Charles “Sonny” Liston : A Man Of His Time
Welcome to the gritty world of boxing, where legends are forged in the crucible of blood, sweat, and tears. Today, we delve into the enigmatic persona of Charles “Sonny” Liston, a titan of the ring whose name resonates with power and intimidation. Liston’s fists moved with lethal precision, striking a man’s elbows with such force that it seemed as if bones would shatter under the impact. His punches were like thunderclaps, reverberating through the arena, leaving no doubt in anyone’s mind about his dominance.
Liston once unleashed a blow that sent a man’s teeth flying, the force dislodging the mouthpiece and taking the teeth with it. It was a brutal display of power, a reminder of the unforgiving nature of the sport.
But behind the facade of a fearsome fighter lay a tale of hardship and struggle. Liston’s childhood was a far cry from the glitz and glamour of the boxing world. Born on a cotton plantation in Arkansas, he was one of 25 children, subjected to relentless abuse at the hands of his father. He ran away from his abusive home into a life of crime in Saint Lou’s there he eventually went to jail for armed robbery. In prison, Sonny Liston Started his boxing journey.His story is one of resilience in the face of adversity, a testament to the human spirit’s ability to endure and overcome. Despite the odds stacked against him, Liston rose above his circumstances to become one of the most feared fighters of his time.
So join me as we journey into the heart of darkness, exploring the untold stories and hidden truths behind the legend of Sonny Liston. It’s a tale of triumph and tragedy, of grit and determination, and above all, the indomitable spirit of a true champion.
Yet, the world never witnessed Liston in his true prime. By the time he stepped into the ring for his debut fight, he was likely in his thirties, a late bloomer in the unforgiving world of boxing. Every fight, and every photo captured, depict Liston in the twilight of his youth, a testament to his enduring legacy.
Notable early fights
Liston’s first loss was to Marty Marshall, whom Liston had a rematch with and knocked out in the first round. The force of Liston’s punches can be seen on Marty’s face as Liston seemed to throw equally devastating punches from both hands. A puncher fighter who went in for the trade and left Marty Marshall not wanting more but Liston kept giving till Marty hit the canvas, as he got up Marty looked weak and Liston kept pounding on where he left off till the ref stopped the one-sided beating revenging his previous loss.
Liston had a heavy jab that went through the defense and followed it up with a barrage of punches. This was seen in the fight against Willi Besmanoff using the left to jab open Willi’s defense then followed by a right with a combination. This constant beating led to a stoppage when Willie had eye problems in the third round.
Association with the Mob
While in prison Sonny Liston became popular and later saw himself under the watchful eye of Frankie Carbo. Carbo helped Liston get out of prison and even got him started as an amateur fighter which lasted only a year and left undefeated. He was also known to do jobs for the mob beating people on the streets for money.
A division Conqueror and “Monster”
By 1960 Sonny Liston was on top of the division beating every challenger in his way. He beat veterans who all agreed that Sonny Liston carried an intimidating aura with him and the power to back it up. The media portrays him as a monster “King of the Beast”, he is not accepted and words such as “savage” are used to describe him, Sonny does not say anything and is a very silent individual quoting once “I don’t like talking to my wife why would I talk to man”. Liston was often harassed by police due to his history was not accepted by society and was viewed as a reject of sorts. The last straw came when Sonny beat a police officer in a trash can and ended up serving ( months in a city workhouse and the police told him to leave Saint Lous “or else”. Sonny moved around and ended up in Las Vagas where his presence was not met well due to him being black in a then-white supremacist America.
Top contender
Roy Harris was Sonny Liston’s next top contender a fighter known for his 5 year-long career and had only lost to the then champion Floyd Patterson. Sonny Liston gave the newspapers more to write about him as he proceeded to defeat the well-rounded fighter in the first round with ease after dropping him four times.
Liston being Passed Over
Liston was passed over at the shot at the title due to his checkered passed and his association with the mob which at that time was being investigated by the Senate. Liston went on to fight the German champion Alber Westphal, a fight that can only be described as horrifyingly beautiful, Liston delivered one of the greatest Knock of all time, and this fight eventually got him the title shot he wanted.
The Fight with Floyd Patterson
After almost getting the title shot passed over Liston got the title shot against the then Heavyweight Champion of the world Fylde Patterson. Fylde Patterson was trained by the great Cus D’Amato a trainer known for his work on Mike Tyson, Patterson had a rapid-moving style and a devastating punch. The build-up to the fight mocked Liston on his tainted history, with some articles labeling him a “Jail Bird” but criticism was nothing new to Liston and Peterson respected the man regardless of what the press said. In one face Peterson couldn’t even look Liston in his eyes the man had also fallen under the fear that Liston seemed to spread around him. although Patterson was the favorite Liston didnt take that to heart and made the fight his moment.
The fight started off with Patterson getting the better of Liston with Light footwork and going in and out of his range while delivering punches. What Patterson didnt account for was Liston’s 84-inch reach which shattered the well-strategic fighter with the use of his devastating jab. After wearing him down Peterson was a sitting target, open to Liston Punched that was effective even through his guard. Liston kept up the barrage of punches and got Peterson with an uppercut, finishing him off with a left hook while Peterson was holding the ringside rope. Sonny Liston is a boy from a cotton plantation, a hardened criminal, a convict, and now the champion of the world.
The story of Sonny Liston has a tragic ending which I don’t want to cover and he is often overshadowed by his losses to Muhammad Ali. Regardless Liston grew up through hard times and beat his way to greatness with his fists, was he a good man? I don’t know but I know he was a product of his time and worked hard even in his old age to become one of the greatest boxers and that is how Sonny Liston will live in boxing as a champion, not a convict or a Monster, but a boxer with a God-given talent for the sport.
