"in May 1965 in Lewiston, Maine, which Ali won with a first-round knockout. Liston was the World Heavyweight Champion at the time of the first Liston–Clay fight in Miami Beach on February 25, 1964, having demolished former champion Floyd Patterson by a first-round knockout in September 1962. Ten months later, Liston and Patterson met again with the same result—Patterson was knocked out in the first round. Liston was the most intimidating fighter of his day, and considered by some, at the time of the Clay fight, to be among the best heavyweights of all time. Many were reluctant to meet"
"Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston The two fights between Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston for boxing's World Heavyweight Championship were among the most anticipated, watched and controversial fights in the sport's history. ""Sports Illustrated"" magazine named their first meeting, the Liston–Clay fight (Ali had not yet changed his name from Cassius Clay), as the fourth greatest sports moment of the twentieth century. The first bout was held in February 1964 in Miami Beach, Florida. Clay (later Ali) won when Liston gave up at the opening of the seventh round (after being clearly dominated in the sixth). Their second fight was"
"from the fight. Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston The two fights between Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston for boxing's World Heavyweight Championship were among the most anticipated, watched and controversial fights in the sport's history. ""Sports Illustrated"" magazine named their first meeting, the Liston–Clay fight (Ali had not yet changed his name from Cassius Clay), as the fourth greatest sports moment of the twentieth century. The first bout was held in February 1964 in Miami Beach, Florida. Clay (later Ali) won when Liston gave up at the opening of the seventh round (after being clearly dominated in the sixth). Their"
"The Devil and Sonny Liston The Devil and Sonny Liston is a biography of world heavyweight champion boxer Sonny Liston by Nick Tosches. The book's title is a reference to the story ""The Devil and Daniel Webster"". Tosches' intended title was ""Night Train"" after one of Liston's favorite songs. It was changed at the behest of his publisher in order to avoid potential confusion with the novel of the same name by Martin Amis. Among the controversial topics covered are Liston's disputed birth date, his alleged mob ties, corruption in the professional boxing world, the 1964 Liston-Clay fight in which"
"wins (24 knockouts) and 3 loss in 33 bouts. <br> Richel Hersisia Richel Hersisia (born April 28, 1974 in Curaçao, in the former Netherlands Antilles) is a heavyweight boxer. He is referred to as ""The Dutch Sonny Liston"" by his fans. He now fights out of The Hague (Den Haag) in the Netherlands. He once held the fringe World Boxing Foundation (WBFo) Heavyweight title, but lost it to Audley Harrison via fourth-round knockout on March 20, 2004 at Wembley Arena in London. He last fought in September 2008, when he lost a six rounds decision to a comebacking Ray Mercer"
"Liston claimed to have a shoulder injury, the 1965 Liston-Ali fight and the so-called ""phantom punch"", and Liston's heroin overdose death in 1970. The Devil and Sonny Liston The Devil and Sonny Liston is a biography of world heavyweight champion boxer Sonny Liston by Nick Tosches. The book's title is a reference to the story ""The Devil and Daniel Webster"". Tosches' intended title was ""Night Train"" after one of Liston's favorite songs. It was changed at the behest of his publisher in order to avoid potential confusion with the novel of the same name by Martin Amis. Among the controversial"
"Michael Bentt Michael Bentt (born September 4, 1964) is a British-American film and television actor, and former professional boxer who competed from 1989 to 1994. Of Jamaican heritage, he was born in East Dulwich, London, but raised in the Cambria Heights section of Queens in New York City. Bentt won the WBO heavyweight title from Tommy Morrison in 1993, losing the title in his first defense in 1994 to Herbie Hide. As an amateur he won bronze medals at the 1986 World Championships and 1987 Pan American Games. As an actor, Bentt is best known for co-starring as Sonny Liston"
"Richel Hersisia Richel Hersisia (born April 28, 1974 in Curaçao, in the former Netherlands Antilles) is a heavyweight boxer. He is referred to as ""The Dutch Sonny Liston"" by his fans. He now fights out of The Hague (Den Haag) in the Netherlands. He once held the fringe World Boxing Foundation (WBFo) Heavyweight title, but lost it to Audley Harrison via fourth-round knockout on March 20, 2004 at Wembley Arena in London. He last fought in September 2008, when he lost a six rounds decision to a comebacking Ray Mercer in Karlstad, Sweden. His current ring record stands at 30"
