George said in an interview with Ring Magazine: “Sparring with Liston is the most dangerous thing that I ever did in my entire life. No matter what I tried against him, it was me who had to revert back to boxing. Nobody made me box like Sonny Liston did and that happened every time we worked together. He taught me many things, including the importance of the jab.” A good example of Sonny's sheer strength was an exercise he devised in training camp of loading an industrial sized wheelbarrow full of rocks, and wheeling it up and down a hill. Foreman, 19, and training with "the old man," could only carry one wheelbarrow for every 3 for Sonny: “His strength," said Foreman, "you just can't believe how strong he was!"
Oldschool_Saint A very interesting tale and I dont doubt that Liston was as strong as a bull, he certainly looked it. However II cannot but think of the contrast with Listons nemisis. For all Listons raw strenth he was unable to trouble Ali in any way and by contrast Ali was much less strong and altogether lighter on his feet
@@andypicken7848 Absolutely. It was incredible how fast Ali was moving away from Sonny, he was terrified. I would have been. Regardless of age difference and/or shoulder injury etcetera, i really don't think there is anything Liston could have done to catch Ali. Nobody could fight Liston toe to toe. Cleveland and Floyd plodded towards Sonny, what happened? Ali did the opposite, "Run Forrest Run"!
When I watch Sonny's earlier fights it appears he was a *little* bit faster and a *little* bit more brutal than when he faced Ali. Ali still may have won but I do wonder how he would have done against the Liston that pounded Harris inside a round.@@Bobby_D_123
Liston's reach was out of this world. The unbelievable thing about it was that he had power on the outside and the inside. Usually, having a long reach gives the fighter power on the outside. But Liston was able to apply leverage on the inside too.I haven't finished the video, but I already know it's going to be great because Rich only does great documentaries.
The unexpected interviews, copious amounts of fight footage and your commentary make these documentaries captivating content. Another home run. Thank you
Boxing Historian Monte Cox wrote: “Liston was made to be a fighter. His physical attributes bordered on the freakish. At six-foot, one-inch, he had an eighty-four inch reach-longer than that of all other champions with the exception of Primo Carnera. His neck was a massive eighteen inches. But the number that leaps off the page-the statistic that looks initially lik' a typo-is that which corresponds to his hands. When closed into a fist, they measured fifteen inches around, virtually twice the size of an average man’s. To contemplate the impact of a fist that large, delivered over a distance that great, from a man so determined to do damage, would give even the bravest opponent pause."
I can’t imagine how much more dominant Liston would have been if he started training to be a boxer at a kid’s age, like most future all-time great champions in the sport. Sonny Liston continues to be one of the most fascinating, mysterious, troubled and ultimately tragic figures in the history of boxing. No one really knows when he was born and no one really knows how he died. But in between, what we do know, is that he became a champion inside that ring. Sonny Liston…“A man”
Ali fought both Foreman and Liston, and he said that when it came to George he just had to take the hits and wear big George down, in the case of Liston, he simply did not want to get hit at all. So for Ali it was certainly Sonny that hit harder. Foreman trained with Liston after the Olympics, preparing him for pro boxing. George said Sonny was the only man that had ever pushed him backwards with sheer strength alone. He also said that you were always really careful not to make Sonny mad! I think it is pretty safe to say that Sonny Liston hit harder than George Foreman.
Ali didn't let Liston hit him because he could win without leaning on the ropes, he was still in his athletic prime. Decade later he took the punches from Foreman because that was in his mind the best way to tire him out and beat him. Ali also tried leaning on the ropes against Frazier and quickly decided it wasn't a good idea -twice. No one is going to argue Frazier hit harder than Foreman. Speaking of Frazier, Foreman hit him so hard it lifted both of his feet of the canvas. Point of all of this? What you wrote and the conclusions you drew, don't make much sense. Liston is probably top5 or top6 hardest hitting heavyweight, he isn't that near to the top though. Edit: furthermore I do not find Ali saying that about Liston with a quick Google search, so if you have a proper quote please post it. What I did find was: "Of all the men I fought, Sonny Liston was the scariest, George Foreman was the most powerful, Floyd Patterson was the most skilled as a boxer, but the roughest and toughest was Joe Frazier." -ESPN "I was young and a great admirer of Liston’s talent. He could do just about everything except dance. But outside of myself, there’s never really been a dancin’ heavyweight. Liston had a tremendous jab, could punch with either hand, was smart in the ring and as strong as any heavyweight I’d ever seen." -The ring I do hope you didn't make up any quotes, because that wouldn't be cool.
They drugged foreman man. The whole thing was shady af. One can look into it themselves and maybe come to a different conclusion, but I think only if they don't want it to be true. Did you see foremans next fight lol. It was nonstop wire to wire. Way way more than with Ali.
Sonny is a top 10 of all time, no doubt about it. His hands were bigger than my head. I have no doubt that he would destroy people in the modern era as he did back in his day.
Possibly, with modern diet and training techniques..... then again by modern standards, at just 6 ft 1, he is small....... two inches shorter than Usyk, who Fury refers to as a middleweight, a rabbit ....
@@CocaineCowboyJones you do realise that A Liston was not even ranked in top 16 when the rock was champion, and B marciano went to see Liston train Liston got cute rocky said let's lace up go a few, Liston walked away, true story!!
Hall of Fame Heavyweight Champion Sonny Liston was a muscular 6′2″ powerhouse weighing 220 lbs of pure brick. He had iron in either fist and could put an opponent on the mat quickly with either. Sonny was the most ducked fighter of all time. Even Joe Frazier’s team refused to fight him. Liston in his prime was the real deal. He was a great fighter.
Much better yet, speaking of Saints, we have every reason to believe CSL will enter Paradise. I had always wanted to believe that Father Sander's saved his soul. This splendid documentary, done with compassion and respect for the subject, indicates that he did. Praise the Lord! RFGA, Ph.D.
Frazier style is a worse match for Sonny. Look what happened when he faced big George, Smoking Joe got destroyed.. and when Floyd Pattersson faced Sonny, he got Crushed too. I mean Sonny and George had very similar style
I think that like a lot of people who had suffered horrible abuse as a child Sonny had a big streak of self destructiveness to go along with his anger.
Wow I really didn't know Sonny was disliked that much. Man that is one of the sadest documentary you have done Rich. I didn't know much at all about him. You could look into his eyes and see the anger. Thank you so much Rich for the education every fight fan should know. Very good 👍👍👍 Rich
Chuck Wepner who fought both Liston and Foreman said that compared to Liston, Foreman was Mr. Friendly. He said that getting hit by George was like getting hit by an incredibly strong man, getting hit by Sonny was like getting hit by a baseball bat. Wepner left the ring of the Liston fight looking like he had just been in a horrific car accident. The fight was stopped by ring doctor after the 9th round, Wepner had 6 massive cuts to his face that required the most ever 338 stitches[1] and was pouring blood everywhere, his left eye was swollen completely shut, his cheek as well as nose were broken. 1. Chuck describes his record 338 stitches -- 'Chuck Wepner interview with Tony Polito' @14:20 ( Liston expert, Paul Gallender said, "Sonny Liston was killed by the mobsters, with a heroin overdose, because he didn’t throw the Wepner fight")
Boxrec quotes Wepner as requiring 72 stitches (still a lot). 338 is a complete exaggeration. And even if Wepner said this I still call exaggeration as I had 90 stitches in surgical and compound fracture wounds and know how much this is, how much area it covers. An enormous amount.
