"Johnny wasn't a braggart," Davi told Liston biographer Paul Gallender. The film was first titled 'Finding Sonny' and full production of the entire movie was to take place in Canton, Ohio. Thom Jones titled his 2000 collection of short stories Sonny Liston Was a Friend of Mine. 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. 1973 - The Champ. Liston had been suffering from bursitis in his shoulders for close to a year and had been receiving cortisone shots. 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. Phantom Punch is a 2008 film directed by Robert Townsend. [38], Patterson finally signed to meet Liston for the world title on September 25, 1962, in Comiskey Park in Chicago. In these feckless clinches he only managed to tie up one of Liston's arms. When Machen clinched in the second, Liston focused on the body, punishing his rib cages with hooks. 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. [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. Eventually, during a night of vigorous drinking, the old man relented. I didn't want anything to do with him. Throughout his fights, his strengths and weaknesses spoke for themselves. Sonny Liston. (, Shaun Assael. [30], Liston became the No. Although Liston was widely regarded as unbeatable, he lost the title in 1964 to Muhammad Ali (then known as Cassius Clay), who entered as a 71 underdog. [16] Listonaged around 13, according to his later reckoningsremained in Arkansas with his father. One of the victories was over Amos Johnson, Liston's former sparring partner, who had recently defeated British champion Henry Cooper. And I said, 'Whoa, whoa, back up, baby. "I want to be able to separate the average from the good and from the great. WBC awards Muhammad Ali(s grandson) 2022 Prospect of the Year, The Ali Family trophy case adds another prestigious award, Fury to Usyk: Im gonna bust you up real bad, you little middleweight, Tyson Fury has his sights set on Oleksandr Usyk and the undisputed championship, Highlights: Salt Papi knocks out Brueckner, Ryan Garcia and Sunny Edwards call on Papi to go pro. Gary Beckwith said, "It wasn't uncommon for family members in these cases to go through and tidy up to save family embarrassment. But upon arrival, Liston was met by only a handful of reporters and public-relations staff. Officially, Liston died of lung congestion and heart failure. Charles "Sonny" Liston was born c. 1930 into a sharecropping family who farmed the poor land of Morledge Plantation near Johnson Township, St. Francis County, Arkansas. To this day, I'm convinced that's what the coroner saw in his examthat hospital needle mark. Banker said he was told by police that Liston had been seen at a house that would be the target of a drug raid. Larry Merchant, then a writer with the Philadelphia Daily News, wrote: "A celebration for Philadelphia's first heavyweight champ is now in order. "[69] The fact that Liston did not complain about the clear breach of boxing rules (being declared knocked out without a count) and Ali's obvious state of bewilderment, shouting at Liston "Nobody will believe this" and asking his handlers "Did I hit him? "From Bad Buck to White Hope: Journalism and Sonny Liston, 19581965. A stoic Liston finished the fight, but lost in an eight-round split decision. "Better get me out of this ring," exclaimed Wilson, "he is going to kill me! 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. The fight quickly descended into chaos. He rolled over, got to his right knee and then fell on his back again. Sports Illustrated writer Gilbert Rogin wrote that "that final left hook crashed into Patterson's cheek like a diesel rig going downhill, no brakes." Inter-Continental said local veteran Sam Silverman was the promoter. [84], Liston married Geraldine Chambers in St. Louis, Missouri, on September 3, 1957. The victim sought out the executioner." When caught in January 1950, Liston gave his age as 20, while the St. Louis Globe-Democrat reported that he was 22. Three days before the fight, Ali needed emergency surgery for a strangulated hernia. Clay confessed later he had been hurt by the punch, but Liston was unable to press his advantage home. [47] Sitting on his stool between rounds, however, Liston was breathing heavily as his cornermen worked on his cut. Liston was allegedly present at dealer Earl Cage's residence during a raid by narcotics detectives. [11][12][10][13][14] One writer concluded that Liston's most plausible date of birth was July 22, 1930, citing census records and statements from his mother during her lifetime. He won eight fights that year, six by knockout. Sonny Liston is such a tragic character in boxing history and this book explores gives a captivating account of his final years. The police officially declare it a heroin overdose but there remains doubt about this explanation. Feared inside the ring, loathed outside, he needed the aid of gangsters to secure opponents. He was still a world-ranked boxer when he died in mysterious circumstances in 1970. Luckily he was saved by the bell. Boston: Little, Brown. 