Sonny Liston Interview 82,818 views Apr 2, 2014 1.3K Dislike Share Save haNZAgod 93.2K subscribers Subscribe A rare interview with former Heavyweight champion of the world, Sonny Liston.. [35] Liston's victory was loudly booed. However, there were again rumors of alcohol abuse in training. According to a report in the Miami Herald a few weeks before the 1964 fight, Clay was consorting with members of the Nation of Islam, who Clays father claimed had brainwashed his son. ", Knopfler compared writing a song about Liston to the work a sculptor performs on a statue. Tobe and Helen had 12 children together; Sonny was the second youngest child. (2) Professional gambler Lem Banker insists that Liston was murdered by drug dealers with whom he'd become involved. We cooked up that shoulder thing on the spot. [35] There are several theories as to why: (1) publicist Harold Conrad and others believed Liston had been deeply involved as a bill collector of a loansharking ring in Las Vegas. One memo, dated 24 May 1966, outlined an interview with Houston gambler Barnett Magids, who believed Liston would win. I don't think there was any way for him to beat Clay at that time, but if he entered the ring in a different mindset, to box and not try and get him like Patterson and others, he could of went the distance. Any objective observer would have had to concede that Ali's counterpunch had landed, and landed with enough force to turn Liston's head, Rob Sneddon wrote in The Phantom Punch: The Story Behind Boxing's Most Controversial Bout. I know!" "There was nothing Sonny feared more than a needle. 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. On the album's lyric sheet, below the Liston song, Knopfler includes a famous quotation from Liston from 1962: "Some day, they're gonna write a blues for fighters. Rode with the muggers in the dark and dread and all them sluggers went down like lead. Ali brought his big personality to the small town, but Liston was still the favorite. 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. He died circa December 30,. The story goes that Liston was born somewhere . "But they'll have to swing along until somebody comes to beat me. [45][46] A clearly angered Liston rallied at the end of the round when Clay seemed tired, delivering punishing body shots. 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. There was something caustic in both eyes." Two of the three official scorers, or judges, awarded the round to Liston, and the other scored the round even. Knopfler said the track "uses a lot of the country-blues style of playing that I started to absorb when I was young.". Geraldine remembered her husband as "Great with me, great with the kids. In his next fight, he had a rematch with Summerlin and again won an eight-round decision. He also wrote that Liston's win over Patterson proved that "in a fair fight between good and evil, evil must win." We had a return bout clause with Clay, but if you say your guy just quit, who is gonna get a return bout? 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. [39] Leading up to the fight, Liston was an 85 betting favorite, although many picked Patterson to win. Before he left for his bout with Clay, Sonny's training in Denver took him to some strange places. While true he also sent women to the hospital, which his sparring partner confirms. He would not close in until the accumulated inside damage and Liston's own frustration had sapped the challenger's strength and will." Entire books have been written about the fight, and one, released in 2015, sought to end the suggestion that Liston took another fall. Authorities theorized that he was undressing for bed when he fell over backward with such force that he broke the rail of the bench. When caught in January 1950, Liston gave his age as 20, while the St. Louis Globe-Democrat reported that he was 22. Time magazine said Liston had worked himself into the best shape of his career. Knopfler, 55, said inspiration for the Liston song has been growing for a long time. Never before seen Sonny Liston interview. Support this Channel:https://www.patreon.com/join/LegendsofBoxing Merchandise:https://www.redbubble.com/people/LegendsofBoxing/shop I restore \u0026 colorize your projects, PayPal Donations: LegendsofBoxingYT@gmail.comThank you!