Liston could have been a champion in any era with the right management and trainer. He was basically owned by the mob. What a sad case. I hope he found peace.
Sports Illustrated writer Tex Maule wrote that Liston's shoulder injury was legitimate. He cited medical evidence: "A team of eight doctors inspected Liston's arm at St. Francis Hospital in Miami Beach and agreed that it was too badly damaged for Liston to continue fighting. The torn tendon had bled down into the mass of the biceps, swelling and numbing the arm." --Those findings were confirmed in a formal investigation immediately after the fight by Florida State Attorney Richard Gerstein, who also noted that there was little doubt that Liston went into the fight with a lame shoulder.
This is wonderful. I am too young to remember prime Sonny but my Grandad ( who I only found out after his death was a war hero) always said that Liston would be a nightmare for any heavy. And he never lost a prediction once - including Douglas and Holy v Tyson He could have made a fortune.
Not many people saw the Douglas upset coming, but if you look back, the signs were there. Not only had Tyson long since stopped training properly, but his home life was so out of control that the the week (two weeks?) before the Douglas fight, Tyson drove his car into a tree. And it still took a long count to beat him.
Rich ... This may be your finest video yet. Liston was no angel, but he deserved much better for being such a talented fighter and champion. On his best night, I think he was unstoppable against any heavyweight in history. Thank you for this wonderful tribute. Next to Hagler, Liston is my favorite fighter ever.
"On his best night, I think he was unstoppable against any heavyweight in history." On talent, and ability, sure, but even allowing for modern training techniques and diet, he was too small to mix it with today's heavies. Times have moved on. At 6ft 1", he's 2 inches shorter than Usyk, and many people believe Usyk doesn't stand a chance against Fury because Usyk is too small.
@@tonyb9735Size means nothing. Look at Mike Tyson or Marciano. They took down taller guys. It’s about skills and guts. Look at Ruiz against Joshua. Liston would have faired well against today’s guys especially with the hardened energy he had. Guys of today don’t possess that hardness and grit
Liston wasn't playing around in there. He was a true beat ur brains into mush and go home kind of fighter. That guy that everybody would still be afraid of today or any age. He took the toughest beatings as a child from his own father before he ever stepped in a ring.
Liston expert, Paul Gallender, has solved the five major mysteries surrounding The Bear in his 2012 biography, 'Sonny Liston - The Real Story Behind the Ali-Liston Fights'. The author's 40+ years of research provide boxing fans with definitive answers to the five most asked questions about The Bear’s life and career: 1) When was Sonny born? 2) Was he murdered? If so, who did it, how, and why? 3) Was the Liston/Clay fight on the level? 4) Why did Sonny throw the Ali fight? 5) Was Sonny Liston as bad a person as the media said he was? The short answers are: 1) 1919 or earlier. 2) Yes, by mobsters, with a heroin overdose, because he didn’t throw the Wepner fight. 3) Yes. Footage from the event shows Ali in the ring asking his entourage, 'Did I hit him?' . Ali also told Nation of Islam minister Abdul Rahman that Liston 'laid down'. 4) So his wife and son wouldn’t be killed. 5) No. Sonny was a good man. Liston, the son of a tenant farmer, served two long terms in prison, where he is said to have learned to box. Although he gave his birth year as 1932, there is evidence that he might have begun his ring career as early as 1934, at the age of 17, under the name of Charles (“Sailor”) Liston. If that is true, he was 45 years old when he won the championship. -- Encyclopedia Britannica "That he fought in 1934 is no secret - even the Encyclopedia Britannica acknowledges it." -- Paul Gallender His sister, who he was extremely close to, and who remembered his birth - he was much younger than she was - said he was born the year after the Great War (WW1). Which would have made him 44 when he fought Ali the first time. watch this vid/documentary --(According To Gallender Sonny Liston Was 44 Yrs Old When He Fought Ali) --from Retro Boxing & Documentaries
No, there was a Sailor Liston that fought out of LA. The staffers at Encyclopedia Brittanica aren't exactly boxing experts. Also, .I don't think Liston was born earlier than 1929. The stories of his wife/son being kidnapped and mobsters later killing him are fabrications.
In retrospect, Sonny was one of the great heavyweight punchers. Of that there is no doubt. I have 3 distinct memories of his career. The first was knocking Bert Whitehurst out of the ring. It was the first time I’d seen a man knocked down live. It scared the sh-t out of me. The second was the first Patterson fight. The build up to the closed circuit broadcast showed a series of Floyd lightening KOs, giving the impression that Sonny was going to be another victim. The host, a restauranteur friend of my Dad’s, had set up this really nice buffet in his home (pay television). After 2:06 seconds, the evening was over, leaving the host and the food behind. The third was how depressed I felt after the loss to Leotis Martin. Thanks for detailing this great yet incredibly flawed Heavyweight Champion. You’re the best Rich.
Sonny's story is so fascinating. Both he and Foreman lost to Ali; and Foreman's career was over for a long time after a shocking loss to Jimmy Young, and Liston's career was over after he lost to Martin. I know he beat Wepner afterwards, but even if Sonny lived, he would never be viewed as a top tier heavy again after that loss. Sonny was a true legend and lived in my hometown to Vegas. He died before I was born, I wish could have met him and talked boxing with him.
From February of 1959, to his march to the title, Sonny decimated the top ten ratings, knocking out 8 out of the top 10 contenders. Ingemar Johansson and Henry Cooper declined to fight him.
That jab was a thing of beauty. He worked it from a few different angles. Perhaps the best in heavyweight history. Actually, it was the best in heavyweight history. In 2005, I interviewed Billy Joiner, who fought Liston twice. Joiner also fought Larry Holmes. Joiner did not have a great pro career, but he went the distance with Liston. As an amateur, he lost a close decision to Ali/Clay. I asked him to compare the jabs of Holmes and Liston. There was zero hesitation. Liston. It was harder, more effective, and deceptive. He winced a bit while remembering it.
No doubt. Larry Holmes had a good, stiff jab that could keep people away from him, but that was part of the reason he was a lackluster champion. You can see Sonny Liston jab actually hurt people.
Liston was really ahead of his time, one of the first heavyweight punchers that came before the likes of Foreman, Frazier, Shavers, Lyle, Etc. Ali was simply too much for him, but then again it was a prime Ali after all and that guy was the fastest heavyweight. Sad that his life ended in a fishy way. RIP Liston
That's what I've been saying! Ali picking a fight with Liston at that time was no different to how Holmes picked a fight with an aging and weakened Ali.@@grantredman2496
I adore Cleveland Williams, Sonny Liston said about him that this man has strays in the eyelids of his eyes as well When he was shot and lost weight, he regained weight and gained muscle Muhammad said about him that you should return to fighting after retirement, this is something possible But to come back after a gunshot wound is impossible I adore the big cat, Cleveland Williams I hope Rich does a whole hearty episode about Him
There’s been a lot of speculation that Sonny was murdered . Given the company he kept that would not be a shock. My question is why a man who had never learned to read or write , is found dead with a newspaper on his lap?
