(2) Professional gambler Lem Banker insists that Liston was murdered by drug dealers with whom he'd become involved. I didn't want anything to do with him. A tragic mystery now in its fifth decade, it will surprise few that the latest chapter reads like a deleted scene from The Godfather. As the fourth continued, Liston was ineffective with his jab, throwing often but unable to catch the retreating Ali. John J. Vitale was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1909, [3] the eldest of eight children of Joseph Vitale, Sr. and Mary Theresa Bovacanti. Sonny Liston was the original Intimidator. Charles L. "Sonny" Liston (c.1930 December 30, 1970) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1953 to 1970. Caesar's mob connections are likewise suspicious but after speaking with Sonny he convinces them that Sonny was not throwing the fight. Sonny Liston - Wikipedia 02/08/2021. Soundtracks If You Want My Love After the second loss to Ali Liston stayed out of the ring for more than a year. [103], Sonny Liston was featured in a novel "Girl Fighter" with a brief reference to his early life, his rise to WBC heavyweight champion and his eventual losses to Clay/Ali.[104]. "It was common knowledge that Sonny was a heroin addict," said Sgt. ", This page was last edited on 14 January 2023, at 13:40. Sports Illustrated magazine named their first meeting, the Liston-Clay fight (Ali had not yet . He is a relatively elementary, one-track fighter." After a loss to Marty Marshall in only his eighth professional fight, Liston strung together 28 consecutive victories, earning himself a shot at the title and a bogeyman allure, trademarked by his stone-faced glare underneath his hooded robe. Sports Illustrated predicted a Patterson victory in 15 rounds, stating: "Sonny has neither Floyd's speed nor the versatility of his attack. Ali is waiting to hit me, the ref can't control him. But upon arrival, Liston was met by only a handful of reporters and public-relations staff. [35] Liston's victory was loudly booed. One night the policemen from the previous altercation stop by Liston's house and threaten him, telling him that he has to throw any future fight against Floyd Patterson. "[95], Sgt. In the third round, Clay began to take control of the fight. Liston penalized two points for low blows. "[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. Wepner, who also fought George Foreman and Muhammad Ali, said after his career was over that Liston was the hardest puncher he faced. [74], Writer Gilbert Rogin assessed Liston's style and physique after his win over Zora Folley. Banker said he was told by police that Liston had been seen at a house that would be the target of a drug raid. He would not close in until the accumulated inside damage and Liston's own frustration had sapped the challenger's strength and will." 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. Listons ready jab was counteracted by Alis overactive jab. Stuttgarter Amtsblatt No. This victory is regarded by some as Liston's most impressive performance. "He would do everything to avoid taking shots." In 1950 Liston is carrying out a prison sentence in Missouri State Penitentiary. interview with Alex Haley in Muhammad Ali by Thomas Hauser. 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. 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. 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. Much of the first two rounds saw Ali dancing, making Liston have to shuffle forward, lunge, or both in order to get his punches off. [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. The film is a biopic of Sonny Liston, with Ving Rhames in the lead role. (. Because of the shirt he wore during robberies, the St. Louis police called Liston the "Yellow Shirt Bandit." Also, McDonough did not bang on the canvas or motion a number count with his fingers. For example, the Wikipedia page for Sand Slough contains just one sentence, "Sand Slough is a small . Soon, the fighters would get tied up after Patterson landed a jab, and then Liston brought the thunder to Pattersons rib cage. Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. was born to Cassius Marcellus Clay, Sr. and Odessa Grady Clay on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky [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. [39] Leading up to the fight, Liston was an 85 betting favorite, although many picked Patterson to win. [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. [31] While Liston began working into shape with hopes for a heavyweight title shot, he also continued his criminal behavior. And the Muslims were coming up. [15] In 1946, Helen Baskin, along with some of her children, moved to St. Louis to seek factory work. One of the victories was over Amos Johnson, Liston's former sparring partner, who had recently defeated British champion Henry Cooper. [42], Liston's run-ins with the police had continued in Philadelphia. Liston also threw some wild uppercuts that missed everything. "From Bad Buck to White Hope: Journalism and Sonny Liston, 19581965. [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. [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. Banker later learned that the police told Liston the same thing to his face. In the novel, Liston not only drinks but