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. caesar novak sonny liston. He claimed the officer used racial slurs. The torn tendon had bled down into the mass of the biceps, swelling and numbing the arm. Liston retired on his stool citing an injured shoulder; After this fight Cassius Clay changed his name to Cassius X and then to Muhammad Ali; 1964 Ring Magazine Fight of the Year. The film starred Ving Rhames as Liston and was produced by Rhames, Hassain Zaidi and Marek Posival. The grave's marker-plate bears the dedication: "A Man. 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. "[98], Some claim Liston was murdered. A wax model of Liston appears in the front row of the iconic sleeve cover of the Beatles' Sgt. Sports Illustrated magazine named their first meeting, the Liston-Clay fight (Ali had not yet . 25,000 first printing. In his own words in Thomas Hauser's 1991 biography: "The punch jarred him. The orthodox-fighting Arkansas native was a master of the hook and cross. Theories regarding the circumstance of Liston's death. Liston penalized two points for low blows. Alois Stevens, suggested to Liston that he try boxing, and his obvious aptitude, along with an endorsement from Stevens, who was also a priest, aided Liston in getting an early parole. So long as he was winning he was useful; after Lewiston, he became increasingly dispensable. 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). [5][6] Alfie Potts Harmer in The Sportster also ranked him the third greatest heavyweight and the sixth greatest boxer at any weight. (2) Professional gambler Lem Banker insists that Liston was murdered by drug dealers with whom he'd become involved. Farah and Sonny continue to meet for sex but find no romance in their relationship. More-over, the autopsy ascertained that Liston's blood contained traces of codeine and morphine common when heroin is broken down. "[96], Many people who knew Liston insisted he was afraid of needles and never would have used heroin. The irritant works but Liston nevertheless gives up the fight. The Murder of Sonny Liston: A Story of Fame, Heroin, Boxing & Las Vegas Pan publisher; 2017. He talked of a fight with Joe Frazier, claiming, "It'd be like shooting fish in a barrel." Liston captured the Chicago Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions on March 6, 1953, with a victory over 1952 Olympic Heavyweight Champion Ed Sanders. World light-heavyweight champion Jos Torres said, "It was a perfect punch." Rogin called Liston's physique "awesomearms like fence posts, thighs like silos." He is a relatively elementary, one-track fighter." "He said: 'Look what they did!' "[35] Although largely illiterate through lack of schooling, Liston was a more complex and interesting individual than has often been acknowledged. Charles "Sonny" Liston was born in a place called Sand Slough, Arkansas. He could send a man to the canvas with his uppercut, but didnt favor overhand punches much. 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. Liston countered his opponents movement with precise shots at the beltline. Every purchase you make puts money in an artist's pocket. Your life will be in danger.". Gallender claimed, "A lot of officers knew Sonny was dead before Geraldine returned home on January 5, but they chose to let him rot. Former champions James J. Braddock, Jersey Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles, Rocky Marciano and Ingemar Johansson all picked Patterson to win. Having shown improvement, he is released after serving just two years of a five-year sentence. [25][26], In 1960 Liston won five more fights, including a rematch with Williams, who lasted only two rounds. We had a return bout clause with Clay, but if you say your guy just quit, who is gonna get a return bout? A biopic of world-champion heavyweight boxer Sonny Liston (Ving Rhames) covering Liston's discovery, rise to success and untimely death in December 1970. "[18], After Liston was released from prison on October 31, 1952, he had a brief amateur career that spanned less than a year. [49], Clay later said that in round five he could only see a faint shadow of Liston during most of the round, but by circling and moving frantically he managed to avoid Liston and somehow survive. [7] Liston was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991. Charles Sonny Liston was an enigma that, by way of testimonial, put fear in the hearts of men all throughout the 1960s. He said it was taught to him by comedian and film actor Stepin Fetchit, who learned it from Jack Johnson. Liston asks Father Alois why others fail to give him the love they give to other fighters and the priest tells him that he cannot rely on the validation of others to determine his worth and that he has always been able to accomplish things through his own inner strengths. After the second loss to Ali Liston stayed out of the ring for more than a year. Dave Anderson of the New York Times said Liston "looked awful" in his last workout before the fight. Knockout Kings is a series of boxing games that were produced by EA Sports for the PlayStation, Nintendo 64 . [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. At that point, the fight was scored as even on the official scorecards. 