Hello again Rich, good to see ya back mate, we’ve all been missing you. Well I can speak for myself personally. I’m 10 minutes and 56 seconds into this episode which I’m watching on my TV 📺. But I just had to comment on your content. I reckon it’s gonna be sound again. Much appreciation from Liverpool. England. YNWA Rich. 🥊⚽️🥊 Cheers Friend. And massive thanks again. 🙏👍
I haven't watched this yet but the fact that it's an hour long assures me that you did a great job covering Sonny Liston, Rich! Sonny is in my top 5 heavyweights of all time. If he didn't have such a shadowy background, he could have been the GOAT or it would have been between him and Ali.
Williams when he is throwing that sweeping left hook/uppercut reminds me a lot of 90s Heavyweight contender Razor Ruddock , who would be a good subject for a documentary himself.
Liston has been inducted in the Hall of Fame. He was the fourth ever member to be inducted in 1994 with the first three inductees being Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis, and Sugar Ray Robinson.
No doubt in my mind that Liston threw both of those fights with Clay, especially the second one. I was surprised to see how huge Cleveland Williams was! Liston was an enigma, no one will ever know the real Sonny Liston or how he met death. He was Tyson before Tyson. Really enjoyed this one Rich. Thanks for another great documentary,
finally man, i don't know if you remember but some time ago i asked if you would a video on him and you said "i don't think i could add anything" man im that you changed your mind
I’m late, only 5 minutes into watching, but this looks well made already, your the top man Rich. 👍💯 I’m learning new things from this one for sure, thank you. 💯🙏🐐
@@RichtheFightHistorian Aye no worries man, I do watch a couple of other boxing bits here and there, but I learn and enjoy the doc’s that you produce the most, no two ways about that. Anyway what I have to do is I get my notifications on here, but if it’s an upload to watch I then zip onto my Adblocker to watch it there, but can’t get into my notifications on there, so I have to use this one for notifications, comments and replies. But the other browser with the adblocker is a free one, so zero ads to break up long documentaries and stuff I watch, and I use an old IPhone, so I still don’t know how I managed to get a free Adblock ! As they all ask for monthly payments, but i snared one somehow. Ha. 👍
Another great one rich, the. Best liston biography yet great footage. Great narration I think liston does not get the credit for being as great as he was.
@@jessearias2863 I did...I thought it was a missed opportunity. Looks like it had a delayed release and then was sent straight to streaming without any fanfare. A shame because there is a great movie to be made with his story.
@@triplejunction7073 Look at Liston fight with Williams earlier in the clip, he are murderous punches and combinations. He was able to get the knockout against this man twice. Williams was in actual prime. Ali on the other hand fought version of Williams that made him look awesome. A man who recovered from .357 magnum shooting at point blank range and manages to recover and earn a title shot against big mouth on Nov. 14 1966. I’m sorry Ali was a no one compared to these giants and if Ali had managed to loose to the version of Williams I mentioned earlier, the fix was real. They didn’t want Williams to win at any cost, that’s why they garnished his winnings before the fight to destroy any confidence in the man. Please tell me about Ali now and why is it the demolition job Holmes put on the paper champion always vilified, but version of Williams that Ali beat was always shown to the world as Ali at his greatest.
@@triplejunction7073 I’m pointing out facts and your denying facts because of your blind love for this imposter. So Ali greatest performance is against a man who was 1/2 his best. But Holmes is vilified for his victory because Ali was on diuretics
@@clevelandwilliams5922 Nobody vilified Holmes after he beat Ali . The Ex Champ was obviously shot. he shouldn’t have been in the ring .At the time people were angry at Don King for making the mismatch . Holmes just did his job ..Ali’s most impressive performance was against George Foreman not Dead Man Walking Cleveland Williams . I’m sure you have a conspiracy to explain away the Foreman fight as well
Sonny Liston PRO record: 50-4-0, KO's 39 / World title record: 2-2-0, KO's 2. # Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World: 1962-1964. # Most recognized career victories: 2x Floyd Patterson, 2x Cleveland Williams, Eddie Machen, Zora Folley, Niño Valdés, Chuck Wepner, Roy Harris # Career defeats: 2x Mohammad Ali, Leotis Martin & Marty Marshall (Avenged twice the freak loss).
Lets go team Rich! Thank you Sir, appreciate all the work that goes into these classics. Liston was a force of nature, a real badasss who is mostly known for losing to Ali.And kind of forced into the life by circumstance and an abusive father. Here to learn more . I’ve heard The Devil andSonny Liston is a great bio
From the book 'The Real Story Behind the Ali-Liston Fights' -- "'During the first Liston-Ali fight at the Convention Hall in Miami Beach on February 25, 1964, Sonny had a bad left shoulder. He had gone to see Joe Louis' doctor who treated him for bursitis, but there wasn't enough time for the treatment to work. Sonny was around 45 years old at the time which was a well kept secret. His oldest sister wrote he was born 1919 a year after the Great War. He asked the Florida Boxing Commission for a postponement of the fight. He was turned down and fought the six rounds with the damaged left shoulder, which he completely tore up during the fight."' "'In the second fight at St. Dominic’s Hall in Lewiston, Maine, on May 25, 1965 a really bizarre situation developed. According to Gallender, Malcolm X's people had a hit out on Ali (Ali sided with the rival Elijah Muhammad). Elijah's Black Muslims kidnapped Liston's wife and son. Sonny was told to lose the fight to Ali or he would never see his family again! The fight lasted one round with Liston going down from the famous 'Phantom Punch'."' Argh. This incompetent SOB of a referee. *Ali never went to a neutral corner, only then can the count begin.* Worst decision of all time. Obviously Liston's age (20yrs older than Ali) wasn't enough to secure Ali a win. Liston's kids had to be kidnapped by Ali's friends (Nation of Islam). ( Ali undoubtedly won both fights. *It's just nice to understand why and how they were predetermined illegitimate wins* )
25:00 only with those who had preconceived notions about him. Kids love him and he was great with them. I just can’t believe that he was the man the media portrayed when I see the pictures with kids and hear the stories from those who actually knew him personally.
Great Job Rich. I had not seen any more than the knockout punches to the Martin fight before. Liston is right up there amongst the most misterious of fighters. Thanks for posting. Andy Birmingham UK
The late Detroit boxing manager Billy Gutz told me that he found Liston standing alone on the sidewalk after Sonny's defeat by Marty Marshall and took him to a doctor who regularly treated Joe Louis, to attend to his broken jaw. I always questioned whether Gutz's story was accurate, but Liston confirms in Rich's video that his trainers never showed up for the fight!
Really one of the best documentaries about Sonny Liston I’ve seen. Thanks very much for the high quality research and footage. Great to see one of the lesser known champs get some well deserved recognition and attention!
thanks Rich another gem, I always thought there was a propaganda job done on Sonny, an easy target. Sonny, one of the greats. RIP Sonny Liston. About to watch the Blade doc. Big Rich fan
Foreman hit at least as hard as Liston. Ali was a very different fighter in 1964 when he fought Liston than he was in 1974 when he fought Foreman. So he used very different tactics in those fights. Against Liston, Ali could dance around the ring for the entire fight but he couldn’t dance like that by 1974, so he used a rope-a-dope strategy and his quicker reflexes to win.
