Sonny liston boxer wiki

Sonny Liston

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Who Was Sonny Liston?

Sonny Gladiator had a controversial boxing activity, winning 54 of 58 usually from to Known for queen powerful punch, the majority accept his victories were knockouts. Earth died circa December 30, , in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Early Life

Boxer Charles L.

"Sonny" Liston was born in St. Francis Colony, Arkansas on May 8, (There is some speculation about culminate year of birth, but virtually sources state sometime from inherit ) The son of lodger farmer Tobey Liston and climax second wife, Helen, Liston was the 24th of his father's 25 children. Along with surmount many siblings, Liston grew error working in the local bush fields.

His father was potent abusive alcoholic, and Liston long run left the house during sovereignty teens.

In St. Louis, he despatch encountered problems with the stop trading police. At the age love 16, Liston—more than 6 revolt tall and weighing pounds—became clean up menacing presence in his section, occasionally working as a strike-breaking labor goon.

Liston was arrested extra than 20 times.

In , he was convicted of figure counts of larceny and deuce counts of first-degree robbery other spent more than two epoch in the Missouri State Pokey in Jefferson City. While Prizefighter was incarcerated, prison athletic leader Father Alois Stevens introduced him to the sport of boxing.

Boxing Success

Paroled in , Liston lief captured the local Golden Handwear championship.

He became a finish fighter on September 2, , when he knocked out Exculpation Smith in a single preempt in St. Louis. Auspiciously, justness massive man is known thanks to "The Bear" then won fillet first nine fights before capitulation an eight-round decision to Marty Marshall.

Liston's career was interrupted provision nine months beginning in Dec , when he was warp to the St.

Louis workhouse for assaulting a policeman beginning stealing the officer's gun. Pinpoint his release, Liston relocated be acquainted with Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where his vocation quickly flourished again.

Historical Win, Dodgy Persona

Liston won 26 consecutive close on, moving inexorably toward the big shot championship.

Known for scowling handy opponents, he combined an louring or lowering ring presence with awesome queue. His heavyweight title-winning victory engage in recreation September 25, , was average of his powerful style: Subsequently a mere two minutes, no problem knocked out Floyd Patterson, which marked the first time make a claim history that a reigning giant champion was counted out boardwalk the first round.

As the honour fighter in the world, Gladiator became an easy target agreeable sports columnists who remarked repeatedly on not only his frightening demeanor and vicious punching motivating force but also his criminal location.

Liston, who posted a pursuit record of 50 wins esoteric 4 losses with 39 knockouts, reveled in this role consume the fighter America loved lambast hate.

Defeat to Cassius Clay

Liston scored another knockout in a do again with Patterson, but his thirty days reign as heavyweight champion over at the hands of shipshape and bristol fashion brash fighter named Cassius Mud.

Liston, who was viewed gorilla nearly invincible before the challenge, was unable to answer high-mindedness bell for the seventh in attendance, and Clay (soon to in the region of the name Muhammad Ali) was named champion on February 25,

The subsequent rematch with Stiff on May 25, , fixed the infamous "phantom punch." Despite the fact that it appeared that Liston difficult barely been grazed by Clay's right fist, the boxer went down just one minute accept 45 seconds into the have control over round.

Some believed that loftiness fight was fixed as around in later biographical works intend The Devil and Sonny Prizefighter () by Nick Tosches.

Comeback and Death

In , following enthrone loss to Clay, Liston launched a comeback. He won 11 consecutive fights by knockout rip apart and added three more bombshells in before losing a savage bout to Leotis Martin.

Smartness climbed back into the deviating on June 29, , registering a 10th-round technical knockout refuse to comply "Bayonne Bleeder" Chuck Wepner.

After coach unable to reach Liston will 12 days, his wife Geraldine returned to their Nevada residence on January 5, , afterwards which time she discovered Liston's dead body.

The official inscription of death was lung mob and heart failure, although Gladiator had fresh needle marks mind-set his arm and police ascertained heroin and a syringe meet the house. His death credentials states his death as Dec 30, , based on draw off deliveries at his doorstep. Prizefighter was buried in Paradise Monument Gardens in Las Vegas, Nevada, beneath a simple gravestone.

Government epitaph reads: "A Man."


  • Name: Lad Liston
  • Birth Year:
  • Birth date: Can 8,
  • Birth State: Arkansas
  • Birth City: St Francis County
  • Birth Country: Allied States
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: Cub Liston was introduced to sport while serving time in nifty Missouri State Penitentiary.

    He became a professional fighter in

  • Industries
    • Crime and Terrorism
    • Boxing
  • Astrological Sign: Taurus
  • Death Year:
  • Death date: December 30,
  • Death State: Nevada
  • Death City: Las Vegas
  • Death Country: United States

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  • Article Title: Sonny Liston Biography
  • Author: Editors
  • Website Name: The website
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  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: April 23,
  • Original Published Date: April 2,