also pops pills and works as a sometime enforcer for a heroin ring in Las Vegas. "A blues song just for fighters: The legend of Sonny Liston. Liston retired in his corner due to an inflamed shoulder. "[35], Patterson and Liston had a rematch clause in their contract. I know!" Later that year, son at last met father, and over the next decade-and-a-half Swaim tried repeatedly to persuade Cline to open up, but the latter was adamant that this would only endanger his family. That night in jail he is seriously beaten by the correction officers and told to get out of town or he will be killed. Liston was always destined to meet a sticky end. At one point in this attack, Liston was rocked as he was driven to the ropes. I wasn't hit. Folley knocked down twice in 2nd round; 9 count and saved by the bell at 9 count. The ending of the fight remains one of the most controversial in boxing history. Goldberg did everything. [45][46] A clearly angered Liston rallied at the end of the round when Clay seemed tired, delivering punishing body shots. McDonough, however, claimed Walcott was looking at the crowd and never at him. Liston came out looking graceful and imposing. After knocking out the prison boxing champ Big Lester in a brawl over cigarettes, he is coached by the prison athletic director Father Alois to hone his boxing skills. 1973 - The Champ. Also, scar tissue, possibly from needle marks, was found in the bend of Liston's left elbow. Yet as Al Braverman, one his more trustworthy managers, assured me while I was researching my biography of Liston, Sonny Boy, his fear of needles was pathological. Hall of Fame announcer Don Dunphy said, "Here was a guy who was in prison and the guards used to beat him over the head with clubs and couldn't knock him down." [59], Liston trained hard for the rematch, which was scheduled to take place November 13, 1964, in Boston. T-shirts, hoodies, tops, dresses, skirts, hats, and more in a huge range of styles, colors, and sizes (XS - plus . [16] Listonaged around 13, according to his later reckoningsremained in Arkansas with his father. Oops. As usual, Liston wasted no time throwing his jab and keeping Machen at bay, who was trying to get his hands off with minimal success. [85] Geraldine had a daughter from a previous marriage, and the Listons subsequently adopted a boy from Sweden. Caesar Novak takes Liston back in his gym as a fighter and asks him to stay out of prison. 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. Emily Post would probably recommend a ticker-tape parade. Liston knocked out Hermann Schreibauer of West Germany at 2:16 of the first round. 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. Tosches, Nick (2000). Wepner needed 72 stitches and suffered a broken cheekbone and nose. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. In July 1963 Patterson and Liston fight a rematch, which Liston easily wins. Midway through the first round, Liston threw a left jab and Ali went over it with a fast right, knocking the former champion down. [50] 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. Liston's life was marked with numerous arrests, before and after he entered boxing. [citation needed], The fight turned out to be a mismatch. The mob tells Caesar to tell Sonny to start taking dives and also inform him of the meetings between Sonny and Farah. The orthodox-fighting Arkansas native was a master of the hook and cross. But former Las Vegas police Sgt. Clay countered in verse, "If you want to lose your money, then bet on Sonny! Liston was supremely confident of easily beating Clay, trained minimally for the fight and went ahead with it despite an injury to his left shoulder.[44]. Machen had moments in the eighth and ninth where he tried to bully Liston. "[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. Maule, Tex (March 9, 1964). "[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. Farah pretends that Caesar has called for Sonny but when Sonny arrives Farrah merely requests sex and the two cheat on their respective partner. From the opening bell Liston attempted to close with Clay, looking to land a hard punch to the head to end the fight quickly and decisively. Writer Jack McKinney said, "I watched Sonny. ", 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]. 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. The film was first titled 'Finding Sonny' and full production of the entire movie was to take place in Canton, Ohio. Sitting in a parked car with Geraldine at night he is told by a policeman to move his car along, which escalates into a fistfight and another prison sentence for Liston. He charged up a flurry of crosses to the body, many of which landed, while Ali tried to again get acclimated to the action. 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. Though Liston won the round, Ali was great at staying mobile and utilizing a bevy of tactics to make The Big Bear miss. [60] The extent to which Liston's heavy drinking and possible drug use may have contributed to his surprisingly poor performances against Ali is not known.[15]. The toxicology report said his body was too decomposed for the tests to be conclusive. 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. Feb. 25, 1964: Clay vs Liston I. February 25, 2022 Michael Carbert. Here are my thoughts: 1. 