The story of Liston showed one of the major contradictions of how the fight game changed between the 1950s and the late 60s- early 70s. Fighters weren't expected to be 'personable' much in the old days; their interactions with media were heavily stage-managed by their handlers and promoters. Liston, being who he was, coming from where he came from, was never gonna fit the "personality era" that came with the 1960s; and that caused him a lot of trouble outside, and then inside the sport. The reasons he didn't were many and complex, and too much to go into here; but it would've taken an impossibly extraordinary personality to overcome them. Nothing in Liston's life could've given him that, and no one was around to create even a plausible facade of such for him, as would've been possible in 1948 or so. Sorry for writing so long, but i don't think this aspect has been discussed enough.
When we think of Fury, Joshua and Usyk in comparison to the late, great,Charles "Sonny" Liston, we realise the depths of mediocrity the Heavyweight division has reached. Thanks Rich for a superb documentary on Liston, who as his headstone reads was " A Man".
LIKE MOST MOTHERS , THEY WAY SHE EMBRACED HIS PICTURE AND STARED TENDERLY AT HIS PICTURE WAS SOMETHING THAT REALLY MOVED ME. MOM WILL WILL SEE THE BEST IN A SON IN PARTICULAR , I BET SOONY WAS FAR FROM THE BEAST THAT THE PRESS AND POLICE PAINTED HIM OUT TO BE.
Another masterpiece Rich 👊🏻. The intro goes hard asf 😅. Sonny was a killer in the ring, no respect for anyone in there. He just went about his buisness, like a ruthless hitman.
Great footage of a bygone era and as always well researched. Thank you for making a documentary that didn't take sides on all the controversies of Sonny Liston but laid out the facts and let the viewer decide for themselves.
All props to the Bear, but even if young, and no shoulder issues, he wasn’t beating Ali. Too quick and Liston could only land one or two out of ten thrown. Ali could take that all night and dance around cutting him up. Don’t think many, if any, could do much w/ Ali in those days.
The original baddest man on the planet
after him, Foreman, then Tyson.
Yeah...Literally!!😂😂😂
Dempsey then Louis came long before him
George said in an interview with Ring Magazine: “Sparring with Liston is the most dangerous thing that I ever did in my entire life. No matter what I tried against him, it was me who had to revert back to boxing. Nobody made me box like Sonny Liston did and that happened every time we worked together. He taught me many things, including the importance of the jab.”
A good example of Sonny's sheer strength was an exercise he devised in training camp of loading an industrial sized wheelbarrow full of rocks, and wheeling it up and down a hill. Foreman, 19, and training with "the old man," could only carry one wheelbarrow for every 3 for Sonny: “His strength," said Foreman, "you just can't believe how strong he was!"
Foreman sparred with the likes of Cleveland “The Big Cat” Williams, said he was one of the hardest punchers he faced in the ring.
Oldschool_Saint
A very interesting tale and I dont doubt that Liston was as strong as a bull, he certainly looked it.
However II cannot but think of the contrast with Listons nemisis. For all Listons raw strenth he was unable to trouble Ali in any way and by contrast Ali was much less strong and altogether lighter on his feet
@@andypicken7848 Absolutely. It was incredible how fast Ali was moving away from Sonny, he was terrified. I would have been. Regardless of age difference and/or shoulder injury etcetera, i really don't think there is anything Liston could have done to catch Ali. Nobody could fight Liston toe to toe. Cleveland and Floyd plodded towards Sonny, what happened? Ali did the opposite, "Run Forrest Run"!
@@Bobby_D_123 💯👍💯
When I watch Sonny's earlier fights it appears he was a *little* bit faster and a *little* bit more brutal than when he faced Ali. Ali still may have won but I do wonder how he would have done against the Liston that pounded Harris inside a round.@@Bobby_D_123
Liston's reach was out of this world. The unbelievable thing about it was that he had power on the outside and the inside. Usually, having a long reach gives the fighter power on the outside. But Liston was able to apply leverage on the inside too.I haven't finished the video, but I already know it's going to be great because Rich only does great documentaries.
Thanks, Pizzulo. Yeah, Liston had an innate ability to go over and under with this shots.
True that! George Foreman and Riddick Bowe also had excellent power on both the inside and outside.
The unexpected interviews, copious amounts of fight footage and your commentary make these documentaries captivating content.
Another home run.
Thank you
My pleasure, koad777, thanks for watching.
Yeah! Can't remember to have ever seen some of these pictures!
Boxing Historian Monte Cox wrote: “Liston was made to be a fighter. His physical attributes bordered on the freakish. At six-foot, one-inch, he had an eighty-four inch reach-longer than that of all other champions with the exception of Primo Carnera. His neck was a massive eighteen inches. But the number that leaps off the page-the statistic that looks initially lik' a typo-is that which corresponds to his hands. When closed into a fist, they measured fifteen inches around, virtually twice the size of an average man’s. To contemplate the impact of a fist that large, delivered over a distance that great, from a man so determined to do damage, would give even the bravest opponent pause."
Okay Black David Frost.
Liston had em shook! 😤
I can’t imagine how much more dominant Liston would have been if he started training to be a boxer at a kid’s age, like most future all-time great champions in the sport.
Sonny Liston continues to be one of the most fascinating, mysterious, troubled and ultimately tragic figures in the history of boxing. No one really knows when he was born and no one really knows how he died. But in between, what we do know, is that he became a champion inside that ring.
Sonny Liston…“A man”
Ali fought both Foreman and Liston, and he said that when it came to George he just had to take the hits and wear big George down, in the case of Liston, he simply did not want to get hit at all. So for Ali it was certainly Sonny that hit harder. Foreman trained with Liston after the Olympics, preparing him for pro boxing. George said Sonny was the only man that had ever pushed him backwards with sheer strength alone. He also said that you were always really careful not to make Sonny mad! I think it is pretty safe to say that Sonny Liston hit harder than George Foreman.
Clay had Litson dopped.
Ali didn't let Liston hit him because he could win without leaning on the ropes, he was still in his athletic prime. Decade later he took the punches from Foreman because that was in his mind the best way to tire him out and beat him.
Ali also tried leaning on the ropes against Frazier and quickly decided it wasn't a good idea -twice. No one is going to argue Frazier hit harder than Foreman.
Speaking of Frazier, Foreman hit him so hard it lifted both of his feet of the canvas.
Point of all of this? What you wrote and the conclusions you drew, don't make much sense.
Liston is probably top5 or top6 hardest hitting heavyweight, he isn't that near to the top though.
Edit: furthermore I do not find Ali saying that about Liston with a quick Google search, so if you have a proper quote please post it.
What I did find was:
"Of all the men I fought, Sonny Liston was the scariest, George Foreman was the most powerful, Floyd Patterson was the most skilled as a boxer, but the roughest and toughest was Joe Frazier."
