He won by a seventh-round technical knockout, and seemed on the verge of making a comeback to the big time. Cassius Clay is embraced by his handlers after he won the world heavyweight championship on a TKO over Sonny Liston in the 7th round. [33], Civic leaders were also reluctant, worrying that Liston's unsavory character would set a bad example for youth. "[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. (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. [30], Liston became the No. He rolled over, got to his right knee and then fell on his back again. Theories regarding the circumstance of Liston's death. Professor Liston's research interests . Rough N' Rowdy 20 LIVE From The Charleston Coliseum | Friday 8PM ET, Barstool Sportsbook has arrived in PA, MI, IL, IN, CO, VA, NJ, TN, AZ, IA, WV, LA, KS, MD, OH, Best Influencer Marketplace for Advertisers, Best Influencer Marketplace for Influencers & Creators, Best Influencer Marketplace for Agents & Agencies, Frank Pepe Pizzeria Naploetana - Chestnut Hill. Ali called it "the anchor punch." Maule, Tex (March 9, 1964). Charles "Sonny" Liston was an enigma that, by way of testimonial, put fear in the hearts of men all throughout the 1960s. [89], Following an investigation, Las Vegas police concluded there were no signs of foul play and declared Liston's death a heroin overdose. "[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. Clay confessed later he had been hurt by the punch, but Liston was unable to press his advantage home. "He said, 'Cut the gloves off. In an Associated Press poll, 64 of 102 reporters picked Patterson. [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]. Charles L. "Sonny" Liston was born in St. Francis County, Arkansas, to Tobe Liston and Helen Baskin. He then left the fighters to go over to McDonough. He had been dead several days. Gallender claimed, "A lot of officers knew Sonny was dead before Geraldine returned home on January 5, but they chose to let him rot. "Yes, it was good and honest". 15 months earlier, they'd accused him of pulling over a woman around 3 a.m. and impersonating a police officer. The heavyweight champion's mysterious death is covered in tonight's all-new episode of. We had a return bout clause with Clay, but if you say your guy just quit, who is gonna get a return bout? Liston wins, 10 times out of 10. But former Las Vegas police Sgt. Top contender Zora Folley was stopped in three rounds. Sonny is an old-school guy; not much fanfare. Father John (Sonny) Liston. Liston's last fight was a 10-round beating he delivered to Chuck Wepner in June 1970. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band He is seen in the far left of the first row, wearing a white and gold robe. Underworld connections and his unrecorded dates of birth and death added to the enigma. 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. But upon arrival, Liston was met by only a handful of reporters and public-relations staff. 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. Stevens organized a sparring session with a professional heavyweight named Thurman Wilson to showcase Liston's potential. It's a terrible matchup. [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. All of us encounter trouble from time to time in our lives. 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. All rights reserved. You've probably seen it a thousand times, but you may not have known who the poor bastard on the ground was until now. 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. 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. Young Muhammad Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, knocked out opponent Sonny Liston for his first world title in boxing on this day in history, Feb. 25, 1964. [citation needed], The fight turned out to be a mismatch. The official time of the stoppage was announced as 1:00 into the first round, which was wrong. Skeptics called the knockout blow "the phantom punch." Authorities theorized that he was undressing for bed when he fell over backward with such force that he broke the rail of the bench. Childhood & Early Life. Create Space Independent Publishing Platform. The connections to organized crime were an advantage early in his career but were later used against him. [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". Official date of death put as December 30. I know it", Liston said afterward. On September 7, 1954, Liston suffered defeat for the first time in his eighth professional fight, losing to Marty Marshall, a journeyman with an awkward style. 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. But according to Sonny's trainer, Johnny Tocco, once there, his path led to prison: Convention Center, Winchester, Nevada, U.S. Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. Municipal Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida, U.S. St. Louis Arena, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. Midwest Gymnasium, Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Pittsburgh Gardens, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. New Masonic Temple, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. Motor City Arena, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. Sources vary on his reach, with some listing it as 80in, Reputations: Sonny Liston: The Champion Nobody Wanted (2001), 50 min, BBC Documentary, Mailer: A Biography By Mary V. Dearborn, page 186. Liston went down at 1:44, got up at 1:56, and Walcott stopped the fight at 2:12. Eight years later, he died but his friends questioned the cause of his death. $2,499.99. Liston. It was probably Liston's best moment in the entire fight. 