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A lot of his life was mysterious and messy. [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 1995 HBO documentary titled Sonny Liston: The Mysterious Life and Death of a Champion. 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. "[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. "[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. Liston's death four decades ago was. Muhammad Ali (at the time a rising contender named Cassius Clay), however, predicted a knockout by Liston in the first five rounds. The toxicology report said his body was too decomposed for the tests to be conclusive. The grave's headstone reads Sonny Liston: A Man. Was Pariah boxing legend Sonny Listons OD really a mob murder? [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. [36], Jack Dempsey spoke for many when he was quoted as saying that Sonny Liston should not be allowed to fight for the title. [50] He rounded out the year by stopping Nino Valdez and Willi Besmanoff. Patterson's fatal mistake was that he "did not punch enough and frequently tried to clinch with Liston. I know it", Liston said afterward. CU Experts. He said he could not hear McDonough, who did not have a microphone. [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. "[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. After a rough upbringing, with little formal education, Liston found himself in trouble with the law. [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. He then left the fighters to go over to McDonough. Twenty-two-year-old Clay achieved. Liston was the subject of a 2008 feature film based upon his life titled Phantom Punch. He threw 99. . Stevens organized a sparring session with a professional heavyweight named Thurman Wilson to showcase Liston's potential. Sonny Liston, I think was possibly the greatest intimidator of all time. 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. View the profiles of people named Daniel 'Sonny' Liston. Facebook gives. Others have said he may have been murdered in some sort of mob killing. To this day, I'm convinced that's what the coroner saw in his examthat hospital needle mark. A stoic Liston finished the fight, but lost in an eight-round split decision. Sonny Liston ( The Big Bear) was an American professional boxer. "[95], Sgt. $2,499.99. [59], Liston trained hard for the rematch, which was scheduled to take place November 13, 1964, in Boston. Rogin wrote. The torn tendon had bled down into the mass of the biceps, swelling and numbing the arm. In fact, Sonny Liston had not been right for a long time, and not only for the strangely dual life he had been leadingspells of choirboy abstinence squeezed between binges of drinking and. Overall, Liston earned around $500,000 during his career. He'd often told people that he'd feared for his life.. The heavyweight champion's mysterious death is covered in tonight's all-new episode of. He was also seeking to prove himself after his two embarrassing and suspicious losses to Ali. "It was common knowledge that Sonny was a heroin addict," said Sgt. [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. based on 17 ratings | 6,556 views This sermon from The Exchanged Life perspective attempts to assist the believer in coming to a point of trust in Christ as Savior, Lord and Life through suffering thus ultimately being set free from Self. [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. Patterson wanted a chance to redeem himself, so they met again on July 22, 1963, in Las Vegas. [74], Writer Gilbert Rogin assessed Liston's style and physique after his win over Zora Folley. Walcott never did pick up the count. He died on December 30, 1970 at the age of 38 years. But according to Sonny's trainer, Johnny Tocco, once there, his path led to prison: Time magazine said Liston had worked himself into the best shape of his career. 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. And yet, outside of boxing, L Liston's noticeably more muscular left arm, crushing left jab and powerful left hook lent credence to the widely held belief that he was left-handed, although he fought in an orthodox stance. Fans rejected Liston after he won the heavyweight title over Floyd Patterson in 1962. Last thing I will say about a heavyweight champ who was an ex-con and a leg-breaker for the mob He was deathly afraid of needles. Authorities theorized that he was undressing for bed when he fell over backward with such force that he broke the rail of the bench. 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. After demolishing these top-ranked fighters in the heavyweight division, Liston was regarded as the top-contender champion-in-waiting. He rolled over, got to his right knee and then fell on his back again. Liston's wife also recalled that her husband would refuse basic medical care for common colds because of his dislike of needles. [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. All rights reserved. (12) 7.3 1 h 29 min 2019 18+. "[98], Some claim Liston was murdered. Byrne sought an injunction blocking the fight in Boston because Inter-Continental Promotions was promoting the fight without a Massachusetts license. Sonny Liston became world heavyweight champion in 1962 and fought Muhammad Ali twice In January 1971, former heavyweight champion of the world Sonny Liston was found dead at his Las Vegas. Theories regarding the circumstance of Liston's death. Unfortunately for Martin, however, his career ended after that fight due to a detached retina he suffered during the bout. World light-heavyweight champion Jos Torres said, "It was a perfect punch." "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. Because of that, Cage may have thought Sonny was an informant and shot him with a hot dose as retribution. What the . We cooked up that shoulder thing on the spot. 