-ESPN
"I was young and a great admirer of Liston’s talent. He could do just about everything except dance. But outside of myself, there’s never really been a dancin’ heavyweight. Liston had a tremendous jab, could punch with either hand, was smart in the ring and as strong as any heavyweight I’d ever seen."
-The ring
I do hope you didn't make up any quotes, because that wouldn't be cool.
Foreman hit harder. The Ali Foreman fight was fixed. Foreman was drugged. Liston threw the second fight for sure. Ali was NOT The Greatest. Nope.
They drugged foreman man. The whole thing was shady af. One can look into it themselves and maybe come to a different conclusion, but I think only if they don't want it to be true. Did you see foremans next fight lol. It was nonstop wire to wire. Way way more than with Ali.
@@Governing368 Exactly! 💯 Foreman's fight with Lyle is the greatest boxing brawl of all-time.
Probably the best, most informative documentary I've ever seen on Sonny. Well done.
Thanks so much, Qwertz.
Thanks, this docu gives Liston a human face.
Best Sonny Liston documentary I've ever seen. Thank you Rich
Thank you so much, nyquil762
Sonny is a top 10 of all time, no doubt about it. His hands were bigger than my head. I have no doubt that he would destroy people in the modern era as he did back in his day.
Possibly, with modern diet and training techniques..... then again by modern standards, at just 6 ft 1, he is small....... two inches shorter than Usyk, who Fury refers to as a middleweight, a rabbit ....
@@tonyb9735He has a longer reach than wilder.
A fight between Marciano and Liston would've been an epic!
It very nearly happened but in a gym when the rock went to see Liston train,
Rocky Would be wreck, like when George Foreman crushed Joe Frazier
@@CocaineCowboyJones you do realise that A Liston was not even ranked in top 16 when the rock was champion, and B marciano went to see Liston train Liston got cute rocky said let's lace up go a few, Liston walked away, true story!!
Agreed
Heard this before as well mate, besides Liston even said Rocky was a great champion. @rockyfish3115
Hall of Fame Heavyweight Champion Sonny Liston was a muscular 6′2″ powerhouse weighing 220 lbs of pure brick. He had iron in either fist and could put an opponent on the mat quickly with either. Sonny was the most ducked fighter of all time. Even Joe Frazier’s team refused to fight him. Liston in his prime was the real deal. He was a great fighter.
Much better yet, speaking of Saints, we have every reason to believe CSL will enter Paradise. I had always wanted to believe that Father Sander's saved his soul. This splendid documentary, done with compassion and respect for the subject, indicates that he did. Praise the Lord! RFGA, Ph.D.
@@MyRobertallen66fftttt🎉😊eeb
Frazier style is a worse match for Sonny. Look what happened when he faced big George, Smoking Joe got destroyed.. and when Floyd Pattersson faced Sonny, he got Crushed too. I mean Sonny and George had very similar style
I think that like a lot of people who had suffered horrible abuse as a child Sonny had a big streak of self destructiveness to go along with his anger.
Wow I really didn't know Sonny was disliked that much. Man that is one of the sadest documentary you have done Rich. I didn't know much at all about him. You could look into his eyes and see the anger. Thank you so much Rich for the education every fight fan should know. Very good 👍👍👍 Rich
Thanks, Ron. Yes, he seemed to be hated by everyone. Even the inmates at his former prison turned on him after the Ali losses.
Rich, this is the best coverage of a complicated man that I have ever seen. Thanks!
Hey I really appreciate that, Jim, thank you.
Rich is the best
Chuck Wepner who fought both Liston and Foreman said that compared to Liston, Foreman was Mr. Friendly. He said that getting hit by George was like getting hit by an incredibly strong man, getting hit by Sonny was like getting hit by a baseball bat. Wepner left the ring of the Liston fight looking like he had just been in a horrific car accident. The fight was stopped by ring doctor after the 9th round, Wepner had 6 massive cuts to his face that required the most ever 338 stitches[1] and was pouring blood everywhere, his left eye was swollen completely shut, his cheek as well as nose were broken.
1. Chuck describes his record 338 stitches -- 'Chuck Wepner interview with Tony Polito' @14:20
( Liston expert, Paul Gallender said, "Sonny Liston was killed by the mobsters, with a heroin overdose, because he didn’t throw the Wepner fight")
Gallender is no Liston expert, he’s a complete joke
"Liston expert"
Boxrec quotes Wepner as requiring 72 stitches (still a lot). 338 is a complete exaggeration. And even if Wepner said this I still call exaggeration as I had 90 stitches in surgical and compound fracture wounds and know how much this is, how much area it covers. An enormous amount.
@@marknorris1381
I read it was 692 stitches.
@@TheBatugan77 do you believe everything you read?
Liston could have been a champion in any era with the right management and trainer. He was basically owned by the mob. What a sad case. I hope he found peace.
Sports Illustrated writer Tex Maule wrote that Liston's shoulder injury was legitimate. He cited medical evidence: "A team of eight doctors inspected Liston's arm at St. Francis Hospital in Miami Beach and agreed that it was too badly damaged for Liston to continue fighting. The torn tendon had bled down into the mass of the biceps, swelling and numbing the arm." --Those findings were confirmed in a formal investigation immediately after the fight by Florida State Attorney Richard Gerstein, who also noted that there was little doubt that Liston went into the fight with a lame shoulder.
He told willie. I çan!t lift my arm
I
Wouldn’t have mattered tho he was getting a boxing lesson until then
Look at this garbage. So many other people have better things to say than Black David Frost and his 30+ accounts that upvote his own comment.
This is wonderful.
I am too young to remember prime Sonny but my Grandad ( who I only found out after his death was a war hero) always said that Liston would be a nightmare for any heavy.
And he never lost a prediction once - including Douglas and Holy v Tyson
He could have made a fortune.
Not many people saw the Douglas upset coming, but if you look back, the signs were there. Not only had Tyson long since stopped training properly, but his home life was so out of control that the the week (two weeks?) before the Douglas fight, Tyson drove his car into a tree. And it still took a long count to beat him.
Rich ... This may be your finest video yet. Liston was no angel, but he deserved much better for being such a talented fighter and champion. On his best night, I think he was unstoppable against any heavyweight in history. Thank you for this wonderful tribute. Next to Hagler, Liston is my favorite fighter ever.
Thank you very much, Mindy Adam.
"On his best night, I think he was unstoppable against any heavyweight in history."
On talent, and ability, sure, but even allowing for modern training techniques and diet, he was too small to mix it with today's heavies. Times have moved on.
At 6ft 1", he's 2 inches shorter than Usyk, and many people believe Usyk doesn't stand a chance against Fury because Usyk is too small.
@@tonyb9735Size means nothing. Look at Mike Tyson or Marciano. They took down taller guys. It’s about skills and guts. Look at Ruiz against Joshua. Liston would have faired well against today’s guys especially with the hardened energy he had. Guys of today don’t possess that hardness and grit
CHARLES SONNY LISTON , One of The GREATEST BOXING CHAMPIONS of all times !
Liston wasn't playing around in there. He was a true beat ur brains into mush and go home kind of fighter. That guy that everybody would still be afraid of today or any age. He took the toughest beatings as a child from his own father before he ever stepped in a ring.
