BoxRec - User contributions [en]

Marvin Hagler vs. Sugar Ray Leonard

2009-08-28T21:30:02Z

Flavius Constantius: /* Notes */

{| {{punchstatstable-r}}
|+ '''Punchstats'''
|- {{pstable-bg1}}
! Total Punches || Hagler || Leonard
|-
| Landed || 291 || 306
|-
| Thrown || 792 || 629
|-
| Pct. || 37% || 49%
|}

<fight>15237</fight>
*'''[[World Boxing Council]] Middleweight Title''' 
*'''Weights''' 160 lbs (each)
*[[:Image:F15237.JPG|Photo]]
 
== Comments ==
- Named [[The Ring Magazine|''The Ring'']] magazine [[Ring Magazine Fight of the Year|Fight of the Year]] and [[Ring Magazine Upset of the Year|Upset of the Year]] for 1987. Also named "Upset of the Decade" (1980s). 
- Extremely controversial decision that is still argued about today. 
- Leonard announced his retirement on May 27, 1987 and announced his return to the ring on Aug. 4, 1988. 
- [http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1065837/index.htm Sports Illustrated - Comeback For The Ages]

== Notes ==
[[file:SI6615.jpg|thumb|right|Sports Illustrated cover]]
Scorecards from the ringside press: 

AP: 117-112 Hagler 
New York Daily News: 117-111 Leonard 
New York Times: 114-114 
New York Post: 114-114 
Newsday: 115-114 Hagler 
Chicago Sun-Times: 115-114 Hagler 
Chicago Tribune: 7-5 in rounds Hagler 
Houston Chronicle: 115-114 Leonard 
Washington Post: 114-114 
Boston Globe: 117-111 Leonard 
Boston Herald 116-113 Leonard 
Baltimore Sun: 7-5 in rounds Leonard 
Oakland Tribune: 117-112 Leonard 
San Jose Mercury-News: 116-115 Hagler 

{{start box}}
{{Fight Succession Box|
before=[[Marvin Hagler vs. John Mugabi|Hagler vs. Mugabi]]|
title=[[WBC Middleweight Title Fights|WBC Middleweight Title Fight]] # 53|
after=[[Thomas Hearns vs. Juan Domingo Roldan|Hearns vs. Roldan]]|
}}
{{end box}}

Fight:1163

2009-01-27T01:44:23Z

Flavius Constantius: Redirecting to Frank Bruno vs. Floyd Cummings

#REDIRECT [[Frank Bruno vs. Floyd Cummings]]

Frank Bruno vs. Floyd Cummings

2009-01-27T01:42:51Z

Flavius Constantius: New page: <fight>1163</fight> *Weights: Bruno 217 lbs, Cummings 214 1/4 lbs *Time: 2:43 == Comment(s): == * Bruno badly shaken by a Cummings right at the end of the first. * Cummings...

<fight>1163</fight>
*Weights: Bruno 217 lbs, Cummings 214 1/4 lbs
*Time: 2:43
 

== Comment(s): ==
* Bruno badly shaken by a Cummings right at the end of the first.
* Cummings down in the seventh. Referee stopped contest after Cummings collapsed to his feet when rising.

Fight:1202

2009-01-27T01:24:22Z

Flavius Constantius: Redirecting to Frank Bruno vs. Walter Santemore

#REDIRECT [[Frank Bruno vs. Walter Santemore]]

Frank Bruno vs. Walter Santemore

2009-01-27T01:22:41Z

Flavius Constantius: New page: <fight>1202</fight> Poster

<fight>1202</fight>
[[file:Bruno-Santemore.Poster.jpg|left|Poster]]

Fight:372

2009-01-25T19:37:45Z

Flavius Constantius: Redirecting to Larry Holmes vs. Earnie Shavers (1st meeting)

#REDIRECT [[Larry Holmes vs. Earnie Shavers (1st meeting)]]

Larry Holmes vs. Earnie Shavers (1st meeting)

2009-01-25T19:37:39Z

Flavius Constantius: New page: <fight>372</fight> *Eliminator for the WBC Heavyweight Title between #3 ranked contender Shavers and #4 ranked Holmes, with the winner to face newly crowned WBC ch...

<fight>372</fight>
*Eliminator for the [[World Boxing Council|WBC]] Heavyweight Title between #3 ranked contender Shavers and #4 ranked Holmes, with the winner to face newly crowned WBC champion [[Ken Norton]].
*Weights: Holmes 210 lbs, Shavers 210 lbs 
*Referee: [[Davey Pearl]]

== Comment(s): ==
"Near the end of the [second] round came the moment everyone had been waiting for. Lunging, Shavers smashed Holmes with a thunderous right to the head. Backed up a step, Holmes shook his head, then cracked Shavers in the face with a left and a right. From that moment, every time Shavers hit Holmes with anything heavy, he took a murderous barrage in return. End of question about the ticker.

