(Perhaps the most controversial fight in boxing history, w...)
Perhaps the most controversial fight in boxing history, when Mohammad Ali knocked out Sonny Liston in the bout for the champion in the Heavyweight category
Charles L. Liston was a professional American boxer who became World Heavyweight Champion in 1962, after defeating Floyd Patterson with a knock out. He lost the title two years later to Muhammad Ali but is still remembered as one of the best heavyweight fighters of all time. Liston's powerful punches brought him 39 knock outs and a total of 50 victories in his boxing career, along with only four defeats.
Background
There is no official record of Sonny Liston's birth. Based on the census information and statements from Liston's mother, it is believed that Liston may have been born on July 22, 1930. His father, Tobe Liston, and his mother, Helen Baskin, had a total of 25 children (both had a previous marriage), with Sonny being the second youngest kid. They gave him very little attention, which is why his early years were extremely tough.
Liston’s father was an abusive alcoholic, often beating him and making him work even though he was very young. Sonny’s mother left the family with several children, leaving the rest of them. After his father died, Sonny decided to head to St. Louis to unite his mother. Police noticed him roaming down the streets at night and helped him find where his mother lived.
Education
In 1946, once he was reunited with his mother, Sonny tried going to school. However, the other kids were making fun of him for not knowing to read so he quickly left. He tried working but he could only get exploitative and part-time jobs so he had to turn to crime. Liston showed his natural intelligence by leading a group that committed several thefts and robberies. He earned himself a nickname “Yellow Shirt Bandit” before he was finally caught in 1950.
Liston was enjoying prison life where he had three meals a day when he was noticed by Reverent Alois Stevens, athletic director at the Missouri State Penitentiary. Sonny’s broad shoulders and huge arms inspired Stevens to recommend him boxing and pretty soon, he became the master of the prison’s boxing ring. His talent for sports and a recommendation from Stevens earned him an early parole in 1952.
Career
After he got released from prison, Liston decided to take a shot a boxing. He was really talented and his size and amazing reach enabled him to cause a lot of trouble for any opponent. Liston was in amateur boxing for a year, claiming a couple of Golden Gloves Championship and beating his opponents one after the other. His talent didn’t go unnoticed and he entered professional boxing in 1953.
Unfortunately, the only way he could get the resources to compete on a professional level was through connections with some shady people. As a result of that, he was working as a “bonebreaker” for mafia guys that provided him the money needed for going pro.
His first fight was in September 1953 in St. Louis, when he knocked out Dan Smith after less than two minutes in the ring. He won his first five matches in Saint Louis before going to Detroit, Michigan, to face John Summerlin. This match was aired on national TV and Liston won against until then undefeated Summerlin. The contracted predicted a rematch and Liston won once again, before suffering his first loss against Marty Marshall. Small, but pacey Marshall managed to use the fact that Liston didn’t take him seriously, and broke his jaw. Despite great pain, Liston managed to endure eight rounds, but lost in the end. However, he won in the next two matches against Marshall and his career was on track.
At least until 1956 when he had been accused and convicted of getting into a fight with a police officer. Although Liston claimed he insulted him on a racial level, he served six months before he was let on parole, but was banned from boxing for the entire 1957. He returned to fighting in the ring the following year and 1959 was the year of a turnaround in his career. He won four fights, all by knockout, including the one against Cleveland Williams, who was considered the best challenger at the time. Next year he won in five more fights, knocking out Cleveland Williams again, and winning against contenders Zora Folley and Eddie Machen.
He was eagerly awaiting to face Floyd Patterson for the World Heavyweight Champion title, but Patterson agents tried to avoid setting up the match, making up the excuses that Liston has connections to the underground and is a bad representative of the sport. Finally, two fighters met in 1962 in Chicago, Illinois. Patterson only lasted for two minutes and six seconds before he was knocked out by Liston, who became the World Heavyweight Champion.
Liston was in for a big disappointment at the airport in Philadelphia. He was told the fans will be waiting for him, he even prepared a speech, but when he got to the airport – no one was there. As a result, Liston relocated to Denver because he was tired of disappointments he had in his hometown, including many brawls with the cops.
Since ther was a clause in his contract to a rematch with Patterson, the second fight was held in 1963 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The end result was exactly the same, with Patterson lasting only two seconds more than in the first fight and Liston claiming his title once again.
The following year Liston faced a talented contender Cassius Clay. The fight happened on February 25, 1964 in Miami. Liston didn’t take Clay as a serious opponent so he didn’t prepare at all. This resulted in Liston quitting the fight after the sixth round due to shoulder injury, which not only cost him the title, but also angered many boxing fans, leading them to believe that the fight was prearranged. Many doubted his injury, while other claimed that Clay beaten him hard and he lost his will to fight.