Liston expert, Paul Gallender, has solved the five major mysteries surrounding The Bear in his 2012 biography, 'Sonny Liston - The Real Story Behind the Ali-Liston Fights'. The author's 40+ years of research provide boxing fans with definitive answers to the five most asked questions about The Bear’s life and career:
1) When was Sonny born?
2) Was he murdered? If so, who did it, how, and why?
3) Was the Liston/Clay fight on the level?
4) Why did Sonny throw the Ali fight?
5) Was Sonny Liston as bad a person as the media said he was?
The short answers are:
1) 1919 or earlier.
2) Yes, by mobsters, with a heroin overdose, because he didn’t throw the Wepner fight.
3) Yes. Footage from the event shows Ali in the ring asking his entourage, 'Did I hit him?' . Ali also told Nation of Islam minister Abdul Rahman that Liston 'laid down'.
4) So his wife and son wouldn’t be killed.
5) No. Sonny was a good man.
Liston, the son of a tenant farmer, served two long terms in prison, where he is said to have learned to box. Although he gave his birth year as 1932, there is evidence that he might have begun his ring career as early as 1934, at the age of 17, under the name of Charles (“Sailor”) Liston. If that is true, he was 45 years old when he won the championship. -- Encyclopedia Britannica
"That he fought in 1934 is no secret - even the Encyclopedia Britannica acknowledges it." -- Paul Gallender
His sister, who he was extremely close to, and who remembered his birth - he was much younger than she was - said he was born the year after the Great War (WW1). Which would have made him 44 when he fought Ali the first time.
watch this vid/documentary --(According To Gallender Sonny Liston Was 44 Yrs Old When He Fought Ali) --from Retro Boxing & Documentaries
No, there was a Sailor Liston that fought out of LA. The staffers at Encyclopedia Brittanica aren't exactly boxing experts. Also, .I don't think Liston was born earlier than 1929. The stories of his wife/son being kidnapped and mobsters later killing him are fabrications.
Paul Gallender is a complete hack
I've have watched boxing matches for 64 years. I was a pure pleasure to hear Don Dunphy announcing a fight again. Thanks Rich
Sure thing, Gary.
In retrospect, Sonny was one of the great heavyweight punchers. Of that there is no doubt. I have 3 distinct memories of his career. The first was knocking Bert Whitehurst out of the ring. It was the first time I’d seen a man knocked down live. It scared the sh-t out of me. The second was the first Patterson fight. The build up to the closed circuit broadcast showed a series of Floyd lightening KOs, giving the impression that Sonny was going to be another victim. The host, a restauranteur friend of my Dad’s, had set up this really nice buffet in his home (pay television). After 2:06 seconds, the evening was over, leaving the host and the food behind. The third was how depressed I felt after the loss to Leotis Martin. Thanks for detailing this great yet incredibly flawed Heavyweight Champion. You’re the best Rich.
Always a pleasure, uncjim. Thanks for sharing those recollections.
Sonny's story is so fascinating. Both he and Foreman lost to Ali; and Foreman's career was over for a long time after a shocking loss to Jimmy Young, and Liston's career was over after he lost to Martin. I know he beat Wepner afterwards, but even if Sonny lived, he would never be viewed as a top tier heavy again after that loss. Sonny was a true legend and lived in my hometown to Vegas. He died before I was born, I wish could have met him and talked boxing with him.
From February of 1959, to his march to the title, Sonny decimated the top ten ratings, knocking out 8 out of the top 10 contenders. Ingemar Johansson and Henry Cooper declined to fight him.
Why do you think Marciano was 49-0. NOT FIGHTING SONNY LISTON
@@daviddorsey8754 Such a shame, I would have loved Rocky to finish 50-O
@@1AirStreamDriver1Sonny was a horrific matchup for rocky
Sonny would have killed rocky
@@brucemedley635 When your right, Your right.
That jab was a thing of beauty. He worked it from a few different angles. Perhaps the best in heavyweight history. Actually, it was the best in heavyweight history.
In 2005, I interviewed Billy Joiner, who fought Liston twice. Joiner also fought Larry Holmes. Joiner did not have a great pro career, but he went the distance with Liston. As an amateur, he lost a close decision to Ali/Clay.
I asked him to compare the jabs of Holmes and Liston. There was zero hesitation. Liston. It was harder, more effective, and deceptive. He winced a bit while remembering it.
No doubt. Larry Holmes had a good, stiff jab that could keep people away from him, but that was part of the reason he was a lackluster champion.
You can see Sonny Liston jab actually hurt people.
I recall someone saying that Liston "had a jab that would make you question your life choices". And that's what you get hit with, the whole fight.
Sonny is my favorite fighter of all time. RIP Champ
The camera shot during the interview at the 10:18 mark captures the size of Sonny's right hand...Just incredible.
Liston was really ahead of his time, one of the first heavyweight punchers that came before the likes of Foreman, Frazier, Shavers, Lyle, Etc. Ali was simply too much for him, but then again it was a prime Ali after all and that guy was the fastest heavyweight. Sad that his life ended in a fishy way. RIP Liston
Yeah man ❤❤❤❤❤
Man i love Ali, however, he beat a old man, by the time he fought Ali the man was in his mid 40’s. A lot of people think that Ali fought prime.
That's what I've been saying! Ali picking a fight with Liston at that time was no different to how Holmes picked a fight with an aging and weakened Ali.@@grantredman2496
@@grantredman2496 true, it was impressive how far Liston got at how old he truly was
@@reubenrodriguez5581Man, imagine fighting him in his 20s.
One of my favorite fighters of all time.
To all the true boxing fans are we not going to notice how Cleveland Williams could bang as hard as Sonny?
I adore Cleveland Williams, Sonny Liston said about him that this man has strays in the eyelids of his eyes as well When he was shot and lost weight, he regained weight and gained muscle Muhammad said about him that you should return to fighting after retirement, this is something possible But to come back after a gunshot wound is impossible I adore the big cat, Cleveland Williams I hope Rich does a whole hearty episode about Him
poor sonny..., he'd be touched to see how many people thought about him after he passed and felt for him.
There’s been a lot of speculation that Sonny was murdered . Given the company he kept that would not be a shock. My question is why a man who had never learned to read or write , is found dead with a newspaper on his lap?
Very good point.. the killer wanted to prove when The Bear was murdered ..
No,more like the killer messed up and left a clue
Maybe he was looking at the pictures.
Hello again Rich, good to see ya back mate, we’ve all been missing you. Well I can speak for myself personally. I’m 10 minutes and 56 seconds into this episode which I’m watching on my TV 📺. But I just had to comment on your content. I reckon it’s gonna be sound again. Much appreciation from Liverpool. England. YNWA Rich. 🥊⚽️🥊 Cheers Friend. And massive thanks again. 🙏👍
That Rich is the best
Good to be back, Stuart! Thank you.
@@RonColeman-zy5cd You know. Nice One Ron 🥊🙏👍
@@RichtheFightHistorian Nah. Thank You Mate. Take Care and keep up the great content. U R BOSS….,,!
I haven't watched this yet but the fact that it's an hour long assures me that you did a great job covering Sonny Liston, Rich! Sonny is in my top 5 heavyweights of all time. If he didn't have such a shadowy background, he could have been the GOAT or it would have been between him and Ali.