By the sixth he [Holmes] appeared to be in command of a tiring Shavers. But early in the sixth Shavers backed Holmes into a corner and began working to the body with both hands.

Across the ring Giachetti and Arcel and Brown were shouting in unison, "Get out of there! Get out!" Above all else, they had warned Holmes about getting pinned in a corner. Holmes looked at his handlers with a slight smile and shook his head, no. He was giving his sparring partner his best shot, and it wasn't bothering him one bit. And from that point on it was Holmes doing what he wanted, Shavers trying desperately for the one big punch to end it. And at the end it was Holmes who almost found the big punch.

The fight was in the final seconds and Holmes, refusing to coast although he knew he was ahead by a ton of points, caught Shavers with a smashing overhand right to the jaw. Stunned, Shavers almost went down. He recovered just before his right knee touched the floor. With a snarl, Holmes was all over him, ripping him with a barrage of nine straight punches before the bell ended the fight."

''Sports Illustrated'', April 3, 1978.

Fight:39843

2009-01-25T05:42:40Z

Flavius Constantius: Redirecting to Larry Holmes vs. Mike Weaver (2nd meeting)

#REDIRECT [[Larry Holmes vs. Mike Weaver (2nd meeting)]]

Larry Holmes vs. Mike Weaver (2nd meeting)

2009-01-25T05:42:36Z

Flavius Constantius: New page: <fight>39843</fight> * A rematch of their epic first encounter 21 years earlier between the now 51-year-old Holmes and 49-year-old Weaver. * Weights: Holmes 255 lbs, Weaver 234 lbs * A H...

<fight>39843</fight>

* A rematch of their epic first encounter 21 years earlier between the now 51-year-old Holmes and 49-year-old Weaver.
* Weights: Holmes 255 lbs, Weaver 234 lbs
* A Holmes right hand sends Weaver to the canvas in round six. Weaver rises unsteadily, and the fight is waved off by the referee.
* Time: 0:45

Oscar De La Hoya vs. Shane Mosley (2nd meeting)

2009-01-25T04:46:21Z

Flavius Constantius: /* Reactions */

{| {{punchstatstable-r}}
|+ '''CompuBox punchstats'''
|- {{pstable-bg1}}
! Total Punches || Mosley || DeLaHoya
|-
| Landed || 127 || 221
|-
| Thrown || 496 || 616
|-
| Pct. || 26% || 36%
|- {{pstable-bg1}}
! Power Punches || Mosley || DeLaHoya
|-
| Landed || 94 || 115
|-
| Thrown || 228 || 320
|-
| Pct. || 41% || 36%
|- {{pstable-bg1}}
! Jabs || Mosley || DeLaHoya
|-
| Landed || 33 || 106
|-
| Thrown || 268 || 296
|-
| Pct. || 12% || 36%
|}
<fight>644976</fight>
*'''[[World Boxing Council]] Super Welterweight Title''' (3rd defense of De La Hoya) 
*'''[[World Boxing Association]] Super Welterweight Title''' (2nd defense of De La Hoya) 
*'''[[IBA]] Light Middleweight Title''' (2nd defense of De La Hoya) 
*'''Weights:''' 154 lbs (each)
 
== Comment(s): ==
- Shane Mosley wins the RING magazine Jr Middleweight Championship of the World. 
- De La Hoya is cut from a headbutt in the 3rd round. 
- Going in to the 12th round, Shane's father and trainer told him that he needed a knockout to win. De La Hoya stated at the post-fight press conference that he would file a protest of the fight, using punch stat numbers (among other reasons) as to why he should have won on the judge's scorecards. 
- [[:Image:Mosley dlh promo poster.jpg|Promotion poster]]
 
== Reactions ==
- [[Bob Arum]] (De La Hoya's promoter): ''"I've never even seen anything like this in my life!! It wasn't even close!!"'' 
- De La Hoya (on the investigation request to be filed): ''"I'm really going to put my heart into it and the resources I have."'' 
- Mosley: ''"I really don't know what to think about that [investigation]. All I know is that I won the fight, I'm the legitimate champion of the world. I feel like I won a couple of fights that I lost, or won a fight that I lost…what can you do?"''

==Doping controversy==
As part of the investigations into the BALCO scandal, Mosley later testified before a grand jury that he had taken the doping agent EPO prior to this fight.[http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=3740889]

Sonny Liston

2008-02-10T14:41:51Z

Flavius Constantius:

[[file:Liston.sonny.jpg|left]]
<boxer>009031</boxer>
'''Managers:''' [[Jack Nilon]], [[Joe (Pep) Barone]], [[Eddie Polino]], [[George Katz]], [[Frank Mitchell]], and [[Dick Sadler]] 
'''Trainers''': [[Willie Reddish]], Dick Sadler and [[Johnny Tocco]] 
'''Cut Men''': [[Joe Polino]] and [[Milt Bailey]]

== Mysteries Surrounding Birth and Death ==
Charles "Sonny" Liston was born May 8, 1932 in rural Arkansas, one of eleven children of his biological mother, Helen Baskin, and purportedly the twenty-fourth of twenty-five children sired by his father, Tobe Liston. His exact birth date is unclear, however, with his arrest records giving it as 1927 or 1928.

