch, but Liston was unable to press his advantage home. The Murder of Sonny Liston is an absorbing, albeit speculative, attempt at addressing the mystery that died with the man. Muhammad Ali talking about Henry Cooper, Sonny Liston, and - YouTube Sit down!' In his next fight, he had a rematch with Summerlin and again won an eight-round decision. Sports Illustrated predicted a Patterson victory in 15 rounds, stating: "Sonny has neither Floyd's speed nor the versatility of his attack. Interview Date: March 13, 1989 Camera Rolls: 2104-2105 Sound Rolls: 248 Editorial Notes: Interview with , conducted by Blackside, Inc. on March 13, 1989, for . Very rare interview of Sonny Liston talking about how he got started in boxing, his fights with Williams and Patterson and his training routine. Either way, nat fleisher as the KD timekeeper had NO right telling Walcott the fight was over. I didn't think it was a powerful punch when I saw the fight from ringside," he said. ", This page was last edited on 7 February 2023, at 06:36. 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. In his 1965 rematch with Ali, Liston suffered an unexpected first-round knockout that led to unresolved suspicions of a fix. [33], Civic leaders were also reluctant, worrying that Liston's unsavory character would set a bad example for youth. "[35], U.S. President John F. Kennedy also did not want Patterson to fight Liston. "[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. 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. At the IBHOF, the casts of Listons hands were bigger than Lennox Lewis' which were also gigantic. Washington University Libraries, Film and Media Archive, Henry Hampton Collection. I was down but not hurt, but I looked up and saw Ali standing over me. Sonny Liston Interview - Rare - YouTube ", confirmed most people's belief that Liston had taken a dive. [50] Stuttgarter Amtsblatt No. [7] Liston was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991. Another depicts Liston's death scene and autopsy: "There was dope in his veins and a pistol on the drawer Criss-crossed on his back, scars from his daddy like slavery tracks.". "Better get me out of this ring," exclaimed Wilson, "he is going to kill me! [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! Because of the shirt he wore during robberies, the St. Louis police called Liston the "Yellow Shirt Bandit." Liston captured the Chicago Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions on March 6, 1953, with a victory over 1952 Olympic Heavyweight Champion Ed Sanders. But by the sixth round his sight had cleared, and a clearly enraged Clay fought a blisteringly aggressive round landing numerous combination punches. A stoic Liston finished the fight, but lost in an eight-round split decision. There's something really primal about the whole thing, obviously. ", Hutchison, Phillip J. "[57] Those findings were confirmed in a formal investigation immediately after the fight by Florida State Attorney Richard Gerstein, who also noted that there was little doubt that Liston went into the fight with a sore or lame shoulder. Watch the interview you be the judge.. 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.. Many did not see the punch land, and some who did questioned that it was powerful enough to knock Liston out. Who needed that? But upon arrival, Liston was met by only a handful of reporters and public-relations staff. Also in 1970, Liston appeared on an episode of the TV series Love, American Style and in a television commercial for Braniff Airlines with Andy Warhol.[12][102]. A lot of his life was mysterious and messy. A grateful Liston found there was no need to give chase. BOXING Correction: July 15, 2005, Friday A sports picture caption on Wednesday with an article about Mark Knopfler's ballad for the boxer Sonny Liston referred incorrectly in some copies to the year in which Muhammad Ali knocked out Liston in Lewiston, Me. 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..
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