Sonny Liston
Charles L. “Sonny” Liston (c. 1930 — December 30, 1970) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1953 to 1970. A dominant contender of his era, he became the world heavyweight champion in 1962 after knocking out Floyd Patterson in the first round, repeating the knockout the following year in defense of the title; in the latter fight he also became the inaugural WBC heavyweight champion. Liston was particularly known for his immense strength, formidable jab, long reach, toughness, and his infamously intimidating appearance.
Although Liston was widely regarded as unbeatable, he lost the title in 1964 to Muhammad Ali (then known as Cassius Clay), who entered as a 7–1 underdog. Liston retired in his corner due to an inflamed shoulder. Controversy followed with claims that Liston had been drinking heavily the night before the fight and had entered the bout with a lame shoulder. In his 1965 rematch with Ali, Liston suffered an unexpected first-round knockout that led to unresolved suspicions of a fix. He was still a world-ranked boxer when he died in mysterious circumstances in 1970. Underworld connections and his unrecorded dates of birth and death added to the enigma.
The Ring magazine ranks Liston as the tenth greatest heavyweight of all time,[4] while boxing writer Herb Goldman ranked him second and Richard O’Brien, Senior Editor of Sports Illustrated, placed him third.[5][6] Alfie Potts Harmer in The Sportster also ranked him the third greatest heavyweight and the sixth greatest boxer at any weight.[7] Liston was inducted into the international Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991.
Upon winning the world heavyweight title, Liston had a speech prepared for the crowd that friends had assured him would meet him at the Philadelphia airport. But upon arrival, Liston was met by only a handful of reporters and public-relations staff. Writer Jack McKinney said, “I watched Sonny. His eyes swept the whole scene. … You could feel the deflation, see the look of hurt in his eyes. … He had been deliberately snubbed. Philadelphia wanted nothing to do with him.”
During an era when white journalists still described black athletes in stereotypes, Liston had long been a target of racially charged slurs; he was called a “gorilla” and “a jungle beast” in print. Larry Merchant, then a writer with the Philadelphia Daily News, wrote: “A celebration for Philadelphia’s first heavyweight champ is now in order. … Emily Post would probably recommend a ticker-tape parade. For confetti we can use torn-up arrest warrants.” He also wrote that Liston’s win over Patterson proved that “in a fair fight between good and evil, evil must win.” Some writers thought Liston brought bad press on himself by a surly and hostile attitude toward journalists. He also had a reputation for bullying people such as porters and waitresses.[42]
Liston’s run-ins with the police had continued in Philadelphia. He particularly resented a 1961 arrest by a black patrolman for loitering, claiming to have merely been signing autographs and chatting with fans outside a drugstore.[43] A month later, Liston was accused of impersonating a police officer by using a flashlight to wave down a female motorist in Fairmount Park, although all charges were later dropped. Subsequently, Liston spent some months in Denver where a Catholic priest who acted as his spiritual adviser attempted to help bring his drinking under control. After he won the title, Liston relocated to Denver permanently, saying, “I’d rather be a lamppost in Denver than the mayor of Philadelphia.”[35]
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 footwork, that he relied too much on his ability to take a punch, and that he could be vulnerable to an opponent with more hand speed. “But can he hit!” Rogin wrote. “There is power in both his left and his right, even though the fists move with the languor of motoring royalty or as if passing through a gaseous envelope more dense than air.” Rogin called Liston’s physique “awesome — arms like fence posts, thighs like silos.” His defense was described as “the gate-crossing of arms à la Archie Moore.”[75]
Future world heavyweight champion George Foreman, who sparred with Liston after Foreman’s amateur career, assessed Liston’s jab as the most formidable he faced and Liston as the strongest man he encountered in the ring, describing Liston as having the most natural talent and skill.[76][77] Foreman stated: “There wasn’t anything missing from Sonny Liston. He had the whole package.”[78] While much has been written about the effectiveness of his left jab, others have commented favorably on Liston’s wide range of boxing skills.[79][80][81] These include Muhammad Ali, who stated in a 1975 interview that he was a great admirer of Liston’s talents: “Liston had a tremendous jab, could punch with either hand, was smart in the ring and as strong as any heavyweight I’ve ever seen.”[59]
Liston is ranked second in the ESPN.com list of “The Hardest Hitters in Heavyweight History.”[82] Johnny Tocco, a trainer who worked with George Foreman and Mike Tyson as well as Liston, said Liston was the hardest hitter of the three.[83] Herb Goldman stated that Liston, when in his prime between 1958 and 1963, was the most feared fighter in boxing history.[84]
Liston was found dead by his wife, Geraldine, in their Las Vegas home on January 5, 1971.[88] On returning home from a two-week trip, Geraldine had smelled a foul odor emanating from the main bedroom and on entering saw him slumped up against the bed, a broken foot bench on the floor. Authorities theorized that he was undressing for bed when he fell over backward with such force that he broke the rail of the bench. Geraldine called Liston’s attorney and his doctor, but did not notify the police until two to three hours later.[