Liston died December 30, 1970 in Las Vegas, Nevada, and was discovered by his wife over a week later. The police declared it a drug overdose, however, referee [[Davey Pearl]] said he had a phobia of needles, prompting rumors that he could have been murdered by some of his underworld contacts. His funeral was attended by many of boxing's dignitaries, including former heavyweight champion Joe Louis as a pall-bearer.

== Early Life and Amateur Career ==
Liston's childhood was one of poverty, pain, and illiteracy. Brutal and frequent beatings from his father caused Liston to pursue his mother to St Louis at age 13.

In St. Louis, Liston was in frequent trouble with the law. After many minor arrests, Liston was arrested for armed robbery and sentenced to prison. During his stay, his talent was discovered by a Catholic priest. Through the actions of the Priest, Liston was paroled early and began a career in boxing.

In a brief amateur career, spanning less than a year, Liston captured the [[Chicago Golden Gloves]] Tournament of Champions on March 6, 1953, with a victory over 1952 Olympic gold medalist [[Ed Sanders]], and the [[Intercity Golden Gloves]] championship by decision over Julius Griffin. In the United States National (A.A.U.) Championship, Liston was defeated by Jimmy McCarter of Chester, Pennsylvania.

==Early Professional Career ==
Liston began his professional career with a first round knockout of Don Smith and built up a nine fight winning streak against mainly unremarkable opposition. He made his debut on national television against [[Johnny Summerlin]], winning a decision after eight rounds. He was handed his first defeat by awkward journeyman [[Marty Marshall]] on 7th September 1954. Whilst laughing at his opponent's unorthodox ring tactics, Liston was caught by a Marshall right hand and suffered a broken jaw, but still lasted the distance, losing on a split decision. He met Marshall again seven months later, this time winning by a sixth round TKO after flooring Marshall four times. Liston also won their rubber match in March 1956 to extend his record to 14-1. However, a few months later he was sentenced to nine months imprisonment for assaulting a police officer and banned from boxing for the whole of 1957.

==Heavyweight Contender ==
Following his release from prison, Liston embarked on an rigorous campaign starting in 1958 which would see him level the entire heavyweight division and become the only logical contender to champion [[Floyd Patterson]]'s crown. But it would be four years before Liston finally earned a shot at the title, with Patterson's handlers citing Liston's links to organised crime as a reason to avoid the match-up. Liston knocked out [[Nino Valdes]] in three rounds and [[Wayne Bethea]] in one; he twice knocked out the hard punching [[Cleveland Williams]] (TKO3 and TKO2) in classic slugfests; [[Zora Folley]] (51-3-2) was knocked out in three, [[Mike DeJohn]] (37-5-1) in six, [[Roy Harris]] (30-1) in one and [[Albert Westphal]] in one. The only opponents to last the distance were [[Eddie Machen]] and [[Bert Whitehurst]] (the latter managed the feat twice, but was knocked through the ropes in the final ten seconds of their bout), although both adopted ultra-cautious tactics and Liston won comfortably on points. Finally, after years of pressure, Patterson defied his manager [[Cus D'Amato]] and signed to fight Liston.

==Heavyweight Champion ==
Liston and Patterson finally met in the ring on 25th September 1962 in Chicago. Once the bell rang, it soon became clear that Patterson lacked the strength or power to keep Liston away. Liston pinned Patterson on the ropes in the first round and felled the champion with a series of blows to the head. Patterson was unable to beat the count, and after 2:05 the bout was over. Liston was the new world champion. The rematch a year later lasted just four seconds longer, Liston again winning with a brutal first round knockout.

At around the same time, a brash and talented young heavyweight named [[Muhammad Ali|Cassius Clay]] emerged onto the boxing scene. In his bid to earn a title shot, Clay christened Liston a "big, ugly bear" and left bear traps outside his house. The bout took place on 25 February 1964. Despite Liston entering the ring as an 8-1 favourite, the quick and agile Clay proved an elusive target. Liston struggled to land clean blows, while Clay scored with quick combinations. After six rounds it was all over. Liston failed to answer the bell for the seventh, claiming an injured shoulder, handing Clay the championship.

The rematch between Liston and Clay (by now known as Muhammad Ali) is among the most controversial bouts in heavyweight history. As the first round got underway, Liston was felled by a seemingly innocuous right hand thrown by Ali as he was moving backwards. Referee, former heavyweight champion [[Jersey Joe Walcott]], ushered Ali to a neutral corner but failed to pick up the count from the timekeeper. Liston got up and Walcott told the fighters to continue boxing, but [[Nat Fleischer]] shouted to Walcott from ringside that Liston had been down for more then ten seconds. Walcott stopped the fight. The so-called "phantom punch" (named the Anchor punch by Ali) remains controversial to this day, with rumours persisting that Liston took a dive, under pressure from either the mob or the Black Muslims.