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. caesar novak sonny liston. [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. 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. The Patterson-Liston fights of 9/25/62 and 7/22/63 1955-Sept.21. He served brief prison terms and on one occasion was introduced to boxing by a prison chaplain. Underworld connections and his unrecorded dates of birth and death added to the enigma. Both fights were in Summerlin's hometown of Detroit.[23]. [101], Liston played a fist fighter in the 1965 film Harlow, made a cameo appearance in the 1968 film Head, which starred The Monkees, and played the part of The Farmer in the 1970 film Moonfire, which starred Richard Egan and Charles Napier. [87], Liston was found dead by his wife, Geraldine, in their Las Vegas home on January 5, 1971. In that same book Liston was quoted two years after the fight: "Ali knocked me down with a sharp punch. Great champions often respond to and avenge losses, but Liston wasnt having any of that in their rematch. Sign up for the 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. ", This page was last edited on 14 January 2023, at 13:40. American boxer. It was a good punch, but I didn't think I hit him so hard that he couldn't have gotten up. After many tie-ups, Liston unloaded a short yet devastating uppercut-type shot to the center of Machens midsection that forced him to take a knee at the end of round 11. The bout would need to be delayed by six months. It burned like hell. He secretly resorted to heavy icing and ultrasound therapy after each training session. Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. was born to Cassius Marcellus Clay, Sr. and Odessa Grady Clay on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky In the 2001 film Ali, Liston was portrayed by former WBO Heavyweight Champion Michael Bentt. Liston works his way back up in the rankings with a record of 14-1 in fights around the world between 1966 and 1969. And the Muslims were coming up. Both Sunny Edwards and Ryan Garcia have endorsed the idea. In the 2020 film One Night in Miami, Liston is played by Aaron D. Alexander. The film is a biopic of Sonny Liston, with Ving Rhames in the lead role. [34] Many African-Americans disdained Liston. Controversy followed with claims that Liston had been drinking heavily the night before the fight and had entered the bout with a lame shoulder. Danrick Enterprises Boxing Audio Tapes Time for another edition of The Fight City podcast, hosted by Alden Chodash who this week is joined by site editor Michael Carbert. [59], Liston trained hard for the rematch, which was scheduled to take place November 13, 1964, in Boston. "Let it lie," the producer advised. Banker later learned that the police told Liston the same thing to his face. "[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. Along with his many siblings, Liston . "[35], Patterson and Liston had a rematch clause in their contract. "A blues song just for fighters: The legend of Sonny Liston. He won by a seventh-round technical knockout, and seemed on the verge of making a comeback to the big time. and he was pointing at some little bandage over the needle mark in his arm. Feb. 25, 1964: Clay vs Liston I. February 25, 2022 Michael Carbert. [14], Tobe Liston inflicted whippings so severe on Sonny that the scars were still visible decades later. Lets delve into some of the most crucial fights of Listons career. 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. It was the first time in his career that Liston had been cut. Patterson, a 4-1 betting underdog, was knocked down three times and counted out at 2:10 of the first round. [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. Here are my thoughts: 1. BOXING legend Sonny Liston was murdered by the MAFIA in a death staged to look like an overdose, a new documentary has claimed. The Murder of Sonny Liston: A Story of Fame, Heroin, Boxing & Las Vegas. Maule, Tex (March 9, 1964). Liston was no stranger to the Mob, and trouble accompanied his lifestyle. [97], "The month before he died, some guy ran into Sonny while he was making a left turn. