sonny liston interview

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. [34] Many African-Americans disdained Liston. He also wrote that Liston's win over Patterson proved that "in a fair fight between good and evil, evil must win." 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. "Yes, it was good and honest". In the third round, Marshall nailed Listonreportedly while he was laughingand broke his jaw. All Rights Reserved. Dude was only 6'2 and his hands dwarfed Lesnar's. Sonny Liston had a very sad upbringing & had to learn to survive at a young age. 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. "From Bad Buck to White Hope: Journalism and Sonny Liston, 19581965. He found a quarter-ounce of heroin in a balloon in the kitchen, and a half-ounce of marijuana in Liston's pants pocket, but no syringes or needles. The rumors swirling nearly canceled the fight the night prior, and when a reporter that morning broke tradition and asked if Clay was a member of the Black Muslims, as the group was often called, the boxer confirmed his new religion. Thom Jones titled his 2000 collection of short stories Sonny Liston Was a Friend of Mine. In a pre-fight poll, 43 of 46 sportswriters picked Liston to win by knockout. [45][46] A clearly angered Liston rallied at the end of the round when Clay seemed tired, delivering punishing body shots. Ali did neither. Maybe he was. 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. A stoic Liston finished the fight, but lost in an eight-round split decision. [100] A successful racehorse which won the Irish St Leger classic race in 2021 was named Sonnyboyliston. "He was scared, he was scared of so many things," Knopfler said. Tosches, Nick (2000). "He said, 'Cut the gloves off. [93] Liston had been hospitalized in early December, complaining of chest pains. Sonny Liston was one of the hardest hitters the boxing world has ever seen. You've seen him before but probably didn't realize it because the most famous photo ever taken of Sonny was not at his best angle. Muhammad Ali called it his "anchor punch," a quick right hand that the young heavyweight champion claimed he had learned from his friend, actor Stepin Fetchit. "But can he hit!" [36], Jack Dempsey spoke for many when he was quoted as saying that Sonny Liston should not be allowed to fight for the title. 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. Liston biographer Paul Gallender claims that Liston fathered several children, though none with his wife. He was more angry about that shot than he was about the car wreck. "A blues song just for fighters: The legend of Sonny Liston. He then left the fighters to go over to McDonough. Knopfler, who was born in Scotland and grew up in northern England, said Liston's story was "exciting subject matter because it's so mysterious." Because of the shirt he wore during robberies, the St. Louis police called Liston the "Yellow Shirt Bandit." THE PREFIGHT MOODS OF SONNY LISTON. Cleveland Williams was the last person to defeat Liston and made $100,000 for his efforts. Geraldine called Liston's attorney and his doctor, but did not notify the police until two to three hours later. 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 official time of the stoppage was announced as 1:00 into the first round, which was wrong. Walcott then rushed back to the fighters, who had resumed boxing, and stopped the fightawarding Ali a first-round knockout victory. He could probably drive his thumb through your skull like Michael Myers, It's crazy to think about the fact that Sonny Liston was an actual gangster running with gangs.. and then he looks so soft spoken in the interview. Shaun Assael. [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. There's something really primal about the whole thing, obviously. The fight lasted four seconds longer than the first one. Please read the rules before posting/commenting. Charles L. "Sonny" Liston (c. 1930 - December 30, 1970) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1953 to 1970. But upon arrival, Liston was met by only a handful of reporters and public-relations staff. ", The Liston song appears on an album called "Shangri-La." and "Nobody will believe this!"[63]. Who needed that? [76][77] Foreman stated: "There wasn't anything missing from Sonny Liston. Anyone can read what you share. Very Rare interview with Sonny Liston and Joe Louis. Support this Channel:https://www.patreon.com/LegendsofBoxing Merchandise:LegendsofBoxing.redbubble.com I restore \u0026 colorize your projects, PayPal Donations: LegendsofBoxingYT@gmail.comThank you!________________________________________________________________________________All My YouTube ChannelsMy Main Channel \"Legends of Boxing\": https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC73ffQAknNEWJlRoFSWH_awMy Second Boxing Channel \"Legends of Boxing Strikes Back\": https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-QLrFyDnskqz5_z95mcOAMy History Channel \"Time Travel: Colorized Archive\": https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC29VFkNvVVi6_OzwFV2oTqQMy Documentary Channel \"Tales From The Past\":https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZpFIIYrCc1lOHbG-fUo5vwMein Dokumentation Channel \"Geschichten aus der Vergangenheit\" (Tales From The Past in Deutsch) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXBfWoE1KVXEzh9d2NrwBhASocial https://www.instagram.com/legends_of_boxing1/ It was the first time in his career that Liston had been cut. 