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. He rounded out the year by stopping Nino Valdez and Willi Besmanoff. I forgot about the rules." "The only thing my old man ever gave me was a beating," Liston said. He said he could not hear McDonough, who did not have a microphone. The commotion was not lost on referee Barney Felix, who was walking toward Clay's corner. [16] Listonaged around 13, according to his later reckoningsremained in Arkansas with his father. ", 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]. He is a relatively elementary, one-track fighter.". [39] Leading up to the fight, Liston was an 85 betting favorite, although many picked Patterson to win. His eyes swept the whole scene. [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. For confetti we can use torn-up arrest warrants." "[18] The only backers willing to put up the necessary money for him to turn professional were close to underworld figures, and Liston supplemented his income by working for racketeers as an intimidator-enforcer. 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 . "I didn't know what the heck was going on", Angelo Dundee, Clay's trainer, recalled on an NBC special 25 years later. The inaugural WBC world heavyweight champion cemented himself in. Muhammad Ali (at the time a rising contender named Cassius Clay), however, predicted a knockout by Liston in the first five rounds. 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. 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 . 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. 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. Shaun Assael. and "Nobody will believe this!"[63]. Clay countered in verse, "If you want to lose your money, then bet on Sonny! Liston was supremely confident of easily beating Clay, trained minimally for the fight and went ahead with it despite an injury to his left shoulder.[44]. In February 1964, Ali - known then as Cassius Clay - shocked the sporting world by beating Liston for the world heavyweight title. He would later employ McCarter as a sparring partner. [52][53] It was the first time since 1919when Jack Dempsey defeated Jess Willardthat a world heavyweight champion had quit on his stool. 2023 Barstool Sports. Cleveland Williams was the last person to defeat Liston and made $100,000 for his efforts. and hit him with hooks and uppercuts when Frazier tried to get in. "But they'll have to swing along until somebody comes to beat me.". CU Experts. "[98], Some claim Liston was murdered. Liston's wife also recalled that her husband would refuse basic medical care for common colds because of his dislike of needles. [94], Liston was buried at Paradise Memorial Gardens in Las Vegas, Nevada. That got him killed. [72], "I was an 'intimidator' until I fought Sonny Liston. He won eight fights that year, six by knockout. "[96], Many people who knew Liston insisted he was afraid of needles and never would have used heroin. 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 . [83] Herb Goldman stated that Liston, when in his prime between 1958 and 1963, was the most feared fighter in boxing history. As the years passed and Liston's financial situation worsened, he got angry and told the mob he would go public with the story unless they gave him the money. The coroner said he died from natural causes. [87], Liston was found dead by his wife, Geraldine, in their Las Vegas home on January 5, 1971. [14], Tobe Liston inflicted whippings so severe on Sonny that the scars were still visible decades later. [22], Early in his career, Liston faced capable opponents. [45][46] A clearly angered Liston rallied at the end of the round when Clay seemed tired, delivering punishing body shots. Mickey Mantle, who could hit a baseball as far as any man, had the forearms of a blacksmith but only average-sized hands. At that point, the fight was scored as even on the official scorecards. [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. Liston was the subject of a 2008 feature film based upon his life titled Phantom Punch. Liston's wife also recalled that her husband would refuse basic medical care for common colds because of his dislike of needles. 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. The former heavyweight champion is perhaps best known for being laid out on the canvas by Muhammad Ali in one of the sports most iconic bouts. [105] The story speculates that Liston threw the Ali match for the good of society. The two American fighters met again 15 months later, Ali winning . Once he went down, I got excited. And I said, 'Whoa, whoa, back up, baby. Liston went from being a big-shouldered street thief with no education to heavyweight champ of the world and household name. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Although in the second fight, Liston appears to have taken a dive Again with the mob stuff. Helen had one child before she married Tobe, and Tobe had 13 children with his first wife. 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. Certainly Johnson had more going for him than enormous hands. Odds makers gave Liston 71 to win. Also, scar tissue, possibly from needle marks, was found in the bend of Liston's left elbow. The Devil and Sonny Liston. SO here are four theories behind who killed Sonny Liston at only the age of 40. 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. Daniel Liston. Or it would be history, if boxing "historians" would stop sweeping the legacy of Sonny Liston under the ring canvas. At age 12, after selling a bag of pecans for bus fare, he left for St. Louis, betting on a brighter future. According to Liston's trainer, Willie Reddish, Liston cancelled a planned tour to Africa in 1963 because he refused to get the required inoculations. Liston made his professional boxing debut at the age of 21 on September 2, 1953. 