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. In his 1965 rematch with Ali, Liston suffered an unexpected first-round knockout that led to unresolved suspicions of a fix. [37] Frustrated, Liston changed his management in 1961 and applied pressure through the media by remarking that Patterson, who had faced mostly white challengers since becoming champion, was drawing the color line against his own race. 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. [100] A successful racehorse which won the Irish St Leger classic race in 2021 was named Sonnyboyliston. But by the sixth round his sight had cleared, and a clearly enraged Clay fought a blisteringly aggressive round landing numerous combination punches. Convention Center, Winchester, Nevada, U.S. Kiel Auditorium, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. Municipal Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida, U.S. St. Louis Arena, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. Midwest Gymnasium, Chicago, Illinois, U.S. Pittsburgh Gardens, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. New Masonic Temple, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. Motor City Arena, Detroit, Michigan, U.S. Sources vary on his reach, with some listing it as 80in, Reputations: Sonny Liston: The Champion Nobody Wanted (2001), 50 min, BBC Documentary, Mailer: A Biography By Mary V. Dearborn, page 186. Liston is surprised by Cassius Clay's unusual style in their boxing match and asks Catfish to spread an irritating substance on his gloves to bother Clay's eyes. Boston: Little, Brown. I want to prove to the world there's dirty work afoot.' A biography of the controversial fighter follows Liston from the mean streets, where he was a petty criminal, to the heavyweight championship and his life as a pawn of organized crime. Goofs In the movie, Sonny Liston moved to Las Vegas in 1962. 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. The place is so remote and sparsely populated it remains something of an anomaly today. Liston was able to remained focused enough to defeat Patterson in a rematch. The victim sought out the executioner." He was more angry about that shot than he was about the car wreck. He had been deliberately snubbed. Many in the small crowd had not even settled in their seats when the fight was stopped. 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. 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. The previous month, Schreibauer had won a bronze medal in the European Championships. He won by a seventh-round technical knockout, and seemed on the verge of making a comeback to the big time. Liston was allegedly present at dealer Earl Cage's residence during a raid by narcotics detectives. He also took his gun. He talked of a fight with Joe Frazier, claiming, "It'd be like shooting fish in a barrel." It was a good punch, but I didn't think I hit him so hard that he couldn't have gotten up. The bout would need to be delayed by six months. A wax model of Liston appears in the front row of the iconic sleeve cover of the Beatles' Sgt. [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. [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. Having shown improvement, he is released after serving just two years of a five-year sentence. [97], "The month before he died, some guy ran into Sonny while he was making a left turn. 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. Many in attendance did not see Ali deliver the punch. Rogin wrote. In his sixth bout, he faced ranked heavyweight Johnny Summerlin (18-1-2) on national television and won in an eight-round decision. Gary Beckwith said, "It wasn't uncommon for family members in these cases to go through and tidy up to save family embarrassment. [20], Liston signed a contract in September 1953, proclaiming: "Whatever you tell me to do, I'll do. However, when Clay returned to his corner, he started complaining that there was something burning in his eyes and he could not see. On May 5, 1956, a policeman confronted Liston and a friend about a cab parked near Liston's home. "Johnny wasn't a braggart," Davi told Liston biographer Paul Gallender. Tobe and Helen had 12 children together; Sonny was the second youngest child. In The Greatest, the 1977 film about the life of boxer Muhammad Ali in which Ali played himself, Liston was portrayed by Roger E. Mosley. Boston: Little, Brown. He only lost to three opponents in his entire career one of which came in advanced age, when he fought Leotis Martin at age 39 in 1969 and brought skill and thrill to the sport of boxing. However, David Remnick, for his book King of the World: Muhammad Ali and the Rise of an American Hero, interviewed one of Liston's cornermen, who told him that Liston could have continued: "[The shoulder] was all BS. Luckily he was saved by the bell. By the author of Power on Earth. [12], Liston never complained about prison, saying he was guaranteed three meals every day. After repeated overnight detention by the St. Louis police and a thinly veiled threat to his life, Liston left for Philadelphia. The former heavyweight champion is perhaps best known for being laid out on the canvas by Muhammad Ali in one of the sports most iconic bouts. A biopic of world-champion heavyweight boxer Sonny Liston (Ving Rhames) covering Liston's discovery, rise to success and untimely death in December 1970. They fought for a third time on March 6, 1956, which Liston won by a ten-round unanimous decision. Liston's wife also recalled that her husband would refuse basic medical care for common colds because of his dislike of needles. [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. 