==Post Championship ==
Following the bout with Ali, Liston remained inactive for the rest of 1965. He made a comeback in 1966, winning four consecutive bouts in Sweden promoted by [[Ingemar Johansson]]. He won a further seven consecutive bouts in 1968 against relatively obscure opposition, before suffering the only uncontroversial knockout loss of his career, when he was knocked unconscious by a vicious right hand from [[Leotis Martin]], a bout in which Liston was leading on all three scorecards. That would prove to be the penultimate fight of Liston's career. His final bout came against future heavyweight title challenger [[Chuck Wepner]] on 29th June 1970; Liston won by a tenth round TKO after Wepner was unable to continue due to heavy cuts.

== Media ==
*Liston appeared on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ed_Sullivan_Show "The Ed Sullivan Show"], performing his jump-roping talent, and made an appearance on ''The Jack Benny Program.''
*Liston also forayed into a career in acting. He appeared in the movies [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066095 Moonfire], [http://www.imdb.com/tittle/tt0063049 Head], and [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059253 Harlow (1965)].
*Also appeared in a television commercial for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braniff_International_Airways Braniff International Airways] with acclaimed new age artist [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Warhol Andy Warhol].

== External Links ==
*Fight Record: [http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=009031]
*International Boxing Hall of Fame bio: [http://www.ibhof.com/liston.htm]
*Grave Site: [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=632]
*Seconds Out article: [http://www.secondsout.com/legends/legends_31480.asp]
*Cyber Boxing Zone Article: [http://cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/box2-00.htm#liston]
*International Movie Database: [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0514288/]

== Published References ==
#A. S. Young, ''Sonny Liston: The Champ Nobody Wanted'' (1963).
#R. Burnes, "Heavyweight with a Past" ''Saturday Evening Post'', 13 August 1960, pp. 56-58.
#J. Flaherty, "A Right to the Jaw-That's Black Power" ''Esquire'', March 1969, pp. 112-14.
#B. J. Friedman, "Requeim for a Heavy" ''Esquire'', Aug. 1971, ppg. 55-57.
#L. V. Davis, "Sonny Liston"; in ''American National Biography'', pp. 733-34. (1999).

----
Books on Liston: [[Devil and Sonny Liston|''Devil and Sonny Liston'']]

{{start box}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Floyd Patterson]]|
title=[[World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Cassius Clay]]|
years=25 Sep 1962–19 Jun 1964
}}
{{end box}}

[[Category:World Heavyweight Champions|Liston, Sonny]]
[[Category:American World Champions|Liston, Sonny]]
[[Category:IBHOF Members|Liston, Sonny]]
[[Category:World Boxing Hall of Fame Members|Liston, Sonny]]
[[Category:Intercity Golden Gloves Champions|Liston, Sonny]]
[[Category:Chicago Golden Gloves Champions|Liston, Sonny]]

Sonny Liston

2008-02-08T19:42:22Z

Flavius Constantius: /* Post Championship */

[[file:Liston.sonny.jpg|left]]
<boxer>009031</boxer>
'''Managers:''' [[Jack Nilon]], [[Joe (Pep) Barone]], [[Eddie Polino]], [[George Katz]], [[Frank Mitchell]], and [[Dick Sadler]] 
'''Trainers''': [[Willie Reddish]], Dick Sadler and [[Johnny Tocco]] 
'''Cut Men''': [[Joe Polino]] and [[Milt Bailey]]

== Mysteries Surrounding Birth and Death ==
Charles "Sonny" Liston was born May 8, 1932 in rural Arkansas, one of eleven children of his biological mother, Helen Baskin, and purportedly the twenty-fourth of twenty-five children sired by his father, Tobe Liston. Although many make a mystery out of his date of birth, as his mother was recorded as stating different dates, his prison records confirm his date of birth.

Liston died December 30, 1970 in Las Vegas, Nevada, and was discovered by his wife over a week later. The police declared it a drug overdose, however, referee [[Davey Pearl]] said he had a phobia of needles, prompting some rumors that he could have been murdered by some of his underworld contacts. His funeral was attended by many of boxing's dignataries, including former heavyweight champion Joe Louis as a pall-bearer.

== Early Life and Amateur Career ==
Liston's childhood was one of poverty, pain, and illiteracy. Brutal and frequent beatings from his father caused Liston to pursue his mother to St Louis at age 13.

In St. Louis, Liston was in frequent trouble with the law. After many minor arrests, Liston was arrested for armed robbery and sentenced to prison. During his stay, his talent was discovered by a Catholic priest. Through the actions of the Priest, Liston was paroled early and began a career in boxing.

In a brief amateur career, spanning less than a year, Liston captured the [[Chicago Golden Gloves]] Tournament of Champions on March 6, 1953, with a victory over [[Ed Sanders]], and the [[Intercity Golden Gloves]] championship by decision over Julius Griffin. In the United States National (A.A.U.) Championship, Liston was defeated by Jimmy McCarter of Chester, Pennsylvania.