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Damage under the eyes caused Listons corner to stop the fight, and Ali spring-boarded off of his misfortune into arguably the greatest career 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. Now to say Liston put Sand Slough on the map would be an exaggeration. He charged up a flurry of crosses to the body, many of which landed, while Ali tried to again get acclimated to the action. 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. Charles "Sonny" Liston was born c.1930 into a sharecropping family who farmed the poor land of Morledge Plantation near Johnson Township, St.Francis County, Arkansas. ", 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]. Patterson's fatal mistake was that he "did not punch enough and frequently tried to clinch with Liston. 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. newsletter, On the Spot show with host Max Goldberg in 1964, Rocha aiming to demand big fights after Jan. 28 return, Guidry vs Stiverne PPV undercard announced, Riakporhe: Boxxer getting top cruiserweights under one banner, and I want all of them, De La Hoya: Im hoping to have Tank Davis vs Ryan Garcia signed today. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Tosches, Nick (2000). Arthur Daley of the New York Times wrote that Liston's handlers knew he "didn't have it anymore,"[65] and allegedly they had secretly paid sparring partner Amos Lincoln an extra $100 to take it easy on him -[citation needed] - the same man, incidentally, that Liston dismissed in less than two rounds a full three years later. [89], Following an investigation, Las Vegas police concluded there were no signs of foul play and declared Liston's death a heroin overdose. As the world once hypnotised by Muhammad Ali watches the inexorable decline of the most important sportsman of the 20th century with a mixture of admiration, pity and disbelief, compelling evidence has finally emerged about the death of the anti-Ali, Sonny Liston. The Real Story behind the Ali-Liston Fights. 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. Liston stood at 6'1", with a jaw dropping seven-foot wingspan. For example, the Wikipedia page for Sand Slough contains just one sentence, "Sand Slough is a small . [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". The Devil and Sonny Liston. Upon his release in 1952 he joins a boxing gym in St. Louis, Missouri, run by Caesar Novak at the recommendation of Father Alois. Boston: Little, Brown. Jim Murray of the Los Angeles Times wrote that it was "no phantom punch." I forgot about the rules." ", Hutchison, Phillip J. Shaun Assael wrote "The Murder of Sonny Liston: Las Vegas, Heroin, and Heavyweights", published in 2016. After repeated overnight detention by the St. Louis police and a thinly veiled threat to his life, Liston left for Philadelphia. "They said . At one point in this attack, Liston was rocked as he was driven to the ropes. There was something caustic in both eyes." [17] The athletic director at Missouri State Penitentiary, Rev. He also went with a new manager in 1958: Joseph "Pep" Barone, who was a front man for mobsters Frankie Carbo and Frank "Blinky" Palermo. "[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. "[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. "He was afraid of needles," echoed Father Edward Murphy. 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. Out of spite he lies to the mob that Sonny refuses to take a dive, hoping that Sonny will end up getting hurt because of this. [4] Both of Vitale's parents were born in Sicily; his father in Trapani [4] and his mother in Termini Imerese. [45][46] A clearly angered Liston rallied at the end of the round when Clay seemed tired, delivering punishing body shots. His eyes swept the whole scene. His hands were quick, yet not up there with the likes of Joe Frazier or Roy Jones Jr. The Big Bear was also sound defensively with model head movement, but a dormant retreat and blocking tendencies that left something to be desired. Listons focus on his opponents torsos was clear in all of his fights. With Clay quickly ducking his head left, right or away, Liston's leading left jabs largely failed to land. In January 1971, former heavyweight champion of the world Sonny Liston was found dead at his Las Vegas home. Emily Post would probably recommend a ticker-tape parade. 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. Stuttgarter Amtsblatt No. A couple weeks later, he was still complainin' about that needle mark. On May 7, backers of the rematch ended the court battle by pulling the fight out of Boston. Liston retired in his corner due to an inflamed shoulder. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }}, Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in, Please refresh your browser to be logged in, Boxing: Sonny Liston was murdered by Mob, claims hitman's son, Extra 20% off selected fashion and sportswear at Very, Up to 20% off and extra perks with Booking.com Genius membership, $5 off a $20+ order with this AliExpress discount code, Compare broadband packages side by side to find the best deal for you, Compare cheap broadband deals from providers with fastest speed in your area, All you need to know about fibre broadband, Best Apple iPhone Deals in the UK January 2023, Compare iPhone contract deals and get the best offer this January, Compare the best mobile phone deals from the top networks and brands. Personal life aside, Liston did his talking in the ring. In 1962 Novak attacks Bobby Zazo in a club in a dispute over Farah, a girl Novak stole from him, and arranges through mutual organized crime connections to pay Zazo $10,000 in retribution. (There is some speculation about his year of birth, but most sources state sometime from 1929 to 1932.) At one point, Clay was wiping his eyes with his right hand while extending his left arm"like a drunk leaning on a lamppost" Bert Sugar wroteto keep Liston at bay. Listons ready jab was counteracted by Alis overactive jab. 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. Pan, 2017. On April 21, 1955, he defeated Marshall in a rematch, dropping him four times en route to a sixth-round knockout. 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. Who needed that? It has a good number of practice problems with levels of increasing difficulty. Liston was able to remained focused enough to defeat Patterson in a rematch. He would later employ McCarter as a sparring partner. Already upset, Liston flies into a rage when provoked by the press with questions about the murder of Bobby Zazo and his connection to Caesar Novak. "[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. For confetti we can use torn-up arrest warrants." But others contend he just was not the same Liston. [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. "[42], Liston made his second title defense on February 25, 1964, in Miami Beach, Florida against Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali). In 1950 Liston is carrying out a prison sentence in Missouri State Penitentiary. In the third round, Clay began to take control of the fight. Stevens organized a sparring session with a professional heavyweight named Thurman Wilson to showcase Liston's potential. [31] While Liston began working into shape with hopes for a heavyweight title shot, he also continued his criminal behavior. "The public is not with me. "He said, 'Cut the gloves off. When approached by his organized crime connections, Novak explains that he actually bet their money on Liston and made them $1.2 million. [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. 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 tragic mystery now in its fifth decade, it will surprise few that the latest chapter reads like a deleted scene from The Godfather. Tommy Morrison 84. 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. Boxer Charles L. "Sonny" Liston was born in St. Francis County, Arkansas on May 8, 1932. Liston's criminal record, compounded by a personal association with a notorious labor racketeer, led to the police's stopping him on sight, and he began to avoid main streets. No matter, Sonny scored four vicious blows to the ribs when clinched, and then proceeded to walk him down. In 1971 Geraldine returns home from a trip to find Sonny dead. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, New book by Greg Swaim about his late father, James John Warjac, claims he helped kill the former World Heavyweight Champion via an enforced heroin overdose, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. "He was very careful not to disclose too much to me I assume he was worried about the pressure the Mob may [impose], using his children as a threat.". 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. Liston was always destined to meet a sticky end. He particularly resented a 1961 arrest by a black patrolman for loitering, claiming to have merely been signing autographs and chatting with fans outside a drugstore. You could feel the deflation, see the look of hurt in his eyes. Authorities theorized that he was undressing for bed when he fell over backward with such force that he broke the rail of the bench. Geraldine called Liston's attorney and his doctor, but did not notify the police until two to three hours later. I know!" He rounded out the year by stopping Nino Valdez and Willi Besmanoff. He also took his gun. During the fourth round Liston appeared dominant as Clay coasted, keeping his distance. A sudden violent combination delivered with 30 seconds left in the round electrified the crowd. He told Swaim about his role in both Liston's death and that of a showgirl who had wed a Texas oilman, depriving his family of a handsome inheritance: another enforced overdose, he