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. "[42], Liston made his second title defense on February 25, 1964, in Miami Beach, Florida against Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali). He claimed the officer used racial slurs. Along with his many siblings, Liston . More-over, the autopsy ascertained that Liston's blood contained traces of codeine and morphine common when heroin is broken down. The fight quickly descended into chaos. Tocco said that the living room furniture was in disarray, but the house did not yet smell of death. In the early 1980s, when Swaim was 30, his grandmother died, leaving a batch of press clippings about Warjac, who had once been on the FBI's "most wanted" list. "He was afraid of needles," echoed Father Edward Murphy. Something went wrong. "The only thing my old man ever gave me was a beating," Liston said. 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. [36], Jack Dempsey spoke for many when he was quoted as saying that Sonny Liston should not be allowed to fight for the title. In 1950, Sonny Liston was arrested six times for muggings, one . Shaun Assael wrote "The Murder of Sonny Liston: Las Vegas, Heroin, and Heavyweights", published in 2016. We're only human so don't judge too harshly the America that woke up on a February morning almost six decades ago to learn . Caesar Novak takes Liston back in his gym as a fighter and asks him to stay out of prison. We cooked up that shoulder thing on the spot. Geraldine remembered her husband as "Great with me, great with the kids. 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. caesar novak sonny liston. "Yes, it was good and honest". [22], Early in his career, Liston faced capable opponents. "If you work hard in training, the fight is easy." - Manny Pacquiao. 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. [8], Liston turned to crime and led a gang of thugs who committed muggings and armed robberies. Eventually, during a night of vigorous drinking, the old man relented. [38], Patterson finally signed to meet Liston for the world title on September 25, 1962, in Comiskey Park in Chicago. Sonny Liston was one of historys most fearsome heavyweights, and much more than just a guy who lost to a young Muhammad Ali. According to Liston's trainer, Willie Reddish, Liston cancelled a planned tour to Africa in 1963 because he refused to get the required inoculations. Lets delve into some of the most crucial fights of Listons career. ", confirmed most people's belief that Liston had taken a dive. Something was bothering Ali at the top of round five, and Liston could smell blood. The Patterson-Liston fights of 9/25/62 and 7/22/63 1955-Sept.21. There were some, however, who believed the fight was legitimate. Larry Merchant, then a writer with the Philadelphia Daily News, wrote: "A celebration for Philadelphia's first heavyweight champ is now in order. With the proceeds, he traveled to St. Louis to live with his mother. After demolishing these top-ranked fighters in the heavyweight division, Liston was regarded as the top-contender champion-in-waiting. Shaun Assael. The heavyweight champion's mysterious death is covered in tonight's all-new epi. I forgot about the rules." Helen had one child before she married Tobe, and Tobe had 13 children with his first wife. In that same book Liston was quoted two years after the fight: "Ali knocked me down with a sharp punch. Biographer Wilfrid Sheed wrote in his book, Muhammad Ali: A Portrait in Words and Photographs, that Clay's protests were heard by ringside members of the Nation of Islam who initially suspected Dundee had blinded his fighter, and that the trainer deliberately wiped his own eyes with the corner sponge to demonstrate to Clay's approaching bodyguards that he had not intentionally blinded him. Sonny Liston, dead for over 40 years; Joe Frazier, Ron Lyle, tragic losses; Jimmy Young, Scott Le Doux, Tommy Morrison and the great Ken Norton; all taken before their time. He served brief prison terms and on one occasion was introduced to boxing by a prison chaplain. The inaugural WBC world heavyweight champion cemented himself in history as one of the hardest hitters and soundest craftsmen of all time. For some, the last straw was his alleged refusal to throw a bout with Chuck Wepner, the uncultured bruiser who inspired Sylvester Stallone's Rocky franchise. Thom Jones titled his 2000 collection of short stories Sonny Liston Was a Friend of Mine. Novak takes him to Las Vegas, where Sonny and Geraldine buy a new house in December 1962 as the relationship between Caesar and Farah is falling apart. [105], Singer/Songwriter Rod Picott wrote and recorded a song titled "Sonny Liston" for his 2022 album "Paper Hearts and Broken Arrows. He didn't move to Las Vegas until after the second fight with Muhammad Ali. Sonny Liston FBI Files. That got him killed.
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