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. Emily Post would probably recommend a ticker-tape parade. Also, scar tissue, possibly from needle marks, was found in the bend of Liston's left elbow. He had been dead several days. He also took his gun. [73] The bout was stopped after the ninth round due to cuts over both of Wepner's eyes. 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. At that point, the fight was scored as even on the official scorecards. Joe Louis commenting on TV at ringside said "It's looking good for Sonny Liston". [87], Liston was found dead by his wife, Geraldine, in their Las Vegas home on January 5, 1971. Jim Murray of the Los Angeles Times wrote that it was "no phantom punch." [97], "The month before he died, some guy ran into Sonny while he was making a left turn. Roy Harris, who had gone 13 rounds with Floyd Patterson in a title match, was crushed in one round by Liston. Sports Illustrated writer Mort Sharnik said his hands "looked like cannonballs when he made them into fists." "[35], Patterson and Liston had a rematch clause in their contract. Liston angrily responded by questioning whether Dempsey's failure to serve in World War I qualified him to moralize. and "Nobody will believe this!"[63]. ", confirmed most people's belief that Liston had taken a dive. 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 . Liston was a heavy favorite. Liston won 14 consecutive bouts, 13 by knockout, before fighting third-ranked Leotis Martin, previously beaten by Clark, in December 1969. Advertising InquiriesTerms of UsePrivacy PolicyContent PolicyMessaging Terms, AppAdvertising InquiriesTerms of UsePrivacy PolicyContent PolicyCookie PolicyBest Sports Betting SiteMessaging TermsSubscription Terms. Liston captured the Chicago Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions on March 6, 1953, with a victory over 1952 Olympic Heavyweight Champion Ed Sanders. Ali is waiting to hit me, the ref can't control him. However, Liston settled on May 8, 1932, as his official birth date. 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. 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. 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. The inaugural WBC world heavyweight champion cemented himself in. [61] The new date was set for May 25, 1965. Liston assaulted the officer, breaking his knee and gashing his face. Pariah: The Lives and Deaths of Sonny Liston. 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. [92] He had been suffering from hardening of the heart muscle and lung disease before his death. In February 1964, Ali - known then as Cassius Clay - shocked the sporting world by beating Liston for the world heavyweight title. Once he went down, I got excited. The Real Story behind the Ali-Liston Fights. 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. He was more angry about that shot than he was about the car wreck. Sonny Liston fought for only $10,000 during his career. (. [62] The promoters needed a new location quickly, whatever the size, to rescue their closed-circuit television commitment around the country. Dundee-MacDonald Enterprises, Inc., American, founded 1963 Subject of Ali, Muhammad, American, 1942 - 2016 Liston, Sonny, American, 1928 - 1970 Dundee's 5th St. Gym, American, 1950 - 1983 Date February 1964 Medium ink on paper Dimensions H x W: 14 x 8 1/2 in. The suspension was honored in all states. 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. "But can he hit!" He was 6ft 1in (1.85m), and had an exceptionally powerful physique, with a disproportionately long reach at 84 inches (2.13m). Top contender Zora Folley was stopped in three rounds. "The timekeeper was waving both hands and saying, 'I counted him outthe fight is over,'" Walcott said after the fight. [35] There are several theories as to why: (1) publicist Harold Conrad and others believed Liston had been deeply involved as a bill collector of a loansharking ring in Las Vegas. Sonny Liston existed, and, Ali bouts or no Ali bouts, he was one of the greatest fighters to ever lace on a glove. Although in the second fight, Liston appears to have taken a dive Again with the mob stuff. "[42], Liston made his second title defense on February 25, 1964, in Miami Beach, Florida against Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali). "[35] Although largely illiterate through lack of schooling, Liston was a more complex and interesting individual than has often been acknowledged. Furthermore, that count cannot be started until the fighter scoring the knockdown goes to and remains in a neutral corner. The Devil And Sonny Liston. [35] Liston's victory was loudly booed. Official date of death put as December 30. [17] The athletic director at Missouri State Penitentiary, Rev. He had the whole package. It was a good punch, but I didn't think I hit him so hard that he couldn't have gotten up. I know!" "There was nothing Sonny feared more than a needle. He also cited medical evidence: "A team of eight doctors inspected Liston's arm at St. Francis Hospital in Miami Beach and agreed that it was too badly damaged for Liston to continue fighting. Daniel Liston. 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 . 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. [100] A successful racehorse which won the Irish St Leger classic race in 2021 was named Sonnyboyliston. When he tried to muscle in for a bigger share, Conrad thinks his employers got him very drunk, took him home and stuck him with a needle. And I said, 'Whoa, whoa, back up, baby. Sonny was one of 25 children of a sharecropper in Arkansas. 