Liston's death four decades ago was. Liston assaulted the officer, breaking his knee and gashing his face. Dr. Alexander Robbins, chief physician for the Miami Beach Boxing Commission, diagnosed Liston with a torn tendon in his left shoulder. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band He is seen in the far left of the first row, wearing a white and gold robe. "[35], U.S. President John F. Kennedy also did not want Patterson to fight Liston. [56] Sports Illustrated writer Tex Maule wrote that Liston's shoulder injury was legitimate. [citation needed], The fight turned out to be a mismatch. 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. [100] A successful racehorse which won the Irish St Leger classic race in 2021 was named Sonnyboyliston. 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. Liston went from being a big-shouldered street thief with no education to heavyweight champ of the world and household name. "[35] However, in 1963 in the aftermath of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, Liston broke off a European boxing exhibition tour to return home and was quoted as saying he was "ashamed to be in America. [105] The story speculates that Liston threw the Ali match for the good of society. Stuttgarter Amtsblatt No. He was more angry about that shot than he was about the car wreck. "I didn't know what the heck was going on", Angelo Dundee, Clay's trainer, recalled on an NBC special 25 years later. Sports Illustrated once wrote his hands"looked like cannonballs when he made them into fists. 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. His father . O n January 5, 1971, Sonny Liston, the former heavyweight champion of the world, was found dead in his home in Las Vegas. This victory is regarded by some as Liston's most impressive performance. Several reports say Liston had fresh needle marks on his arms when he died. It was 55 years ago that the world's attention focused on Lewiston, Maine, for a world heavyweight boxing title fight. It's a terrible matchup. What the . Underworld connections and his unrecorded dates of birth and death added to the enigma. The victim sought out the executioner." [73] The bout was stopped after the ninth round due to cuts over both of Wepner's eyes. "[35] Although largely illiterate through lack of schooling, Liston was a more complex and interesting individual than has often been acknowledged. Tobe and Helen had 12 children together; Sonny was the second youngest child. The ending of the fight remains one of the most controversial in boxing history. Daniel 'Sonny' Liston is on Facebook. After a rough upbringing, with little formal education, Liston found himself in trouble with the law. "He said, 'Cut the gloves off. Wepner needed 72 stitches and suffered a broken cheekbone and nose And the ref needed a new shirt. SO here are four theories behind who killed Sonny Liston at only the age of 40. ", During an era when white journalists still described black athletes in stereotypes, Liston had long been a target of racially charged slurs; he was called a "gorilla" and "a jungle beast" in print. Or it would be history, if boxing "historians" would stop sweeping the legacy of Sonny Liston under the ring canvas. 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. "[18], After Liston was released from prison on October 31, 1952, he had a brief amateur career that spanned less than a year. and hit him with hooks and uppercuts when Frazier tried to get in. One of the victories was over Amos Johnson, Liston's former sparring partner, who had recently defeated British champion Henry Cooper. That was in Liston's eight fight, in Detroit, and Marshall went on to capture the 10-round decision. But the year of Sonny's birth, like the circumstances of his death, remain a mystery. [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. [76][77] Foreman stated: "There wasn't anything missing from Sonny Liston. BOXING legend Sonny Liston was murdered by the MAFIA in a death staged to look like an overdose, a new documentary has claimed. 1 contender in 1960, but the handlers of world heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson refused to give him a shot at the title because of Liston's links to organized crime. 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. In the 2020 film One Night in Miami, Liston is played by Aaron D. Alexander. Charles L. "Sonny" Liston was born in St. Francis County, Arkansas, to Tobe Liston and Helen Baskin. "But can he hit!" [93] Liston had been hospitalized in early December, complaining of chest pains. Geraldine remembered her husband as "Great with me, great with the kids. Cassius Clay was just 22-years-old when he beat the world champion in a seven round TKO. Caputo, one of the investigating police officers, "The whole department knew about it." Sports Illustrated predicted a Patterson victory in 15 rounds, stating: "Sonny has neither Floyd's speed nor the versatility of his attack. Liston went down on his back. Also, McDonough did not bang on the canvas or motion a number count with his fingers. ", Hutchison, Phillip J. 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. In all, 14 major contenders during his prime refused outright to fight him, the most for any boxer in history. [42], Liston's run-ins with the police had continued in Philadelphia. Who needed that? In 1950, Sonny Liston was arrested six times for muggings, one . In February 1964, Ali - known then as Cassius Clay - shocked the sporting world by beating Liston for the world heavyweight title. He then left the fighters to go over to McDonough. [30] Before his bout with Liston, Muhammad Ali consulted Machen and was advised that the key to survival was to make Liston lose his temper. "[42], Liston made his second title defense on February 25, 1964, in Miami Beach, Florida against Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali). And for music fans, a wax model of Liston appears in the front row of the cover of the Beatles' Sgt. But according to Sonny's trainer, Johnny Tocco, once there, his path led to prison: The coroner said he died from natural causes. Sonny Liston's story began with a lonely bus ride in 1944. Rogin wrote. Muhammad Ali Signed 16x20 Sonny Liston Photo Framed MINT Autograph Steiner COA. "The timekeeper was waving both hands and saying, 'I counted him outthe fight is over,'" Walcott said after the fight. Two of the three official scorers, or judges, awarded the round to Liston, and the other scored the round even. Birth 1935 - County Limerick, Ireland. Liston won 14 consecutive bouts, 13 by knockout, before fighting third-ranked Leotis Martin, previously beaten by Clark, in December 1969. There are a ton of other dubious deaths and (hopefully) little-known facts about Vegas in this week's episode. "He would do everything to avoid taking shots." Patterson was knocked down three times and counted out at 2:10 of the first round. 