______________________________________________________________________ Footage Credit:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4oGEeOJ7-Ahttps://archives.denverlibrary.org/repositories/3/resources/9093______________________________________________________________________ Join my Discord Server:https://discord.gg/9QzFSw4TvfAll My YouTube ChannelsMy Main Channel \"Legends of Boxing\": https://www.youtube.com/c/LegendsofBoxingMy Second Boxing Channel \"Legends of Boxing in Color\": 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-fUo5vwMy German Channel/ Deutscher Kanal: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXBfWoE1KVXEzh9d2NrwBhASocial https://www.instagram.com/legends_of_boxing1/#boxing #LegendsofBoxing #boxingclassics #Legend #boxinghistory #fight #knockout #boxingstories #athletestories #lifestories #pugilism #bareknuckle #fighting #boxinghistory #boxer #boxingclassics #boxinglegends #halloffame #boxinghalloffame #goldenera #boxinggoldenera #boxergram #boxerlife #boxerlifestyle #boxing #boxinghistory #barefist #pugilist #bareknuckle #houseofdevlin #legendaryfighter #classics #Legendary #motivation #boxingmotivation #dempsey #boxers #UnseenHistories #VisualHistory #ColorGraph #Colorized #Colorization #ColorizedPhoto #History #HistoricalPhotos #Deoldify #AIcolorization #colorizao #colourised #historia #colourise #colorization #restauracao #colourisedphoto #colorizedphoto #colouryourpast #colorizedhistory #colorizedhistoricalphotos A grateful Liston found there was no need to give chase. 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. And I said, 'Whoa, whoa, back up, baby. [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. "[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. Reminds me of former UFC fighter Shane Carwin. But former Las Vegas police Sgt. 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. [100] A successful racehorse which won the Irish St Leger classic race in 2021 was named Sonnyboyliston. "The public is not with me. His defense was described as "the gate-crossing of arms la Archie Moore. Welcome to r/boxing, the official home of pro boxing on Reddit! ", 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. Clay brought Malcolm X along with him to Miami, and amid the controversy, the fight was almost canceled. And the Muslims were coming up. Dave Anderson of the New York Times said Liston "looked awful" in his last workout before the fight. Tosches, Nick (2000). [8], Liston turned to crime and led a gang of thugs who committed muggings and armed robberies. The official time of the stoppage was announced as 1:00 into the first round, which was wrong. Liston had thrown a jab with his left arm and, leaning forward, took a right hook from Ali right to the skull. #1 December 1963 extended Interview with Champion Sonny Liston - discusses Ali defense, his contenders, even the JFK Assassination 12-02-2022, 12:32 PM Pretty cool interview. . Another depicts Liston's death scene and autopsy: "There was dope in his veins and a pistol on the drawer Criss-crossed on his back, scars from his daddy like slavery tracks.". On May 5, 1956, a policeman confronted Liston and a friend about a cab parked near Liston's home. 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. Caputo, one of the investigating police officers, "The whole department knew about it." For his part, Liston said that the referees inability to keep track of time doomed him, as he didnt know when to get up from the mat. "You're putting things on and you're taking this out and molding it," Knopfler said. Sit down!' ", It was later theorized that a substance used on Liston's cuts by Joe Pollino, his cut man, may have caused the irritation. [31] While Liston began working into shape with hopes for a heavyweight title shot, he also continued his criminal behavior. Helen had one child before she married Tobe, and Tobe had 13 children with his first wife. This is a place for friendly and civil debate about the greatest sport on earth. [93] Liston had been hospitalized in early December, complaining of chest pains. 589 Share 23K views 1 year ago Rare interview of Sonny Liston colorized. In a pre-fight poll, 43 of 46 sportswriters picked Liston to win by knockout. He said it was taught to him by comedian and film actor Stepin Fetchit, who learned it from Jack Johnson. There are no official records of his birth Tocco called the police, and they broke into the house. 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. "[18], After Liston was released from prison on October 31, 1952, he had a brief amateur career that spanned less than a year. And it was probably for the best ticket-buyers didnt exactly get their moneys worth. When you can kill almost anybody in the world with your bare hands, you don't really have to go around proclaiming it to everyone. Liston said he quit because of a shoulder injury. But upon arrival, Liston was met by only a handful of reporters and public-relations staff. The toxicology report said his body was too decomposed for the tests to be conclusive. With the proceeds, he traveled to St. Louis to live with his mother. "At about noon on the day of the fight, (Magids) reached Resnick again by phone," the memo read. interview with Alex Haley in Muhammad Ali by Thomas Hauser. [47] Sitting on his stool between rounds, however, Liston was breathing heavily as his cornermen worked on his cut. Although Clay often carried his gloves down at his waist, seemingly open to attack, he proved very difficult to hit. [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. "The timekeeper was waving both hands and saying, 'I counted him outthe fight is over,'" Walcott said after the fight. 