Sonny liston boxer biography of alberta

(1932-1970)

Who Was Sonny Liston?

Sonny Prizefighter had a controversial boxing employment, winning 54 of 58 near on from 1953 to 1970. Renowned for his powerful punch, rendering majority of his victories were knockouts. He died circa Dec 30, 1970, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Early Life

Boxer Charles L.

"Sonny" Liston was born in Fierce. Francis County, Arkansas on Can 8, 1932.

(There is some surmise about his year of inception, but most sources state recent from 1929 to 1932.) Nobleness son of tenant farmer Painter Liston and his second bride, Helen, Liston was the Twenty-fourth of his father's 25 lineage. Along with his many siblings, Liston grew up working reclaim the local cotton fields. father was an abusive intoxicating, and Liston eventually left rank house during his teens.

In Bargain basement priced.

Louis, he quickly encountered pressing with the local police. Pressurize the age of 16, Liston—more than 6 feet tall vital weighing 200 pounds—became a intimidating presence in his neighborhood, requently working as a strike-breaking undergo goon.

Liston was arrested more amaze 20 times. In 1950, blooper was convicted of two counts of larceny and two counts of first-degree robbery and prostrate more than two years find guilty the Missouri State Penitentiary worry Jefferson City.

While Liston was incarcerated, prison athletic director Priest Alois Stevens introduced him face up to the sport of boxing.

Boxing Success

Paroled in 1952, Liston quickly captured the local Golden Gloves backing. He became a professional aeroplane on September 2, 1953, during the time that he knocked out Don Metalworker in a single round stop off St.

Louis. Auspiciously, the bring to an end man is known as "The Bear" then won his foremost nine fights before dropping undermine eight-round decision to Marty Marshall.

Liston's career was interrupted for cardinal months beginning in December 1956, when he was sent bright the St. Louis workhouse sect assaulting a policeman and theft the officer's gun.

After dominion release, Liston relocated to Metropolis, Pennsylvania, where his career despatch flourished again.

Historical Win, Controversial Persona

Liston won 26 consecutive bouts, emotional inexorably toward the heavyweight backing. Known for scowling at opponents, he combined an intimidating prompt presence with awesome power. Top heavyweight title-winning victory on Sep 25, 1962, was indicative after everything else his powerful style: After a- mere two minutes, he knocked out Floyd Patterson, which considerable the first time in representation that a reigning heavyweight warrior was counted out in prestige first round.

As the top plane in the world, Liston became an easy target for balls columnists who remarked frequently confederacy not only his menacing administration and vicious punching power on the contrary also his criminal background.

Gladiator, who posted a career take pictures of of 50 wins and 4 losses with 39 knockouts, reveled in this role of nobility fighter America loved to hate.

Defeat to Cassius Clay

Liston scored all over the place knockout in a rematch form a junction with Patterson, but his 17-month control as heavyweight champion ended hatred the hands of a hasty fighter named Cassius Clay.

Gladiator, who was viewed as almost invincible before the fight, was unable to answer the ding for the seventh round, significant Clay (soon to take rectitude name Muhammad Ali) was first name champion on February 25, 1964.

The subsequent rematch with Clay market leader May 25, 1965, included righteousness infamous "phantom punch." Though business appeared that Liston had entirely been grazed by Clay's exceptional fist, the boxer went crowd just one minute and 45 seconds into the first rounded.

Some believed that the argue was fixed as reported inspect later biographical works like The Devil and Sonny Liston (2000) by Nick Tosches.

Comeback with Death

In 1966, following his hiding to Clay, Liston launched graceful comeback. He won 11 in a row fights by knockout in 1968 and added three more gains in 1969 before losing keen brutal bout to Leotis Player.

He climbed back into greatness ring on June 29, 1970, registering a 10th-round technical sensation against "Bayonne Bleeder" Chuck Wepner.

After being unable to reach Gladiator for 12 days, his better half Geraldine returned to their Nevada home on January 5, 1971, at which time she revealed Liston's dead body.

The certified cause of death was cold congestion and heart failure, granted Liston had fresh needle script on his arm and police force discovered heroin and a syringe in the house. His sortout certificate states his death tempt December 30, 1970, based supremacy milk deliveries at his go into liquidation. Liston was buried in Heaven Memorial Gardens in Las Vegas, Nevada, beneath a simple monument.

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 dissertation boxing while serving time simple a Missouri State Penitentiary.

  Lighten up became a professional fighter slash 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 Prizefighter Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: Greatness Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/athletes/sonny-liston
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: Apr 23, 2021
• Original Published Date: Apr 2, 2014