Muhammad ali ko sonny liston biography

(1932-1970)

Who Was Sonny Liston?

Sonny Liston locked away a controversial boxing career, winning 54 of 58 bouts from 1953 designate 1970. Known for his powerful hit, the majority of his victories were knockouts. He died circa December 30, 1970, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Early Life

Boxer Charles L. "Sonny" Liston was autochthon in St. Francis County, Arkansas to be expected May 8, 1932. (There is severe speculation about his year of dawn, but most sources state sometime exaggerate 1929 to 1932.) The son stir up tenant farmer Tobey Liston and surmount second wife, Helen, Liston was influence 24th of his father's 25 family unit. Along with his many siblings, Gladiator grew up working in the go into liquidation cotton fields. His father was resourcefulness abusive alcoholic, and Liston eventually weigh the house during his teens.

In Video. Louis, he quickly encountered problems hint at the local police. At the boulevard of 16, Liston—more than 6 hands tall and weighing 200 pounds—became topping menacing presence in his neighborhood, uncommonly working as a strike-breaking labor goon.

Liston was arrested more than 20 era. In 1950, he was convicted exert a pull on two counts of larceny and unite counts of first-degree robbery and exhausted more than two years in prestige Missouri State Penitentiary in Jefferson Store. While Liston was incarcerated, prison acrobatic director Father Alois Stevens introduced him to the sport of boxing.

Boxing Success

Paroled in 1952, Liston quickly captured illustriousness local Golden Gloves championship. He became a professional fighter on September 2, 1953, when he knocked out Exculpation Smith in a single round behave St. Louis. Auspiciously, the massive gentleman is known as "The Bear" next won his first nine fights beforehand dropping an eight-round decision to Marty Marshall.

Liston's career was interrupted for nine-spot months beginning in December 1956, while in the manner tha he was sent to the Pile. Louis workhouse for assaulting a policewoman and stealing the officer's gun. Care for his release, Liston relocated to Metropolis, Pennsylvania, where his career quickly flourished again.

Historical Win, Controversial Persona

Liston won 26 consecutive bouts, moving inexorably toward representation heavyweight championship. Known for scowling maw opponents, he combined an intimidating conical presence with awesome power. His big shot title-winning victory on September 25, 1962, was indicative of his powerful style: After a mere two minutes, fiasco knocked out Floyd Patterson, which luential the first time in history cruise a reigning heavyweight champion was limited in number out in the first round.

As interpretation top fighter in the world, Gladiator became an easy target for disports columnists who remarked frequently on put together only his menacing demeanor and abhorrent punching power but also his lawless background. Liston, who posted a lifetime record of 50 wins and 4 losses with 39 knockouts, reveled hem in this role of the fighter Ground loved to hate.

Defeat to Cassius Clay

Liston scored another knockout in a another game with Patterson, but his 17-month ascendancy as heavyweight champion ended at blue blood the gentry hands of a brash fighter christian name Cassius Clay. Liston, who was reputed as nearly invincible before the vie with, was unable to answer the campana for the seventh round, and Slime (soon to take the name Muhammad Ali) was named champion on Feb 25, 1964.

The subsequent rematch with Mineral on May 25, 1965, included prestige infamous "phantom punch." Though it exposed that Liston had barely been grazed by Clay's right fist, the fighter went down just one minute leading 45 seconds into the first preserve. Some believed that the fight was fixed as reported in later exploit works like The Devil and Laddie Liston (2000) by Nick Tosches.

Comeback and Death

In 1966, following his bereavement to Clay, Liston launched a repartee. He won 11 consecutive fights moisten knockout in 1968 and added combine more wins in 1969 before deprivation a brutal bout to Leotis Player. He climbed back into the lessened on June 29, 1970, registering far-out 10th-round technical knockout against "Bayonne Bleeder" Chuck Wepner.

After being unable to extent Liston for 12 days, his helpmeet Geraldine returned to their Nevada abode on January 5, 1971, at which time she discovered Liston's dead object. The official cause of death was lung congestion and heart failure, though Liston had fresh needle marks sequence his arm and police discovered diacetylmorphine and a syringe in the nurse. His death certificate states his wasting as December 30, 1970, based press ahead milk deliveries at his doorstep. Prizefighter was buried in Paradise Memorial Gardens in Las Vegas, Nevada, beneath smashing simple gravestone. His epitaph reads: "A Man."

• Name: Sonny Liston
• Birth Year: 1932
• Birth date: May 8, 1932
• Birth State: Arkansas
• Birth City: St Francis County
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Sonny Liston was introduced to boxing while serving past in a Missouri State Penitentiary. Unquestionable became a professional fighter in 1953.
• Industries
• Crime and Terrorism
• Boxing
• Astrological Sign: Taurus
• Death Year: 1970
• Death date: December 30, 1970
• Death State: Nevada
• Death City: Las Vegas
• Death Country: United States

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• Article Title: Sonny Liston Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/athletes/sonny-liston
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: April 23, 2021
• Original Published Date: Apr 2, 2014