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. [33], Civic leaders were also reluctant, worrying that Liston's unsavory character would set a bad example for youth. At one point in this attack, Liston was rocked as he was driven to the ropes. "[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. Liston said he quit because of a shoulder injury. During the fourth round Liston appeared dominant as Clay coasted, keeping his distance. According to Liston's trainer, Willie Reddish, Liston canceled a planned tour to Africa in 1963 because he refused to get the required inoculations. [94], Liston was buried at Paradise Memorial Gardens in Las Vegas, Nevada. Roy Harris, who had gone 13 rounds with Floyd Patterson in a title match, was crushed in one round by Liston. An Associated Press poll had 64 of 102 reporters picking Patterson. 2023 Barstool Sports. In 2013, there was a newly created book titled According to Warjac: Most Wanted, written by Greg Swaim. "[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. He was 6ft 1in (1.85m), and had an exceptionally powerful physique, with a disproportionately long reach at 84 inches (2.13m). Liston was particularly known for his immense strength, formidable jab, long reach, toughness, and his infamously intimidating appearance. ", 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]. [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. It was the first time in his career that Liston had been cut. I knew that he had a long reach and a very powerful jab, but i never realized he had a 84 inch reach. I know it", Liston said afterward. 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. 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. "He told me in the strictest confidence, but it was like he wanted to get it off his chest." Sonny couldnt read or write because his father worked him in the fields from the time he could walk Years later, he got his wife to teach him how to sign his name just so he could give it to kids who asked him for it his autograph. A grateful Liston found there was no need to give chase. He cited Liston's inability to lift his arm: "There is no doubt that Liston's arm was damaged. But former Las Vegas police Sgt. Rogin discounted speculation that Patterson had thrown the fight, writing: "The genesis of all this wide-eyed theorizing and downright baloney was the fact that many spectators failed to see the knockout blows. JustinvR Brown Belt. This was his first visit. After Liston arose, Walcott wiped off his gloves. [74], Writer Gilbert Rogin assessed Liston's style and physique after his win over Zora Folley. His father, Tobe Liston, was in his mid 40s when he and his wife, Helen Baskin, who was almost 30 years younger than Tobe, moved to Arkansas from Mississippi in 1916. In remembrance of Muhammed Ali, NPR looks back at Robert Siegel's conversation with filmmaker Gary Robinov, director of Raising Ali, about the . Although Clay often carried his gloves down at his waist, seemingly open to attack, he proved very difficult to hit. John F. Kennedy also did not want Patterson to fight Liston. Rogin called Liston's physique "awesomearms like fence posts, thighs like silos." Mother Bridget Sheehan. And in 1961 . He was hardly leading a life of health and fitness. Sonny was once told by local police to stay away from a drug house that was the target of a police raid. He also had a reputation for bullying people such as porters and waitresses. In his own words in Thomas Hauser's 1991 biography: "The punch jarred him. 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. I forgot about the rules." [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. January 5, 2017. After demolishing these top-ranked fighters in the heavyweight division, Liston was regarded as the top-contender champion-in-waiting. [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. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The NAACP had urged Patterson not to fight Liston, fearing that a Liston victory would hurt the civil rights movement. [8], Liston turned to crime and led a gang of thugs who committed muggings and armed robberies. [99] (3) The mob promised Liston some money to throw the second Ali fight, but they never paid him. 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. 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. Walcott then rushed back to the fighters, who had resumed boxing, and stopped the fightawarding Ali a first-round knockout victory. Childhood & Early Life. As the famous photo portrays, Ali taunted the fallen Liston, calling on him to get up. "[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. And yet, outside of boxing, L [25][26], In 1960 Liston won five more fights, including a rematch with Williams, who lasted only two rounds. Boston: Little, Brown. Sonny was one of 25 children of a sharecropper in Arkansas. [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. Sonny is an old-school guy; not much fanfare. 15 months earlier, they'd accused him of pulling over a woman around 3 a.m. and impersonating a police officer. 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. "[35], Patterson and Liston had a rematch clause in their contract. [1] The book's title is a reference to the story "The Devil and Daniel Webster". Liston would keep Frazier out of range with that monster of a jab which was better than Foreman's! 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