claimed. Reprint. [50] On this day February 25, 1964, 22-year-old Cassius Clay shocks the odds-makers by dethroning world heavyweight boxing champ Sonny Liston in a seventh-round t. His defense was described as "the gate-crossing of arms la Archie Moore. With an opponent as visibly unnerved as Ali, Liston didnt capitalize on the opportunity as he wouldve liked. After winning a series of prison bouts in spectacular knockout fashion there is little doubt what Sonny Liston will be perusing once he gets out of jail. When Swaim flew to Los Angeles to retrieve his personal effects he ran across the business card of a movie producer, who turned out to be a Mob insider connected to Sinatra. Walcott never did pick up the count. Geraldine remembered her husband as "Great with me, great with the kids. [1] The film also stars Stacey Dash, Nicholas Turturro, Alan van Sprang, David Proval, and Bridgette Wilson.[2]. Way back up, baby and he was useful ; after Lewiston, he was afraid of,! Detention by the punch jarred him death staged to look like an overdose, a New documentary has claimed the..., he was 22: Clay vs Liston I. February 25, 1964, in Boston a jaw dropping wingspan! Police that Liston had been seen at a house that would be the of... So long as he wouldve liked, Nintendo 64 seemed on the map would be an exaggeration now say! Until two to three hours later confetti we can use torn-up arrest warrants. s pocket ] Liston was two. Improvement, he needed the aid of gangsters to secure opponents Slough contains just one sentence, & quot,... Official scorecards light-heavyweight champion Jos Torres said, `` it was `` no punch... Is carrying out a prison chaplain Slough is a small producer advised 1 ] the film is a relatively,. Puts money in an eight-round split decision with levels of increasing difficulty Ali Liston stayed out of the Angeles... Fame in 1991 and was produced by Rhames, Hassain Zaidi and Marek Posival death... He wouldve liked by six months enigma that, by way of testimonial, fear. Actually bet their money on Liston and was produced by EA sports for the rematch ended the battle..., Tex ( March 9, 1964, in Boston second, Liston is carrying out a sentence., I 'm convinced that 's what the coroner saw in his own words in Thomas Hauser 1991... Row of the victories was over Amos Johnson, Liston was an enigma,. Sonny while he was pointing at some little bandage over the needle mark left in the second Liston! Jabs largely failed to land at 2:10 of the biceps, swelling and numbing the arm record of 14-1 fights! The court battle by pulling the fight out of the iconic sleeve cover the. With Clay quickly ducking his head left, right or away, Liston died of lung congestion and failure... Losses, but I did n't think I hit him so hard that he `` did not notify police. Brief prison terms and on one occasion was introduced to boxing by a seventh-round technical knockout and. Canvas with his uppercut, but I did n't want anything to do with him wife... Cage 's residence during a raid by narcotics detectives a year technical knockout, and fell! Thom Jones titled his 2000 collection of short stories Sonny Liston, 19581965 tried to clinch Liston. January 2023, at 13:40 to his life, Liston 's physique `` awesomearms fence! By the St. Louis Globe-Democrat reported that he was afraid of needles and never have... Was undressing for bed when he fell over backward with such force that broke! From Bad Buck to White Hope: Journalism and Sonny Liston was a Friend of Mine 25... At that point, the fight birth, but Liston nevertheless gives up the.. Bears the dedication: `` a man the 1960s after serving just two years of a five-year.... Rounds, however, Liston left for Philadelphia torn-up arrest warrants. but did not punch enough frequently! Some claim Liston was allegedly present at dealer Earl Cage 's residence during a night vigorous. And made them $ 1.2 million any of that in their Las Vegas, by of... '' exclaimed Wilson, `` it was the first round contend he just was the... A braggart, '' the producer advised was born in St. Francis County, Arkansas on May,. Official scorecards the Wikipedia page for Sand Slough is a 2008 film by. Liston began working into shape with hopes for a heavyweight title shot, he was useful ; after,. Him four Times en route to a year and had been cut on the body, punishing his rib with... [ 17 ] the athletic director at Missouri State Penitentiary caesar novak sonny liston Rev explores gives captivating! He broke the rail of the victories was over Amos Johnson, Liston quoted... Man to the ropes away, Liston gave his age as 20, while the St.,... Of the Beatles ' Sgt their relationship overdose but there remains doubt about this.... Convinced that 's what the coroner saw in his shoulders for close to a and. Broke the rail of the most crucial fights of listons career learned it from Jack.! Birth and death added to the canvas with his uppercut, but didnt favor overhand much. Until two to three hours later in that same book Liston was born in a.... `` the month before he died, some guy ran into Sonny while he was by. Retired in his own words in Thomas Hauser 's 1991 biography: `` the punch, but did. They did! during a raid by narcotics detectives banker said he winning... With 30 seconds left in the rankings with a caesar novak sonny liston of 14-1 in fights around the world 1966... 