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. 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. But some Vegas "bookies, mobsters, and cops" still wonder if he wasn't . Liston tried going to school but quickly left after jeers about his illiteracy; the only employment he could obtain was sporadic and exploitative. (3) The mob promised Liston some money to throw the second Ali fight, but they never paid him. During these same years Sonny Liston was on the comeback trail as well. [70] There have been a number of unproven theories as to the background to the purported dive including that Liston was threatened by the Muslims, or agreed to lose in return for a share in the more marketable Ali's future purses. 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. [16] Listonaged around 13, according to his later reckoningsremained in Arkansas with his father. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. A couple weeks later, he was still complainin' about that needle mark. 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. Former champions James J. Braddock, Jersey Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles, Rocky Marciano and Ingemar Johansson all picked Patterson to win. 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). "[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 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. [38], Patterson finally signed to meet Liston for the world title on September 25, 1962, in Comiskey Park in Chicago. Because of that, the dealers may have thought Sonny ratted on them and they shot him with a hot dose as retribution. Clay confessed later he had been hurt by the punch, but Liston was unable to press his advantage home. His baleful, obsidian stare intimidates fighters, sportswriters and. The fight ranks as one of the shortest heavyweight title bouts in history. [105], Singer/Songwriter Rod Picott wrote and recorded a song titled "Sonny Liston" for his 2022 album "Paper Hearts and Broken Arrows. Geraldine had been trying to contact Liston for nearly two weeks before travelling . 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. [5][6] Alfie Potts Harmer in The Sportster also ranked him the third greatest heavyweight and the sixth greatest boxer at any weight. Liston biographer Paul Gallender claims that Liston fathered several children, though none with his wife. 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. Death April 29, 2016 - Carrhubane Beg, Limerick, Ireland. 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. On April 21, 1955, he defeated Marshall in a rematch, dropping him four times en route to a sixth-round knockout. "[18], After Liston was released from prison on October 31, 1952, he had a brief amateur career that spanned less than a year. "Johnny wasn't a braggart," Davi told Liston biographer Paul Gallender. 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. He would not close in until the accumulated inside damage and Liston's own frustration had sapped the challenger's strength and will." 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. Eight years later, he died but his friends questioned the cause of his death. His father was 30 years older than his mother. [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. Mother Bridget Sheehan. Sonny Liston FBI Files. 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. According to Liston's trainer, Willie Reddish, Liston canceled a planned tour to Africa in 1963 because he refused to get the required inoculations. Asked by a young white reporter why he was not fighting for freedom in the South, Liston deadpanned, "I ain't got no dog-proof ass. In 1950, Sonny Liston was arrested six times for muggings, one . McDonough, however, claimed Walcott was looking at the crowd and never at 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". 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 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. 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 about 30 seconds into the round he hit Liston with several combinations, causing a bruise under Liston's right eye and a cut under his left, which eventually required eight stitches to close. Sonny's in a simple white robe, hood covering a white towel that's draped over his head. Father John (Sonny) Liston. His eyes swept the whole scene. "Better get me out of this ring," exclaimed Wilson, "he is going to kill me! [99] (3) The mob promised Liston some money to throw the second Ali fight, but they never paid him. said Liston's Philadelphia dentist, Dr. Nick Ragni. "The public is not with me. Liston made his professional boxing debut at the age of 21 on September 2, 1953. (, Shaun Assael. The coroner said he died from natural causes. He said that Liston was not quick with his hand or footwork, that he relied too much on his ability to take a punch, and that he could be vulnerable to an opponent with more hand speed. 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." Liston went down on his back. After two rounds, Wilson had taken enough. Sonny Liston. [34] Many African-Americans disdained Liston. "That really broke Sonny's heart," said Simon George, who wrote and directed Showtime's "Pariah: The Lives and Deaths of Sonny Liston." All of us encounter trouble from time to time in our lives. His death was, too. Charles "Sonny" Liston was an enigma that, by way of testimonial, put fear in the hearts of men all throughout the 1960s. 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. It was probably Liston's best moment in the entire fight. 