"May 8, 1932 for official purposes but by the time he won the world title an aged appearance added credence to rumors that he was actually several years older. 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. Tobe Liston inflicted whippings so severe on Sonny that the scars were still visible decades later. ""The only thing my old man ever gave me was a beating,"" Liston said. Helen Baskin moved to St. Louis, Missouri, with some of her children, leaving Liston—aged around 13,"
"his opponents was the ageless Archie Moore, who held the world light heavyweight title for ten years and scored more knockout victories than any other boxer in history. In the early 1960s, the seemingly invincible Sonny Liston captured the public imagination with his one-sided destruction of two-time heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson. One of the last mob-connected fighters, Liston had his mystique shattered in two controversial losses to the brash upstart Cassius Clay, who changed his name to Muhammad Ali after becoming champion. Ali would become the most iconic figure in boxing history, transcending the sport and achieving global recognition. His"
"has since been speculated that Liston purposely dropped to the ground. Proposed motivations include threats on his life from the Nation of Islam, that he had bet against himself and that he ""took a dive"" to pay off debts. Slow-motion replays show that Liston was jarred by a chopping right from Ali, although it is unclear whether the blow was a genuine knockout punch. Ali defended his title against former heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson on November 22, 1965. Before the match, Ali mocked Patterson, who was widely known to call him by his former name Cassius Clay, as an ""Uncle"
"for a World Boxing Association heavyweight title rematch between Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston; Ali had defeated Liston in a controversial fight in Miami Beach, Florida in February 1964, and the World Boxing Council was demanding an immediate rematch, which was against WBA rules. The rematch was originally planned to be held in Boston, but was halted by Massachusetts boxing authorities due to licensing issues. Promoters were eventually able to frame a lucrative deal moving the fight to the Colisée in Lewiston. As the venue held less than 3,700 spectators, only 2,434 fans were present, setting an all-time record for"
"him a match with veteran former champion Sonny Liston on December 6, 1969. Liston had resumed boxing after his two stunning losses to Muhammad Ali, and had run off a winning streak of 14 fights with 13 knockouts. Although slowed by age, Liston was still a feared heavyweight. Martin, who formerly had been Liston's sparring partner, devised a good fight plan. Rather than attempting to slug with the bigger and heavier Liston, Martin stayed away from him, boxing and waiting for the older man to tire. Despite a close call in the fourth round when Liston caught him with a"
"34-year old former champ Sonny Liston and 23-year-old reigning champion Muhammad Ali. It was at this fight that Sports Illustrated photographer Neil Leifer took what Time Magazine has called the ""perhaps the greatest sports photo of the century."" On March 19, 1977, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band played their only show in the state of Maine at the venue. Bob Dylan performed at the venue on November 13, 2000, May 17, 2008 and on April 10, 2013. On November 7, 2018, Ring of Honor will make their Maine debut at the Coliseé. As a co-promoted ""Global Wars"" show"
"Liston was going to face Canadian champion George Chuvalo, but the fight never took place. ""When I signed to fight him (in December 1970) he'd been dead for a week"", Chuvalo stated years later. ""He passed away after I'd sent a telegram to the promoter, agreeing terms to the fight at the Montreal Forum. A day or so later a news report flashes up saying former heavyweight champion of the world Sonny Liston found dead at his Las Vegas home. I'd actually signed a contract to face a dead man."" Liston was found dead by his wife, Geraldine, in their"
"hotel room prior to Ali's 1964 upset win over Sonny Liston. After telling Hunt what he was going to do to Liston, the young and brash Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) burst into one of his trademark verses. ""After I beat Liston I'll be sad, then there'll be no one to make me mad."" His book also described what it was like covering the hockey riots in 1955 in Montreal. The incident occurred after the NHL suspended Canadiens great Maurice Richard for attacking a Boston Bruins player with his stick, and later going after a linesman who tried to"