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. Caputo, one of the investigating police officers, "The whole department knew about it." Lennox is a conqueror? (. A couple weeks later, he was still complainin' about that needle mark. Stevens organized a sparring session with a professional heavyweight named Thurman Wilson to showcase Liston's potential. They fought for a third time on March 6, 1956, which Liston won by a ten-round unanimous decision. The mysterious life of Sonny Liston. [62] The promoters needed a new location quickly, whatever the size, to rescue their closed-circuit television commitment around the country. He would not close in until the accumulated inside damage and Liston's own frustration had sapped the challenger's strength and will." "Johnny wasn't a braggart," Davi told Liston biographer Paul Gallender. Liston did eventually rise from the mat, but soon after, the referee broke up the two boxers once again the former champion had been down for more than 10 seconds, ending the fight. The film starred Ving Rhames as Liston and was produced by Rhames, Hassain Zaidi and Marek Posival. He was a gentle man. When Machen clinched in . During the interim, officials in Boston also got cold feet. 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 . Clay brought Malcolm X along with him to Miami, and amid the controversy, the fight was almost canceled. At one point, Liston had Clay against the ropes and landed a hard left hook. 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. Liston won his final fight, a tough but one-sided match against future world title challenger Chuck Wepner in June 1970. Sonny Liston in his prime . Tale of the tape: Fight poster for Sonny Liston v Cassius Clay in 1964. . Frank Mir was around that height and was noticeably taller than Carwin. Banker said he was told by police that Liston had been seen at a house that would be the target of a drug raid. Liston had never been knocked out before, and most people didnt even see the punch happen. It was probably Liston's best moment in the entire fight. [10][11] It has been suggested Liston himself may not have known what year he was born, as he was not precise on the matter. Knopfler, who now records as a soloist and performs with a backup band, has a wide-ranging curiosity that has produced an eclectic collection of songs. Authorities theorized that he was undressing for bed when he fell over backward with such force that he broke the rail of the bench. The highly-anticipated May 1965 rematch between the heavyweight champions almost didn't happen. One of the reasons why sports stays alive in us is that there's part of us that wants to keep the child alive and recognizes that there is something important in doing that. [citation needed], The fight turned out to be a mismatch. It burned like hell. At the IBHOF, the casts of Listons hands were bigger than Lennox Lewis' which were also gigantic. 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. He sunk to the canvas, and as he was down, Ali stood over him, taunting and demanding his stunned opponent get back up. A sudden violent combination delivered with 30 seconds left in the round electrified the crowd. His wife said he was a kind & gentle hearted person who cared deeply for children & that no one ever saw that side of him except those closest to him, I believe theres a documentary somewhere on YouTube Id recommend watching it. [7] Liston was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991. [107] The story speculates that Liston threw the Ali match for the good of society. One memo, dated 24 May 1966, outlined an interview with Houston gambler Barnett Magids, who believed Liston would win. The previous month, Schreibauer had won a bronze medal in the European Championships. The bout would need to be delayed by six months. It was a shocking result, not only because Liston was favored in the match, but because hardly anybody saw the punch that took him down. We cooked up that shoulder thing on the spot. Mark Knopfler's tribute to Liston, "Song for Sonny Liston", appeared on his 2004 album Shangri-La. Jim Murray of the Los Angeles Times wrote that it was "no phantom punch." The Murder of Sonny Liston is an absorbing, albeit speculative, attempt at addressing the mystery that died with the man. Liston was a heavy favorite. He was also seeking to prove himself after his two embarrassing and suspicious losses to Ali. Many in attendance did not see Ali deliver the punch. Referee Jersey Joe Walcott, a former world heavyweight champion, had a hard time getting Ali to go to a neutral corner. "He would do everything to avoid taking shots." His fists measured 15 inches (38cm) around, the largest of any heavyweight champion. ", Still, some found it hard to believe that the punch could have floored a man like Liston. 