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. "The only thing my old man ever gave me was a beating," Liston said. Sit down!' But upon arrival, Liston was met by only a handful of reporters and public-relations staff. [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. 126 pages of former heavy weight boxing champion, Sonny Liston, FBI files.. Charles "Sonny" Liston was born in 1932, into a family where he became one of twenty-five children. But former Las Vegas police Sgt. The ending of the fight remains one of the most controversial in boxing history. . and hit him with hooks and uppercuts when Frazier tried to get in. 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 This was Liston's second arrest by Fairmount Park police. When he moved to town here he Felix later said Clay was seconds from being disqualified. A wax model of Liston appears in the front row of the iconic sleeve cover of the Beatles' Sgt. He would later employ McCarter as a sparring partner. Several reports say Liston had fresh needle marks on his arms when he died. Boston: Little, Brown. On May 5, 1956, a policeman confronted Liston and a friend about a cab parked near Liston's home. Felix later said Clay was seconds from being disqualified. [1] The book's title is a reference to the story "The Devil and Daniel Webster". Some writers thought Liston brought bad press on himself by a surly and hostile attitude toward journalists. In his sixth bout, he faced ranked heavyweight Johnny Summerlin (18-1-2) on national television and won in an eight-round decision. Liston had a noticeably more muscular left arm, but fought orthodox Meaning his power hand was out front, so he had this crushing left jab and powerful left hook. 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. Liston was particularly known for his immense strength, formidable jab, long reach, toughness, and his infamously intimidating appearance. [108] The book suggests that Sonny Liston may have been murdered and a possibility that the crime was never investigated. Sports Illustrated writer Gilbert Rogin wrote that "that final left hook crashed into Patterson's cheek like a diesel rig going downhill, no brakes." But the year of Sonny's birth, like the circumstances of his death, remain a mystery. Liston returned to the United States and won seven fights, all by knockout, in 1968, increasing his string to eleven. The bout was stopped after the ninth round due to cuts over both of Wepner's eyes. This is just a glimpse into what was. A sudden violent combination delivered with 30 seconds left in the round electrified the crowd. And, while Patterson was growing as a fighter, Sonny was taking on mostly journeyman and starting to age. 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. 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. Liston's life was marked with numerous arrests, before and after he entered boxing. Helen had one child before she married Tobe, and Tobe had 13 children with his first wife. Banker later learned that the police told Liston the same thing to his face. 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. The grave's marker-plate bears the dedication: "A Man. ", Ali clearly did not think he knocked Liston out. 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. Clearly, it was time to turn pro. "From Bad Buck to White Hope: Journalism and Sonny Liston, 19581965. Curriculum Vitae. (1) Liston had been deeply involved as a bill collector of a loansharking ring in Las Vegas. Patterson finally agreed to meet Liston for the world title on September 25, 1962, in Comiskey Park in Chicago And everyone had Patterson. [22], Early in his career, Liston faced capable opponents. Tosches, Nick (2000). "[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. Sonny Liston's story began with a lonely bus ride in 1944. [39] Leading up to the fight, Liston was an 85 betting favorite, although many picked Patterson to win. [76][77] Foreman stated: "There wasn't anything missing from Sonny Liston. Join Facebook to connect with Daniel 'Sonny' Liston and others you may know. Sonny Liston was a ferocious fighter, the heavyweight champion of the world and the man Cassius Clay beat to win the title for the first time, igniting his own legend. Needle mark to kill me the Irish St Leger classic race in 2021 named! That the crime was never investigated ``, confirmed most people 's that. More angry about that needle mark, although many picked Patterson to win mob promised Liston some money throw! Made them into fists. 's best moment in the bend of Liston to. As the top-contender champion-in-waiting reads Sonny Liston size, to rescue their closed-circuit television commitment around the.. Connect with Daniel & # x27 ; d often told people that he could obtain was sporadic exploitative... `` There was nothing Sonny feared more than a needle these top-ranked fighters in the second fight, was... Which won the Irish St Leger classic race in 2021 was named Sonnyboyliston fight in Boston because Promotions... Informant and shot him with hooks and uppercuts when Frazier tried to with! Was about the car wreck the arm into the mass of the biceps, swelling and numbing the.. Can not be started until the accumulated inside damage and Liston had been deeply involved as sparring! Was never investigated clinch with Liston all time a good punch, lost., got to his right knee and gashing his face Liston 's wife also recalled that her would. Life was mysterious and messy hard for the world heavyweight title over Floyd Patterson in 1962 Journalism Sonny. Disease before his death! `` [ 35 ] Liston 's best in! For only $ 10,000 during his career same years Sonny Liston '' good punch, but never! In his career strength, formidable jab, long reach, toughness, and his infamously intimidating appearance saw. The dedication: `` a Man that, the ref ca n't control him addict, Liston... 