Thanks, Max. Hope you enjoy the video.
Great watch, Rich, one of the most complex guy's to be champ !
Thank you, Andrew. Liston was complex, indeed.
Thank you Mr. Rich for showing his full match with Williams. Excellent video and content as always.
Thank you, holy braille.
Williams when he is throwing that sweeping left hook/uppercut reminds me a lot of 90s Heavyweight contender Razor Ruddock , who would be a good subject for a documentary himself.
56:02
"He is knocked out, this fight will be over.. and with it Charles Sonny Liston's career!!"
Legendary call by Howard Cosell.
Sonny should be in the boxing hall of fame
Liston has been inducted in the Hall of Fame. He was the fourth ever member to be inducted in 1994 with the first three inductees being Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis, and Sugar Ray Robinson.
Great job, love how you demonstrate how polarizing some of these great fighters were.
Thanks, Mario. Yes, the hate for Liston was real.
No doubt in my mind that Liston threw both of those fights with Clay, especially the second one. I was surprised to see how huge Cleveland Williams was! Liston was an enigma, no one will ever know the real Sonny Liston or how he met death. He was Tyson before Tyson. Really enjoyed this one Rich. Thanks for another great documentary,
Sure thing, RE. I agree on Williams....a huge muscular dude, particularly for that era.
As Mike Tyson said he made him look like a boyscout
This is great never heard sonny speaking so much
finally man, i don't know if you remember but some time ago i asked if you would a video on him and you said "i don't think i could add anything" man im that you changed your mind
Yeah, I think that was a while back, Juan. A belated thanks for the suggestion.
@@RichtheFightHistorian also this is probably my favorite video of yours along the aaron pryor one
@@juanig4198 Thank you. Yeah, I put in a lot of hours on both of those, two very complex men.
Brilliant video of a true great 🥊🙌. RIP mr liston
I’m late, only 5 minutes into watching, but this looks well made already, your the top man Rich. 👍💯
I’m learning new things from this one for sure, thank you. 💯🙏🐐
Thanks for the watch, Technomick.
@@RichtheFightHistorian
Aye no worries man, I do watch a couple of other boxing bits here and there, but I learn and enjoy the doc’s that you produce the most, no two ways about that.
Anyway what I have to do is I get my notifications on here, but if it’s an upload to watch I then zip onto my Adblocker to watch it there, but can’t get into my notifications on there, so I have to use this one for notifications, comments and replies.
But the other browser with the adblocker is a free one, so zero ads to break up long documentaries and stuff I watch, and I use an old IPhone, so I still don’t know how I managed to get a free Adblock ! As they all ask for monthly payments, but i snared one somehow. Ha. 👍
This was incredible!! I’d never seen that post fight footage of Liston after the second Ali fight.
Tremendous work on this documentary!!
Thank you, James.
Rich, thank you ! This BY FAR the best docu on Sonny
Thanks so much, Grahamdoe
Another great one rich, the. Best liston biography yet great footage. Great narration I think liston does not get the credit for being as great as he was.
Thank you, Jesse. Yeah, the Ali losses really put a taint on his legacy but he was certainly great.
@@RichtheFightHistorian hey rich again I ask sam peter and Michael Nunn next time.
@@RichtheFightHistorian hey rich side bar on liston did you see Robert Townsend's film phantom punch staring Ving rayms
@@jessearias2863 I did...I thought it was a missed opportunity. Looks like it had a delayed release and then was sent straight to streaming without any fanfare. A shame because there is a great movie to be made with his story.
@@jessearias2863 I'll do Nunn within the next 3 months or so. Peter is a no go for now. He only retired in 2019 so no real nostalgia for him.
Excellent work Rich
Thank you, Jack
Amazing Job Rich! Please keep making these - you'll eventually blow up because your research and content are at the top of the game.
Thanks so much, Stephen.
Looking forward to this.
Its long overdue a long and indepth doc of Sonny here on yt. Thanks and I'll be sure to watch this as soon as I can
outstanding once more Rich ,love the effort put in to create the best boxing docos around.
Thank you, Meg
Ali was confident because he knew their was a fix in play. No one accepted Liston and therefore gave away the title.
At first a lot of people hated Ali way more than Liston ,
@@triplejunction7073 Look at Liston fight with Williams earlier in the clip, he are murderous punches and combinations. He was able to get the knockout against this man twice. Williams was in actual prime.
Ali on the other hand fought version of Williams that made him look awesome. A man who recovered from .357 magnum shooting at point blank range and manages to recover and earn a title shot against big mouth on Nov. 14 1966.
I’m sorry Ali was a no one compared to these giants and if Ali had managed to loose to the version of Williams I mentioned earlier, the fix was real. They didn’t want Williams to win at any cost, that’s why they garnished his winnings before the fight to destroy any confidence in the man.
Please tell me about Ali now and why is it the demolition job Holmes put on the paper champion always vilified, but version of Williams that Ali beat was always shown to the world as Ali at his greatest.
@@clevelandwilliams5922 I think your disdain for Muhammad Ali has nothing to do with boxing..
@@triplejunction7073 I’m pointing out facts and your denying facts because of your blind love for this imposter. So Ali greatest performance is against a man who was 1/2 his best. But Holmes is vilified for his victory because Ali was on diuretics
@@clevelandwilliams5922 Nobody vilified Holmes after he beat Ali . The Ex Champ was obviously shot. he shouldn’t have been in the ring .At the time people were angry at Don King for making the mismatch . Holmes just did his job ..Ali’s most impressive performance was against George Foreman not Dead Man Walking Cleveland Williams . I’m sure you have a conspiracy to explain away the Foreman fight as well
Sonny Liston
PRO record: 50-4-0, KO's 39 / World title record: 2-2-0, KO's 2.
# Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World: 1962-1964.
# Most recognized career victories: 2x Floyd Patterson, 2x Cleveland Williams, Eddie Machen, Zora Folley, Niño Valdés, Chuck Wepner, Roy Harris
# Career defeats: 2x Mohammad Ali, Leotis Martin & Marty Marshall (Avenged twice the freak loss).
Lets go team Rich! Thank you Sir, appreciate all the work that goes into these classics. Liston was a force of nature, a real badasss who is mostly known for losing to Ali.And kind of forced into the life by circumstance and an abusive father. Here to learn more . I’ve heard The Devil andSonny Liston is a great bio
Hey thanks, Gerald. Liston was definitely a force of nature as you said.
Awesome. Im really interested in Rich's telling of this story. Its such a good one and i know youll seriously do it justice. Thanks, man.
Sure thing, Ryan, hope you enjoy.
God Bless Alois Stevens and all the positive influences in Sonny's troubled life!
My favorite Heavyweight boxer of ALL TIME. Charles 'Sonny' Liston 🙏🥊
If Rocky Marciano would've boxed into 1957 and fought Sonny(even in a non title bout), Sonny would've won.🥊🥊
I agree. Marciano had no choice but to retire in '56 with Liston on the horizon.
Folks, Sonny started professional boxing in 1953. No way he woulda meet Marciano in 1956.
No chance
Behave
@@gianca60Marciano could've fought on until 1960 if he wanted to but he was scared of a loss simply put
Too much craziness on ali fights. Long delays..death threats..etc.