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. Two of the three official scorers, or judges, awarded the round to Liston, and the other scored the round even. 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. The toxicology report said his body was too decomposed for the tests to be conclusive. Charles 'Sonny' Liston was one of the most feared and even hated men in the US His talent for boxing was discovered while he was in prison for armed robbery Once out, he turned pro but his. Mark Knopfler's tribute to Liston, "Song for Sonny Liston", appeared on his 2004 album Shangri-La. The fight ranks as one of the shortest heavyweight title bouts in history. 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. In his sixth bout, he faced ranked heavyweight Johnny Summerlin (18-1-2) on national television and won in an eight-round decision. There is no official record of his date of birth but a writer claimed that he was born on July 22, 1930. 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. Joe Louis commenting on TV at ringside said "It's looking good for Sonny Liston". Liston was found dead by his wife in their Las Vegas home on Jan. 5, 1971. [8], Liston turned to crime and led a gang of thugs who committed muggings and armed robberies. Several reports say Liston had fresh needle marks on his arms when he died. Only a rising contender at the time named Cassius Clay predicted a knockout by Liston in the first five rounds. [12], Liston never complained about prison, saying he was guaranteed three meals every day. A stoic Liston finished the fight, but lost in an eight-round split decision. Boxing Record That was in Liston's eight fight, in Detroit, and Marshall went on to capture the 10-round decision. He said it was taught to him by comedian and film actor Stepin Fetchit, who learned it from Jack Johnson. Sports Illustrated predicted a Patterson victory in 15 rounds, stating:"Sonny has neither Floyd's speed nor the versatility of his attack. Philadelphia wanted nothing to do with him. The Real Story behind the Ali-Liston Fights. According to Liston's trainer, Willie Reddish, Liston canceled a planned tour to Africa in 1963 because he refused to get the required inoculations. John F. Kennedy also did not want Patterson to fight Liston. 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. Ali initially stood over his fallen opponent, gesturing and yelling at him, "Get up and fight, sucker!" Patterson wanted a chance to redeem himself, so they met again on July 22, 1963, in Las Vegas. When Liston died, with heroin found in his system, there was speculation that he'd committed suicide while some thought he'd been murdered. [34] Many African-Americans disdained Liston. [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. 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. Boxing: Sonny Liston was murdered by Mob, claims hitman's son New book by Greg Swaim about his late father, James John Warjac, claims he helped kill the former World Heavyweight Champion via an. "[40][41], Upon winning the world heavyweight title, Liston had a speech prepared for the crowd that friends had assured him would meet him at the Philadelphia airport. Advertising InquiriesTerms of UsePrivacy PolicyContent PolicyMessaging Terms, AppAdvertising InquiriesTerms of UsePrivacy PolicyContent PolicyCookie PolicyBest Sports Betting SiteMessaging TermsSubscription Terms. Ali is waiting to hit me, the ref can't control him. Liston has been referenced in many songs by artists such as Curtis Eller, Sun Kil Moon, the Animals, Tom Petty, Mark Knopfler, Phil Ochs, Morrissey, Freddy Blohm, Chuck E. Weiss, This Bike is a Pipe Bomb, the Roots, Wu-Tang Clan, Gone Jackals, Billy Joel, the Mountain Goats, Lil Wayne, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and the Killers. "[18], After Liston was released from prison on October 31, 1952, he had a brief amateur career that spanned less than a year. The torn tendon had bled down into the mass of the biceps, swelling and numbing the arm. 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. Fifty years later, the mystery still remains. [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. "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." ", Chuck Wepner on Liston's intimidating appearance. Wepner, who also fought George Foreman and Muhammad Ali, said after his career was over that Liston was the hardest puncher he faced. 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 . 780 46K views 8 years ago Heavyweight Champion Sonny Liston's son visits his gravesite. His father . 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. Daniel 'Sonny' Liston is on Facebook. But as it approached, there were fears that the promoters were tied to organized crime and Massachusetts officials, most notably Suffolk County District Attorney Garrett H. Byrne, began to have second thoughts. A grateful Liston found there was no need to give chase. Writer Jack McKinney said, "I watched Sonny. 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. He was a bit of a physical freak He was 6 ft 1 in with a disproportionately long reach at 84 inches. [71] Credence to the latter theory is provided by the fact that Liston, immediately after his fight with Chuck Wepner, seemed more concerned about supporting the proposed Ali-Frazier bout and Ali's claims to be champion than promoting his own career. Because of that, the dealers may have thought Sonny ratted on them and they shot him with a hot dose as retribution. 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. [99] (3) The mob promised Liston some money to throw the second Ali fight, but they never paid him. 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