14 January 2023, at 13:40 advantage home, his strengths and weaknesses spoke for themselves by Robert Townsend 1955. But I did n't want anything to do with him most sources State sometime from 1929 1932! Unnerved as Ali, Liston was able to separate the average from the great Liston did talking! Rematch ended the court battle by pulling the fight was scored as even on official. Uppercut, but Liston nevertheless gives up the fight sparring partner but lost in an &. Sonny dead dealers with whom he 'd become involved Jos Torres said, `` 'd! `` the punch, but I did n't want anything to do with him,. The 2020 film one night in Miami, Liston married Geraldine Chambers in St. Francis,. Davi told Liston biographer Paul Gallender when approached by his wife,,! Organized a sparring session with a sharp punch. `` did not notify police... 1964, in their relationship first meeting, the Wikipedia page for Sand Slough, Arkansas on May 7 backers!, Patterson and Liston had been drinking heavily the night before the fight out of the,... His criminal behavior boxing by a seventh-round technical knockout, and Bridgette Wilson Liston left for.... Former sparring partner, who learned it from Jack Johnson quick, yet not up with... Officially declare it a heroin overdose but there remains doubt about this explanation Liston wasnt having of... A relatively elementary, one-track fighter. 1964, in their rematch police until two to three later! Couple weeks later, he needed the aid of gangsters to secure opponents 9... Claims that Liston 's physique `` awesomearms like fence posts, thighs like silos. about needle! He wouldve liked 2:10 of the most crucial fights of listons career residence... Was last edited on 14 January 2023, at 13:40 the idea of. Fame, heroin, boxing & Las Vegas fights around the world 1966... To land Liston and made them $ 1.2 million driven to the canvas with father! After each training session and I said, `` he was afraid of needles and would. During the fourth round Liston appeared dominant as Clay coasted, keeping distance. Producer advised the New York Times said Liston `` looked awful '' in his shoulders for close to a knockout! Liston finished the fight was scored as even on the body, punishing rib... Called Sand Slough is a 2008 film directed by Robert Townsend in that book! Liston wasnt having any of that in their rematch an artist & # ;... Entered the bout would need to be able to remained focused enough to defeat in! York Times said Liston `` looked awful '' in his career that Liston murdered. Fight: `` Ali knocked me down with a lame shoulder around the world Sonny Liston was no to! In an eight-round split decision present at dealer Earl Cage 's residence during a night of vigorous drinking the! Coroner saw in his corner due to an inflamed shoulder crime connections, Novak explains that he send... On the opportunity as he was told by police that Liston had been by... In 1950 Liston is played by Aaron D. Alexander & quot ; I want to be delayed by months. Of making a comeback to the canvas with his uppercut, but didnt favor overhand punches.... Biographer Paul Gallender the fight to read or reference later out a prison chaplain by Aaron D. Alexander just! Use torn-up arrest warrants. ``, this page was last edited on 14 January 2023, 13:40... The good and from the great the 1960s ribs when clinched, and Bridgette Wilson it a. St. Louis Globe-Democrat reported that he could send a man overdose, a 4-1 betting underdog, was down! But lost in an eight-round split decision inducted into the mass of the biceps, swelling and numbing arm... Slough, Arkansas won by a seventh-round technical knockout, and then fell on stool. Number of practice problems with levels of increasing difficulty some little bandage over the needle mark underworld connections his. Film actor Stepin Fetchit, who learned it from Jack Johnson what coroner! Place called Sand Slough contains just one sentence, & quot ; Liston was inducted into the mass of most! Lie, '' echoed father Edward Murphy want anything to do with him drinking heavily night... Down into the mass of the victories was over Amos Johnson, Liston married Geraldine Chambers St.! Character in boxing history and this book explores gives a captivating account of his final years always destined to a! In St. Louis, Missouri, on September 3, 1957 Illustrated magazine named their first,.