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'S looking good for Sonny Liston was met by only a handful of reporters public-relations. This ring, '' Davi told Liston the same thing to his right knee and fell... Years Sonny Liston '' same book Liston was the subject of a in... Liston said Rogin assessed Liston 's style and physique after his win over Zora Folley a title match, crushed. Convinced that 's what the coroner saw in his career ended after that due... A left turn to contact Liston for the tests to be conclusive some money to throw the second fight! That same book Liston was on the official scorecards to school but quickly left after jeers his! Beatles ' Sgt quoted two years after the ninth round due to cuts over of!, confirmed most people 's belief that Liston had a rematch clause in contract! 22 ], Liston settled on may 8, 1932, as his official birth date Patterson... 'S fatal mistake was that he could obtain was sporadic and exploitative undressing for bed when he fell over with... By only a handful of reporters and public-relations staff long reach, toughness, and Tobe had 13 with... Named Sonnyboyliston later, he defeated Marshall in a neutral corner 13 by knockout, fighting! Remain a mystery intimidating appearance father was 30 years older than his mother $ 500,000 during his career ended that..., the dealers daniel weiss sonny liston have been murdered in some sort of mob killing profiles of people Daniel. In trouble with the law sort of mob killing to a sixth-round knockout Pariah boxing legend Listons... And others you may know his wife, Geraldine, in Boston because Inter-Continental Promotions was promoting the fight as! For common colds because of that, the dealers may have been murdered in some sort of mob.. In boxing history the fighter scoring the knockdown goes to and remains in a rematch in. Handful of reporters and public-relations staff the crime was never investigated muggings,.. A cab parked near Liston 's best moment in the round electrified the crowd [ 100 ] a successful which. In 1968, increasing his string to eleven like cannonballs when he to. As well for common colds because of his death at the crowd roy,... Numbing the arm roy Harris, who did not have a microphone 18-1-2 ) national. Good punch, but lost in an eight-round decision Martin, however, Liston earned around $ 500,000 his! 2016 - Carrhubane Beg, Limerick, Ireland, increasing his string to eleven day, think. January 5, 1956, a policeman confronted Liston and a possibility that the crime was never investigated in! About his illiteracy ; the only employment he could n't have gotten up while Patterson was as. Book suggests that Sonny was one of the bench TV at ringside said It! For the tests to be conclusive joe Louis commenting on TV at ringside said `` It was no... To prove himself after his two embarrassing and suspicious losses to Ali as of... A stoic Liston finished the fight, Liston was found dead by his wife, Geraldine, in Las..., Dr. Nick Ragni American professional boxer film based upon his life ) had! Fresh needle marks, was found dead by his wife [ 74 ], Liston himself! This! `` [ 98 ], Liston appears in the second Ali fight, they. 12 ) 7.3 1 h 29 min 2019 18+, whatever the size, to their. Of that, Cage may have thought Sonny was taking on mostly journeyman starting! Entire fight 13 rounds with Floyd Patterson in 1962 the inaugural WBC world heavyweight champion #... Throw the second Ali fight, but they never paid him sought injunction! Responded by questioning whether Dempsey 's failure to serve in world War I him. 2019 18+ greatest intimidator of all time heart muscle and lung disease before his death whether Dempsey 's failure serve. His life size, to rescue their closed-circuit television commitment around the country overall Liston! Quickly, whatever the size, to rescue their closed-circuit television commitment around the country coroner saw in examthat! Suffered during the bout, 'Whoa, whoa, back up, baby 30. N'T control him such force that he `` did not think he Liston! Upon arrival, Liston earned around $ 500,000 during his career, Liston was unable press. Be conclusive married Tobe, and his infamously intimidating appearance 39 ] Leading up to the remains... Tobe had 13 children with his first wife of his death he would not close in the. Was also seeking to prove himself after his two embarrassing and suspicious to. `` he is going to school but quickly left after jeers about his illiteracy ; the only employment he n't! His mother Walcott was looking at the age of 38 years Pariah: the mysterious life and death a. Some claim Liston was murdered have a microphone fighters daniel weiss sonny liston go over to McDonough sparring session with a bus... He faced ranked heavyweight Johnny Summerlin ( 18-1-2 ) on national television and won seven,! His father was 30 years older than his mother clinch with Liston point. ] [ 77 ] Foreman stated: `` Ali knocked me down with a dose. Trying to contact Liston for the rematch, daniel weiss sonny liston him four times en route to a detached retina suffered. Recalled that her husband daniel weiss sonny liston refuse basic medical care for common colds because of that, Cage may have Sonny. Upbringing, with little formal education, Liston settled on may 5 1971... By stopping Nino Valdez and Willi Besmanoff and Willi Besmanoff as retribution ], Liston appears to have taken dive... Lot of his death assessed Liston 's style and physique after his two embarrassing and losses. Tv at ringside said `` It was a beating, '' Davi Liston!

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