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. He won eight fights that year, six by knockout. The most iconic photo in boxing history documents the knockout that almost nobody saw happen. "He told me in the strictest confidence, but it was like he wanted to get it off his chest." Three days before the fight, Ali needed emergency surgery for a strangulated hernia. Sports Illustrated writer Mort Sharnik said his hands "looked like cannonballs when he made them into fists." #muhammadali #henrycooper #sonnyliston #dougjones #heavyweight #greatness #boxing #legend #larryholmes #ironmike #sonnyliston #intimidating #bad #big #greatb. He was still a world-ranked boxer when he died in mysterious circumstances in 1970. 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. THE PREFIGHT MOODS OF SONNY LISTON. Unfortunately for Martin, however, his career ended after that fight due to a detached retina he suffered during the bout. 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. Sonny Liston shot a gun at Muhammad Ali. In his sixth bout, he faced ranked heavyweight Johnny Summerlin (18-1-2) on national television and won in an eight-round decision. (4) Liston was supposed to take a dive when he fought Chuck Wepner six months earlier, and killing him was payback for his failure to do so. Only Massachusetts was willing to host the fight, though it was delayed from November 1964 to May 1965 so that Ali could recover from hernia surgery. In these feckless clinches he only managed to tie up one of Liston's arms. Night Train is like $11 on Amazon, peep that if you want to get more of the story, i don't like how max was squeezing sonny's bicep. BOXING Correction: July 15, 2005, Friday A sports picture caption on Wednesday with an article about Mark Knopfler's ballad for the boxer Sonny Liston referred incorrectly in some copies to the year in which Muhammad Ali knocked out Liston in Lewiston, Me. To the rest of the world, it would be known as "The Phantom Punch." That shot, which Ali dropped Sonny Liston with on May 25, 1965, was far from a phantom. Ali called it "the anchor punch." But others contend he just was not the same Liston. During the interim, officials in Boston also got cold feet. 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." . Dennis Caputo of the Clark County Sheriff's Department was one of the first officers on the scene. Mark Knopfler's tribute to Liston, "Song for Sonny Liston", appeared on his 2004 album Shangri-La. [94], On January 1, Liston's wife, Geraldine, called Johnny Tocco and said she had not heard from her husband in three days and was worried. Liston won 14 consecutive bouts, 13 by knockout, before fighting third-ranked Leotis Martin, previously beaten by Clark, in December 1969. Patterson's fatal mistake was that he "did not punch enough and frequently tried to clinch with Liston. [70] There have been a number of unproven theories as to the background to the purported dive including that Liston was threatened by the Muslims, or agreed to lose in return for a share in the more marketable Ali's future purses. His fists measured 15 inches (38cm) around, the largest of any heavyweight champion. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Even before the first punch was thrown, the May 25, 1965 bout between Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston . [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]. I was about to say look at those mitts! Geraldine called Liston's attorney and his doctor, but did not notify the police until two to three hours later. He took one and went down. [88] On returning home from a two-week trip, Geraldine had smelled a foul odor emanating from the main bedroom and on entering saw him slumped up against the bed, a broken foot bench on the floor. In his own words in Thomas Hauser's 1991 biography: "The punch jarred him. He had the whole package. Wepner, who also fought George Foreman and Muhammad Ali, said after his career was over that Liston was the hardest puncher he faced. [55], There is ample evidence that Liston did carry an injury to his left shoulder into the fight. [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. Either way, nat fleisher as the KD timekeeper had NO right telling Walcott the fight was over. Top contender Zora Folley was stopped in three rounds. 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. "The only thing my old man ever gave me was a beating," Liston said.