==Early Professional Career ==
Liston began his professional career with a first round knockout of Don Smith and built up a nine fight winning streak against mainly unremarkable opposition. He was handed his first defeat by awkward journeyman [[Marty Marshall]] on 7th September 1954. Whilst laughing at his opponent's unorthodox ring tactics, Liston was caught by a Marshall right hand and suffered a broken jaw, but still lasted the distance, losing on a split decision. He met Marshall again seven months later, this time winning by a sixth round TKO after flooring Marshall four times. Liston also won their rubber match in March 1956 to extend his record to 14-1. However, a few months later he was sentenced to nine months imprisonment for assaulting a police officer and banned from boxing for the whole of 1957.

==Heavyweight Contender ==
Following his release from prison, Liston embarked on an rigorous campaign starting in 1958 which would see him level the entire heavyweight division and become the only logical contender to champion [[Floyd Patterson]]'s crown. But it would be four years before Liston finally earned a shot at the title, with Patterson's handlers citing Liston's links to organised crime as a reason to avoid the match-up. Liston knocked out [[Nino Valdes]] in three rounds and [[Wayne Bethea]] in one; he twice knocked out the hard punching [[Cleveland Williams]] (TKO3 and TKO2) in classic slugfests; [[Zora Folley]] (51-3-2) was knocked out in three, [[Mike DeJohn]] (37-5-1) in six, [[Roy Harris]] (30-1) in one and German champion [[Albert Westphal]] in one. The only opponents to last the distance were [[Eddie Machen]] and [[Bert Whitehurst]], although both adopted ultra-cautious tactics and Liston won comfortably on points. Finally, after years of pressure, Patterson defied his manager [[Cus D'Amato]] and signed to fight Liston.

==Heavyweight Champion ==
Liston and Patterson finally met in the ring on 25th September 1962 in Chicago. Once the bell rang, it soon became clear that Patterson lacked the strength or power to keep Liston away. Liston pinned Patterson on the ropes in the first round and felled the champion with a series of blows to the head. Patterson was unable to beat the count, and after 2:05 the bout was over. Liston was the new world champion. The rematch a year later lasted just four seconds longer, Liston again winning with a brutal first round knockout.

At around the same time, a brash and talented young heavyweight named [[Muhammad Ali|Cassius Clay]] emerged onto the boxing scene. In his bid to earn a title shot, Clay christened Liston a "big, ugly bear" and left bear traps outside his house. The bout took place on 25 February 1964. Despite Liston entering the ring as an 8-1 favourite, the quick and agile Clay proved an elusive target. Liston struggled to land clean blows, while Clay scored with quick combinations. After six rounds it was all over. Liston failed to answer the bell for the seventh, claiming an injured shoulder, handing Clay the championship.

The rematch between Liston and Clay (by now known as Muhammad Ali) is among the most controversial bouts in heavyweight history. As the first round got underway, Liston was felled by a seemingly innocuous right hand thrown by Ali as he was moving backwards. Referee, former heavyweight champion [[Jersey Joe Walcott]], ushered Ali to a neutral corner but failed to pick up the count from the timekeeper. Liston got up and Walcott told the fighters to continue boxing, but [[Nat Fleischer]] called out from ringside that Liston had been down more then ten seconds. Walcott called a halt to the fight. The so-called "phantom punch" (named the Anchor punch by Ali) remains controversial to this day, with rumours persisting that Liston took a dive, under pressure from either the mob or the Black Muslims.

==Post Championship ==
Following the bout with Ali, Liston remained inactive for the rest of 1965. He made a comeback in 1966, winning four consecutive bouts in Sweden promoted by [[Ingemar Johansson]]. He won a further seven consecutive bouts in 1968 against relatively obscure opposition, before suffering the only uncontroversial knockout loss of his career, when he was knocked unconscious by a vicious right hand from [[Leotis Martin]], a bout in which Liston was leading on all three scorecards. That would prove to be the penultimate fight of Liston's career. His final bout came against future heavyweight title challenger [[Chuck Wepner]] on 29th June 1970; Liston won by a tenth round TKO after Wepner was unable to continue due to heavy cuts.

== Media ==
*Liston appeared on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ed_Sullivan_Show "The Ed Sullivan Show"], performing his jump-roping talent, and made an appearance on ''The Jack Benny Program.''
*Liston also forayed into a career in acting. He appeared in the movies [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066095 Moonfire], [http://www.imdb.com/tittle/tt0063049 Head], and [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059253 Harlow (1965)].
*Also appeared in a television commercial for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braniff_International_Airways Braniff International Airways] with acclaimed new age artist [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Warhol Andy Warhol].