"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. Liston loses the rematch against Cassius Clay, now known as Muhammad Ali, after falling down for 20 seconds following the famous phantom punch. Many cannot see the punch and the press once again attacks Liston, accusing him of taking a dive. Caesar's mob connections are likewise suspicious but after speaking with Sonny he convinces them that Sonny was not throwing the fight. Liston works his way back up in the rankings with a record of"
"first round. The fight lasted four seconds longer than the first one. Liston's victory was loudly booed. ""The public is not with me. I know it"", Liston said afterward. ""But they'll have to swing along until somebody comes to beat me."" Liston made his second title defense on February 25, 1964, in Miami Beach, Florida against Cassius Clay (soon to change his name to Muhammad Ali). Liston was a heavy favorite. In a pre-fight poll, 43 of 46 sportswriters picked Liston to win by knockout. Odds makers gave Liston 1–7 to win. From the opening bell, Liston attempted to close"
"a needle. I know!"" said Liston's Philadelphia dentist, Dr. Nick Ragni. ""He was afraid of needles"", echoed Father Edward Murphy. ""He would do everything to avoid taking shots."" According to Liston's trainer, Willie Reddish, Liston cancelled a planned tour to Africa in 1963 because he refused to get the required inoculations. Liston's wife also reported that her husband would refuse basic medical care for common colds because of his dislike of needles. ""The month before he died, some guy ran into Sonny while he was making a left turn. He had a whiplash, so they took him to the hospital"","
"faced mostly white challengers since becoming champion, was drawing the color line against his own race. Patterson finally signed to meet Liston for the world title on September 25, 1962, in Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois. Leading up to the fight, Liston was an 8-5 betting favorite, though many picked Patterson to win. In an Associated Press poll, 64 of 102 reporters picked Patterson. ""Sports Illustrated"" predicted a Patterson victory in 15 rounds, stating: ""Sonny has neither Floyd's speed nor the versatility of his attack. He is a relatively elementary, one-track fighter."" Former champions James J. Braddock, Jersey Joe Walcott,"
"York State Athletic Commission to strip him of his championship; his legal case and his reinstatement after the favorable June 28, 1970 decision by the Supreme Court of the United States. The Justices decided 8–0 (with Thurgood Marshall abstaining), that ""... for the reasons stated, that the Department [of Justice] was simply wrong as a matter of law in advising that the petitioner's beliefs were not religiously based and were not sincerely held"". Sonny Liston, who died in 1970, appears in archival footage. Liston and Ali fought in two notable matches in 1964 and 1965, respectively. The cover art for"
"coach of the St. Louis Golden Gloves team, Tony Anderson, stated that Liston was the strongest fighter he had ever seen. Liston signed a contract in September 1953, proclaiming: ""Whatever you tell me to do, I'll do."" 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. The connections to organized crime were an advantage early in his career, but were later used against him. Liston made his professional debut on September 2, 1953, knocking out Don Smith"
"Stevie Johnston Steven Earl Johnston (born September 28, 1972), best known as Stevie Johnston, is an American professional boxer and a two-time former WBC lightweight champion. Johnston had a storied amateur career, compiling an amateur record of 260-13. Some of his highlights include: Known as ""Lil' But Bad"", Johnston turned pro in 1993 and fought for the WBC Lightweight Title against Jean Baptiste Mendy in 1997, winning a close split decision. Johnston defended the title three times before losing the belt to Cesar Bazan in 1998 in a close decision. In 1999 he won a rematch against Bazan in another"
"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. After the second loss to Ali, Liston stayed out of the ring for more than a year. 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. One of the victories was over Amos Johnson, who had recently defeated British champion Henry Cooper. Liston returned to the United States and won seven fights, all by knockout,"
"Toledo argued that Liston, when at his peak in the late 1950s and early 1960s, could be favored to beat just about every heavyweight champion in the modern era with the possible exception of Muhammad Ali. Charles ""Sonny"" Liston was born into a sharecropping family who farmed the poor land of Morledge Plantation near Johnson Township, St. Francis County, Arkansas. 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. Helen had one child before she married Tobe, and Tobe"