This is a great documentary.
RIP champ. 🥊
Thank you, Phil
@@RichtheFightHistorian
You are very welcome Rich. 👍😊
From the book 'The Real Story Behind the Ali-Liston Fights' -- "'During the first Liston-Ali fight at the Convention Hall in Miami Beach on February 25, 1964, Sonny had a bad left shoulder. He had gone to see Joe Louis' doctor who treated him for bursitis, but there wasn't enough time for the treatment to work. Sonny was around 45 years old at the time which was a well kept secret. His oldest sister wrote he was born 1919 a year after the Great War. He asked the Florida Boxing Commission for a postponement of the fight. He was turned down and fought the six rounds with the damaged left shoulder, which he completely tore up during the fight."'
"'In the second fight at St. Dominic’s Hall in Lewiston, Maine, on May 25, 1965 a really bizarre situation developed. According to Gallender, Malcolm X's people had a hit out on Ali (Ali sided with the rival Elijah Muhammad). Elijah's Black Muslims kidnapped Liston's wife and son. Sonny was told to lose the fight to Ali or he would never see his family again! The fight lasted one round with Liston going down from the famous 'Phantom Punch'."'
Argh. This incompetent SOB of a referee. *Ali never went to a neutral corner, only then can the count begin.* Worst decision of all time. Obviously Liston's age (20yrs older than Ali) wasn't enough to secure Ali a win. Liston's kids had to be kidnapped by Ali's friends (Nation of Islam).
( Ali undoubtedly won both fights. *It's just nice to understand why and how they were predetermined illegitimate wins* )
Malcolm X was already dead by the time of the second Ali vs Liston fight occurs..
@@triplejunction7073true but it was malcom x or his people it was the FOI
Liston was not born in 1919 that's 10 years at least before he was born try 1929 or 1930 and you won't sound retarded
GOAT. That’s all there is to it. Make way for the Midnight Train.
25:00 only with those who had preconceived notions about him. Kids love him and he was great with them. I just can’t believe that he was the man the media portrayed when I see the pictures with kids and hear the stories from those who actually knew him personally.
Great Job Rich.
I had not seen any more than the knockout punches to the Martin fight before.
Liston is right up there amongst the most misterious of fighters.
Thanks for posting.
Andy Birmingham UK
My pleasure, Andy. Yeah, Liston was having his way with Martin until the last two rounds or so.
Never realized how big Williams was
This was the man they all feared forman took his approach he wanted to be like liston rich great as always
Thank you, petie rican.
@@RichtheFightHistorian always rich💯🥊💯
Sonny was my idol the real deal
The late Detroit boxing manager Billy Gutz told me that he found Liston standing alone on the sidewalk after Sonny's defeat by Marty Marshall and took him to a doctor who regularly treated Joe Louis, to attend to his broken jaw. I always questioned whether Gutz's story was accurate, but Liston confirms in Rich's video that his trainers never showed up for the fight!
Good info. Liston made a very great point, managers didnt have a fighter's heart
Martin retired after that Liston fight, he took a lot of punishment and suffered a detached retina, that was career ending in those days
Oh Sonny Liston, fire video as always Rich
Thank you, Open1
Sonny was a destroyer !!
As per usual, a masterful piece of work from Rich
Thank you very much, Alby.
Sonny Liston Number One Forever.
Strong Boxéur Fantastic.
Really one of the best documentaries about Sonny Liston I’ve seen. Thanks very much for the high quality research and footage.
Great to see one of the lesser known champs get some well deserved recognition and attention!
Thank you for the kind words, GM.
Superb Sir.
So much than i haven't seen before .
An interesting and tragic life story...
Thank you, Mr T
Superb work as always Rich. Where you find the rare footage from I’ll never know! Brilliant flow and commentary.
Thank you very much, SiR Lloyd
thanks Rich another gem, I always thought there was a propaganda job done on Sonny, an easy target. Sonny, one of the greats. RIP Sonny Liston. About to watch the Blade doc. Big Rich fan
Thank you, Ryan.
My favourite heavyweight ever!🇬🇧
Foreman hit at least as hard as Liston. Ali was a very different fighter in 1964 when he fought Liston than he was in 1974 when he fought Foreman. So he used very different tactics in those fights. Against Liston, Ali could dance around the ring for the entire fight but he couldn’t dance like that by 1974, so he used a rope-a-dope strategy and his quicker reflexes to win.
The story of Liston showed one of the major contradictions of how the fight game changed between the 1950s and the late 60s- early 70s. Fighters weren't expected to be 'personable' much in the old days; their interactions with media were heavily stage-managed by their handlers and promoters. Liston, being who he was, coming from where he came from, was never gonna fit the "personality era" that came with the 1960s; and that caused him a lot of trouble outside, and then inside the sport. The reasons he didn't were many and complex, and too much to go into here; but it would've taken an impossibly extraordinary personality to overcome them. Nothing in Liston's life could've given him that, and no one was around to create even a plausible facade of such for him, as would've been possible in 1948 or so. Sorry for writing so long, but i don't think this aspect has been discussed enough.
The most in depth Liston documentary I've seen thanks for your great work rich
I appreciate that, Andrew, thank you.
When we think of Fury, Joshua and Usyk in comparison to the late, great,Charles "Sonny" Liston, we realise the depths of mediocrity the Heavyweight division has reached. Thanks Rich for a superb documentary on Liston, who as his headstone reads was " A Man".
Sure thing, David.
Longlive legend
Thank you very much, Rich.
My pleasure, Pablo.
Cus da mato didn't want Patterson to fight Liston he knew he'd lose,
Thanks for the amazing video Rich ❤
Sure thing, John.
LIKE MOST MOTHERS , THEY WAY SHE EMBRACED HIS PICTURE AND STARED TENDERLY AT HIS PICTURE WAS SOMETHING THAT REALLY MOVED ME. MOM WILL WILL SEE THE BEST IN A SON IN PARTICULAR , I BET SOONY WAS FAR FROM THE BEAST THAT THE PRESS AND POLICE PAINTED HIM OUT TO BE.
Another masterpiece Rich 👊🏻. The intro goes hard asf 😅. Sonny was a killer in the ring, no respect for anyone in there. He just went about his buisness, like a ruthless hitman.
Thank you, OldSchoolBoxing1
As always a great watch. Good work Rich!
Thank you, play2win
Great footage of a bygone era and as always well researched. Thank you for making a documentary that didn't take sides on all the controversies of Sonny Liston but laid out the facts and let the viewer decide for themselves.
Thank you, Dan.
All props to the Bear, but even if young, and no shoulder issues, he wasn’t beating Ali. Too quick and Liston could only land one or two out of ten thrown. Ali could take that all night and dance around cutting him up. Don’t think many, if any, could do much w/ Ali in those days.
A young Liston knocks the clay out of Ali. 😆
You have no bounds, Rich. Many thanks!
Thanks for the support, 2butnot2
I’ve been waiting for this one Rich!!! ❤
Awesome!
Sonny was a cautionary tale in boxing.
You've out done yourself yet again. Quality production. Thanks RTFH!
Thanks very much, Mehdi