== External Links ==
*Fight Record: [http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=009031]
*International Boxing Hall of Fame bio: [http://www.ibhof.com/liston.htm]
*Grave Site: [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=632]
*Seconds Out article: [http://www.secondsout.com/legends/legends_31480.asp]
*Cyber Boxing Zone Article: [http://cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/box2-00.htm#liston]
*International Movie Database: [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0514288/]

== Published References ==
#A. S. Young, ''Sonny Liston: The Champ Nobody Wanted'' (1963).
#R. Burnes, "Heavyweight with a Past" ''Saturday Evening Post'', 13 August 1960, pp. 56-58.
#J. Flaherty, "A Right to the Jaw-That's Black Power" ''Esquire'', March 1969, pp. 112-14.
#B. J. Friedman, "Requeim for a Heavy" ''Esquire'', Aug. 1971, ppg. 55-57.
#L. V. Davis, "Sonny Liston"; in ''American National Biography'', pp. 733-34. (1999).

----
Books on Liston: [[Devil and Sonny Liston|''Devil and Sonny Liston'']]

{{start box}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Floyd Patterson]]|
title=[[World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Cassius Clay]]|
years=25 Sep 1962–19 Jun 1964
}}
{{end box}}

[[Category:World Heavyweight Champions|Liston, Sonny]]
[[Category:American World Champions|Liston, Sonny]]
[[Category:IBHOF Members|Liston, Sonny]]
[[Category:World Boxing Hall of Fame Members|Liston, Sonny]]
[[Category:Intercity Golden Gloves Champions|Liston, Sonny]]
[[Category:Chicago Golden Gloves Champions|Liston, Sonny]]

Sonny Liston

2008-02-08T19:27:10Z

Flavius Constantius: /* Heavyweight Champion */

[[file:Liston.sonny.jpg|left]]
<boxer>009031</boxer>
'''Managers:''' [[Jack Nilon]], [[Joe (Pep) Barone]], [[Eddie Polino]], [[George Katz]], [[Frank Mitchell]], and [[Dick Sadler]] 
'''Trainers''': [[Willie Reddish]], Dick Sadler and [[Johnny Tocco]] 
'''Cut Men''': [[Joe Polino]] and [[Milt Bailey]]

== Mysteries Surrounding Birth and Death ==
Charles "Sonny" Liston was born May 8, 1932 in rural Arkansas, one of eleven children of his biological mother, Helen Baskin, and purportedly the twenty-fourth of twenty-five children sired by his father, Tobe Liston. Although many make a mystery out of his date of birth, as his mother was recorded as stating different dates, his prison records confirm his date of birth.

Liston died December 30, 1970 in Las Vegas, Nevada, and was discovered by his wife over a week later. The police declared it a drug overdose, however, referee [[Davey Pearl]] said he had a phobia of needles, prompting some rumors that he could have been murdered by some of his underworld contacts. His funeral was attended by many of boxing's dignataries, including former heavyweight champion Joe Louis as a pall-bearer.

== Early Life and Amateur Career ==
Liston's childhood was one of poverty, pain, and illiteracy. Brutal and frequent beatings from his father caused Liston to pursue his mother to St Louis at age 13.

In St. Louis, Liston was in frequent trouble with the law. After many minor arrests, Liston was arrested for armed robbery and sentenced to prison. During his stay, his talent was discovered by a Catholic priest. Through the actions of the Priest, Liston was paroled early and began a career in boxing.

In a brief amateur career, spanning less than a year, Liston captured the [[Chicago Golden Gloves]] Tournament of Champions on March 6, 1953, with a victory over [[Ed Sanders]], and the [[Intercity Golden Gloves]] championship by decision over Julius Griffin. In the United States National (A.A.U.) Championship, Liston was defeated by Jimmy McCarter of Chester, Pennsylvania.

==Early Professional Career ==
Liston began his professional career with a first round knockout of Don Smith and built up a nine fight winning streak against mainly unremarkable opposition. He was handed his first defeat by awkward journeyman [[Marty Marshall]] on 7th September 1954. Whilst laughing at his opponent's unorthodox ring tactics, Liston was caught by a Marshall right hand and suffered a broken jaw, but still lasted the distance, losing on a split decision. He met Marshall again seven months later, this time winning by a sixth round TKO after flooring Marshall four times. Liston also won their rubber match in March 1956 to extend his record to 14-1. However, a few months later he was sentenced to nine months imprisonment for assaulting a police officer and banned from boxing for the whole of 1957.

==Heavyweight Contender ==
Following his release from prison, Liston embarked on an rigorous campaign starting in 1958 which would see him level the entire heavyweight division and become the only logical contender to champion [[Floyd Patterson]]'s crown. But it would be four years before Liston finally earned a shot at the title, with Patterson's handlers citing Liston's links to organised crime as a reason to avoid the match-up. Liston knocked out [[Nino Valdes]] in three rounds and [[Wayne Bethea]] in one; he twice knocked out the hard punching [[Cleveland Williams]] (TKO3 and TKO2) in classic slugfests; [[Zora Folley]] (51-3-2) was knocked out in three, [[Mike DeJohn]] (37-5-1) in six, [[Roy Harris]] (30-1) in one and German champion [[Albert Westphal]] in one. The only opponents to last the distance were [[Eddie Machen]] and [[Bert Whitehurst]], although both adopted ultra-cautious tactics and Liston won comfortably on points. Finally, after years of pressure, Patterson defied his manager [[Cus D'Amato]] and signed to fight Liston.