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. The Real Story behind the Ali-Liston Fights. A lot of his life was mysterious and messy. Interviewing and trash-talk have both gone through some tremendous evolutions, havent they? [72], "I was an 'intimidator' until I fought Sonny Liston. [29] Machen's taunting and his spoiling tactics of dodging and grapplingat one point almost heaving Liston over the ropesso alienated the audience that Liston received unaccustomed support from the crowd. Liston believed his date of birth to be May 8, 1932, and used this for official purposes[11] but by the time he won the world title an aged appearance added credence to rumors that he was actually several years older. Larry Merchant, then a writer with the Philadelphia Daily News, wrote: "A celebration for Philadelphia's first heavyweight champ is now in order. But former Las Vegas police Sgt. Byrne sought an injunction blocking the fight in Boston because Inter-Continental Promotions was promoting the fight without a Massachusetts license. Governor John H. Reed of Maine stepped forward, and within a few hours the promoters had a new site: Lewiston, Maine, a mill town with a population of about 41,000 located 140 miles (230km) north of Boston. [87], Liston was found dead by his wife, Geraldine, in their Las Vegas home on January 5, 1971. The story goes that Liston was born somewhere . World light-heavyweight champion Jos Torres said, "It was a perfect punch." I dont have to be what you want me to be, Clay told agitated reporters. I'm the best ever. He cited Liston's inability to lift his arm: "There is no doubt that Liston's arm was damaged. On May 7, backers of the rematch ended the court battle by pulling the fight out of Boston. Dennis Caputo of the Clark County Sheriff's Department was one of the first officers on the scene. "He was scared of the police. Both fights were in Summerlin's hometown of Detroit.[23]. Muhammad Ali (at the time a rising contender named Cassius Clay), however, predicted a knockout by Liston in the first five rounds. Suddenly, the world had to come to grips with a new kind of heavyweight champion. Even before the first punch was thrown, the May 25, 1965 bout between .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston, during which the photo was snapped, was already shaping up to be the stuff of legends. [31] While Liston began working into shape with hopes for a heavyweight title shot, he also continued his criminal behavior. 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. "[35], Patterson and Liston had a rematch clause in their contract. Muhammad Ali stands over Sonny Liston after dropping Liston with a short hard right to the jaw on May 25, 1965, in Lewiston, Maine, Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston: The Controversial Fight Behind Their Iconic Boxing Photo, Remembering Just Fontaine and His World Cup Record, an official member of the Nation of Islam, Senate subcommittee hearing turned up no evidence, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Unlike Dylan or Carter, however, Knopfler does not present Liston as innocent of a crime for which he was imprisoned. The match had more storylines than a soap opera. Entire books have been written about the fight, and one, released in 2015, sought to end the suggestion that Liston took another fall. "[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 Liston arose, Walcott wiped off his gloves. Underworld connections and his unrecorded dates of birth and death added to the enigma. ", Chuck Wepner on Liston's intimidating appearance. Create Space Independent Publishing Platform. [25][26], In 1960 Liston won five more fights, including a rematch with Williams, who lasted only two rounds. There are echoes of slavery in his upbringing." Rocky Marciano, the former heavyweight champion, said that he appreciated the punchs strength upon re-examination. that startles everyone in a 100 foot radius. RARE Sonny Liston Interview before the first Ali fight 1964 in Color Legends of Boxing in Color 2.47K subscribers Subscribe 16K views 8 months ago Very Rare interview with Sonny Liston and. Remembering One Of Boxing's Storied Bouts Robert Siegel and Melissa Block recall the fight between Cassius Clay and and Sonny Liston, the fight at the heart of the off-Broadway play Fetch Clay, . According to a New York Times report the day after the fight, Clay was indeed an official member of the Nation of Islam. Carwin probably wasn't even that tall. It is hardly the first recording by a rock musician about boxing. He talked of a fight with Joe Frazier, claiming, "It'd be like shooting fish in a barrel." 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. 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. However, when Clay returned to his corner, he started complaining that there was something burning in his eyes and he could not see. A grateful Liston found there was no need to give chase. Audiences at home were confused and outraged. I never saw. Tradues em contexto de "with Sonny" en ingls-portugus da Reverso Context : I think you should stay here with Sonny. What are you doing? Naturally, they decided that Ali would take on Liston. The Devil And Sonny Liston. Patterson, a 4-1 betting underdog, was knocked down three times and counted out at 2:10 of the first round.