The rematch was scheduled for May 25, 1965. In the meantime, Clay joined the Nation of Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali. The match has last for only 105 seconds before Ali knocked out Liston. The punch Ali threw didn’t seem so tough, and Jersey Joe Walcott, the referee and a former heavyweight champion, was shocked by what he’s seeing. So shocked he had forgot to count to ten and Liston was ont he floor for 17 seconds before getting up. When Walcott was told how long Liston was on the floor, he proceeded and declared Ali the winner.
A lot of controversy followed the fight and what really happened isn’t clear even today. Many accused Liston for taking a dive, according to one of the theories, because he feared that Black Muslims would kill him if he wins. Many professionals boxers, including George Chuvalo, Joe Louis and Floyd Patterson, expressed their doubts that that kind of punch can knock out a huge guy like Liston.
After taking a break for a year, Liston returned for a tour in Sweden in 1966 and 1967, where he won four bouts in a row. He won a total of 14 fights between 1966 and 1969 before losing to Leotis Martin. Liston quickly bounced back, winning against Chuck Wepner in 1970, which was his last fight ever.
On January 5, 1971, he was found dead in his home in Las Vegas. His time of death was placed five to seven days before that, so it is considered he died December 30, 1970. Liston officially died from heart failure but investigator found needle marks in his arm, causing the speculation of heroin overdose. The third theory is he was killed by one of his underworld contacts.
(The fight that brought Sonny Liston the World Heavyweight...)
1962
Religion
He probably owes his career to the Catholic priest that discovered his talent for boxing while he was in prison. Although he avoided publicly bragging about that, Liston was a man of faith.
Politics
Liston never openly supported any political party, but he used his career to help promote the rights of black people and improve their stature in the United States of America. As a black man and a guy with a shady life, Liston was deliberately snubbed by white people of his country.
Views
Life often wasn't treating Liston fairly. He grew up in a big family that didn't care for his education, so he didn't learn to read or write. He spent his teenage years trying to survive on the streets of St Louis and he learned how to play the role of the bad guy. EVen prior to his fight with Patterson, many expected him to get knocked out and were rooting for his opponent. It went that far that allegedly president Kennedy himself and other civil rights leaders pressured Patterson to win. However, Liston was one of those bad guys that didn't get beat.
The truth was far different. Although he was the bad guy for the public, he was a great man with nothing but good behavior towards his family and friends. He was reportedly so disappointed when fans weren't waiting for him on the airport of his adopted hometown of Philadelphia when he won the World Heavyweight Champion boxing title that he was on the verge of crying. This is when he decided that he will remain the bad guy for life.
He used his success to fight for the rights of black people. He stated on one occasion:
"“I feel that the color of my people’s money is the same as anyone else’s. They should get the same seats, if not, I don’t want those places to have the fight.”
Quotations:
"A boxing match is like a cowboy movie. There's got to be good guys and there's got to be bad guys. And that's what people pay for - to see the bad guys get beat"
"The only thing my old man ever gave me was a beating"
"Newspapermen ask dumb questions. They look up at the sun and ask if it is shining"
''It says now I'm the world's champion, and that's just the way it's gonna be. I want to go to a lot of places -- like orphan homes and reform schools. I'll be able to say, 'Kid, I know it's tough for you and it might even get tougher. But don't give up on the world. Good things can happen if you let them.'
Personality
Despite he was a really big guy, he was a loving human being and very gentle to his kids. This has been confirmed in a statement made by his wife.
"He was great with the kids and great with me. A truly great man"
Physical Characteristics:
With his height of 6' 1'' (185 cm) and his incredible reach of 84" (213 cm), Liston was a fearceful figure in the rig and out of it. He often used his appearance to scare and intimidate his opponents and win the matches.
Quotes from others about the person
LeRoi Jones, 1964: "Sonny Liston was the big black Negro in every white man's hallway, waiting to do him in, deal him under. He was the bad nigger, the heavy-faced replica of every whipped-up woogie in the world"
"There was just too much dynamite in both hands for most fighters to handle him", McCalum
Interests
training
Writers
Paul Gallander
Sport & Clubs
boxing
Music & Bands
The Beatles
Connections
He married Geraldine Chambers in 1950. They adopted a boy from Sweden and Geraldine already had a daughter from her previous relationship. According to Liston's biographer, he also had several children outside of his marriage.
Sonny Liston Was a Friend of Mine: Stories
Twelve stories that teeter between wicked humor and stinging pathos encompassdilapidated right arenas, state mental hospitals, and chaotic emergency roomswhere the inhabitants are brilliantly etched characters.