==Heavyweight Champion ==
Liston and Patterson finally met in the ring on 25th September 1962 in Chicago. Once the bell rang, it soon became clear that Patterson lacked the strength or power to keep Liston away. Liston pinned Patterson on the ropes in the first round and felled the champion with a series of blows to the head. Patterson was unable to beat the count, and after 2:05 the bout was over. Liston was the new world champion. The rematch a year later lasted just four seconds longer, Liston again winning with a brutal first round knockout.

At around the same time, a brash and talented young heavyweight named [[Muhammad Ali|Cassius Clay]] emerged onto the boxing scene. In his bid to earn a title shot, Clay christened Liston a "big, ugly bear" and left bear traps outside his house. The bout took place on 25 February 1964. Despite Liston entering the ring as an 8-1 favourite, the quick and agile Clay proved an elusive target. Liston struggled to land clean blows, while Clay scored with quick combinations. After six rounds it was all over. Liston failed to answer the bell for the seventh, claiming an injured shoulder, handing Clay the championship.

The rematch between Liston and Clay (by now known as Muhammad Ali) is among the most controversial bouts in heavyweight history. As the first round got underway, Liston was felled by a seemingly innocuous right hand thrown by Ali as he was moving backwards. Referee, former heavyweight champion [[Jersey Joe Walcott]], ushered Ali to a neutral corner but failed to pick up the count from the timekeeper. Liston got up and Walcott told the fighters to continue boxing, but [[Nat Fleischer]] called out from ringside that Liston had been down more then ten seconds. Walcott called a halt to the fight. The so-called "phantom punch" (named the Anchor punch by Ali) remains controversial to this day, with rumours persisting that Liston took a dive, under pressure from either the mob or the Black Muslims.

==Post Championship ==

== Media ==
*Liston appeared on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ed_Sullivan_Show "The Ed Sullivan Show"], performing his jump-roping talent, and made an appearance on ''The Jack Benny Program.''
*Liston also forayed into a career in acting. He appeared in the movies [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066095 Moonfire], [http://www.imdb.com/tittle/tt0063049 Head], and [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059253 Harlow (1965)].
*Also appeared in a television commercial for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braniff_International_Airways Braniff International Airways] with acclaimed new age artist [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Warhol Andy Warhol].

== External Links ==
*Fight Record: [http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=009031]
*International Boxing Hall of Fame bio: [http://www.ibhof.com/liston.htm]
*Grave Site: [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=632]
*Seconds Out article: [http://www.secondsout.com/legends/legends_31480.asp]
*Cyber Boxing Zone Article: [http://cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/box2-00.htm#liston]
*International Movie Database: [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0514288/]

== Published References ==
#A. S. Young, ''Sonny Liston: The Champ Nobody Wanted'' (1963).
#R. Burnes, "Heavyweight with a Past" ''Saturday Evening Post'', 13 August 1960, pp. 56-58.
#J. Flaherty, "A Right to the Jaw-That's Black Power" ''Esquire'', March 1969, pp. 112-14.
#B. J. Friedman, "Requeim for a Heavy" ''Esquire'', Aug. 1971, ppg. 55-57.
#L. V. Davis, "Sonny Liston"; in ''American National Biography'', pp. 733-34. (1999).

----
Books on Liston: [[Devil and Sonny Liston|''Devil and Sonny Liston'']]

{{start box}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Floyd Patterson]]|
title=[[World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Cassius Clay]]|
years=25 Sep 1962–19 Jun 1964
}}
{{end box}}

[[Category:World Heavyweight Champions|Liston, Sonny]]
[[Category:American World Champions|Liston, Sonny]]
[[Category:IBHOF Members|Liston, Sonny]]
[[Category:World Boxing Hall of Fame Members|Liston, Sonny]]
[[Category:Intercity Golden Gloves Champions|Liston, Sonny]]
[[Category:Chicago Golden Gloves Champions|Liston, Sonny]]

Sonny Liston

2008-02-07T20:27:56Z

Flavius Constantius:

[[file:Liston.sonny.jpg|left]]
<boxer>009031</boxer>
'''Managers:''' [[Jack Nilon]], [[Joe (Pep) Barone]], [[Eddie Polino]], [[George Katz]], [[Frank Mitchell]], and [[Dick Sadler]] 
'''Trainers''': [[Willie Reddish]], Dick Sadler and [[Johnny Tocco]] 
'''Cut Men''': [[Joe Polino]] and [[Milt Bailey]]

== Mysteries Surrounding Birth and Death ==
Charles "Sonny" Liston was born May 8, 1932 in rural Arkansas, one of eleven children of his biological mother, Helen Baskin, and purportedly the twenty-fourth of twenty-five children sired by his father, Tobe Liston. Although many make a mystery out of his date of birth, as his mother was recorded as stating different dates, his prison records confirm his date of birth.