"record. One of the most notable corner stoppages in boxing occurred during the Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston fight on February 25, 1964, the first of their two fights. After six back-and-forth rounds, Sonny Liston, complaining of a shoulder injury, refused to get up from his stool for the seventh round. As a result, Muhammad Ali became the world heavyweight champion. Corner retirement A corner retirement or corner stoppage, abbreviated ""RTD"" by BoxRec, are terms used in boxing to describe a fight that ends when, during any rest period between rounds, a boxer refuses to continue or their corner pulls"
"hero, Muhammad Ali, are to be found in the NL Collection. The Ali pictures were taken over the last 45 years and include the two best known sports photographs of the 20th Century, Muhammad Ali standing over a KO’d Sonny Liston and a bird’s eye view looking down on a KO’d Cleveland Williams. The Ali vs. Williams photograph was chosen by the London Observer as the number one picture in a cover story titled “The World’s 50 Greatest Sports Photographs”. The Ali vs. Liston picture was chosen number two. The Ali pictures in the collection cover 35 of Ali’s fights"
"Leotis Martin Leotis Martin (March 10, 1939 – November 20, 1995) was an American boxer, the first ever NABF heavyweight champion and is best known for his victory over former heavyweight champion Sonny Liston. Martin was a good puncher and a fairly skilled heavyweight who fought from 1962 to 1969. He compiled a record of 31 wins (19 KOs) and 5 losses and in 2003 was named on ""The Ring""s list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. His career, however, was marked by inconsistency and bad luck. Martin was the 1960 Chicago and Intercity Golden Gloves 160-pound champion and"
"America."" United States President John F. Kennedy also did not want Patterson to fight Liston. 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. Jack Dempsey spoke for many when he was quoted as saying that Sonny Liston should not be allowed to fight for the title. Liston angrily responded by questioning whether Dempsey's failure to serve in World War I qualified him to moralize. Frustrated, Liston changed his management in 1961 and applied pressure through the media by remarking that Patterson, who had"
"and knocked Liston out cold in the ninth round. Unfortunately for Martin, his career ended after that fight because of a detached retina he suffered during the bout. Liston won his final fight, a tough match against future world title challenger Chuck Wepner in June 1970. The bout was stopped after the ninth round due to cuts over both of Wepner's eyes. Wepner needed 72 stitches and suffered a broken cheekbone and nose. Writer Gilbert Rogin assessed Liston's style and physique after his win over Zora Folley. He said that Liston was not quick with his hand- or foot work,"
"fight by knockout), Zora Folley, and future Light Heavyweight champion Bob Foster. But he is best remembered for his fight with World Heavyweight Champion Muhammad Ali, on February 6, 1967—a bout in which he was badly beaten. Ali was scheduled to fight World Boxing Association champion Ernie Terrell (the WBA stripped Ali of his title after his agreement to fight a rematch with Liston) on March 29, but Terrell backed out and Ali won a 15-round decision against substitute opponent George Chuvalo. The World Boxing Association matched Terrell and Eddie Machen for the vacant crown. Terrell defeated Machen to win"
"Sonny King (wrestler) Larry Johnson was a professional wrestler better known as Sonny King. He competed in the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), where he won the WWWF Tag Team Championship. Johnson began his career as a professional boxer, but later turned to professional wrestling after befriending Ernie Ladd. Johnson initially turned down the offer from Jack Britton to join the sport, but later tried it anyway. He began his training in Detroit. He later worked in Pittsburgh and Ontario. In 1972, he teamed with Chief Jay Strongbow to win the World Wide Wrestling Federation's World Tag Team Championship from"
"showcase Liston's potential. After two rounds, Wilson had taken enough. ""Better get me out of this ring,"" exclaimed Wilson, ""he is going to kill me!"" After Liston was released from prison on October 31, 1952, he had a brief amateur career that spanned less than a year. Liston captured the Chicago Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions on March 6, 1953, with a victory over 1952 Olympic Heavyweight Champion Ed Sanders. 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. Liston was dropped in the"