Liston died December 30, 1970 in Las Vegas, Nevada, and was discovered by his wife over a week later. The police declared it a drug overdose, however, referee [[Davey Pearl]] said he had a phobia of needles, prompting some rumors that he could have been murdered by some of his underworld contacts. His funeral was attended by many of boxing's dignataries, including former heavyweight champion Joe Louis as a pall-bearer.

== Early Life and Amateur Career ==
Liston's childhood was one of poverty, pain, and illiteracy. Brutal and frequent beatings from his father caused Liston to pursue his mother to St Louis at age 13.

In St. Louis, Liston was in frequent trouble with the law. After many minor arrests, Liston was arrested for armed robbery and sentenced to prison. During his stay, his talent was discovered by a Catholic priest. Through the actions of the Priest, Liston was paroled early and began a career in boxing.

In a brief amateur career, spanning less than a year, Liston captured the [[Chicago Golden Gloves]] Tournament of Champions on March 6, 1953, with a victory over [[Ed Sanders]], and the [[Intercity Golden Gloves]] championship by decision over Julius Griffin. In the United States National (A.A.U.) Championship, Liston was defeated by Jimmy McCarter of Chester, Pennsylvania.

==Early Professional Career ==
Liston began his professional career with a first round knockout of Don Smith and built up a nine fight winning streak against mainly unremarkable opposition. He was handed his first defeat by awkward journeyman [[Marty Marshall]] on 7th September 1954. Whilst laughing at his opponent's unorthodox ring tactics, Liston was caught by a Marshall right hand and suffered a broken jaw, but still lasted the distance, losing on a split decision. He met Marshall again seven months later, this time winning by a sixth round TKO after flooring Marshall four times. Liston also won their rubber match in March 1956 to extend his record to 14-1. However, a few months later he was sentenced to nine months imprisonment for assaulting a police officer and banned from boxing for the whole of 1957.

==Heavyweight Contender ==
Following his release from prison, Liston embarked on an rigorous campaign starting in 1958 which would see him level the entire heavyweight division and become the only logical contender to champion [[Floyd Patterson]]'s crown. But it would be four years before Liston finally earned a shot at the title, with Patterson's handlers citing Liston's links to organised crime as a reason to avoid the match-up. Liston knocked out [[Nino Valdes]] in three rounds and [[Wayne Bethea]] in one; he twice knocked out the hard punching [[Cleveland Williams]] (TKO3 and TKO2) in classic slugfests; [[Zora Folley]] (51-3-2) was knocked out in three, [[Mike DeJohn]] (37-5-1) in six, [[Roy Harris]] (30-1) in one and German champion [[Albert Westphal]] in one. The only opponents to last the distance were [[Eddie Machen]] and [[Bert Whitehurst]], although both adopted ultra-cautious tactics and Liston won comfortably on points. Finally, after years of pressure, Patterson defied his manager [[Cus D'Amato]] and signed to fight Liston.

==Heavyweight Champion ==
Liston and Patterson finally met in the ring on 25th September 1962 in Chicago. Once the bell rang, it soon became clear that Patterson lacked the strength or power to keep Liston away. Liston pinned Patterson on the ropes in the first round and felled the champion with a series of blows to the head. Patterson was unable to beat the count, and after 2:05 the bout was over. Liston was the new world champion. The rematch a year later lasted just four seconds longer, Liston again winning with a brutal first round knockout.

==Post Championship ==

== Media ==
*Liston appeared on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ed_Sullivan_Show "The Ed Sullivan Show"], performing his jump-roping talent, and made an appearance on ''The Jack Benny Program.''
*Liston also forayed into a career in acting. He appeared in the movies [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066095 Moonfire], [http://www.imdb.com/tittle/tt0063049 Head], and [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059253 Harlow (1965)].
*Also appeared in a television commercial for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braniff_International_Airways Braniff International Airways] with acclaimed new age artist [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Warhol Andy Warhol].

== External Links ==
*Fight Record: [http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=009031]
*International Boxing Hall of Fame bio: [http://www.ibhof.com/liston.htm]
*Grave Site: [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=632]
*Seconds Out article: [http://www.secondsout.com/legends/legends_31480.asp]
*Cyber Boxing Zone Article: [http://cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/box2-00.htm#liston]
*International Movie Database: [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0514288/]

== Published References ==
#A. S. Young, ''Sonny Liston: The Champ Nobody Wanted'' (1963).
#R. Burnes, "Heavyweight with a Past" ''Saturday Evening Post'', 13 August 1960, pp. 56-58.
#J. Flaherty, "A Right to the Jaw-That's Black Power" ''Esquire'', March 1969, pp. 112-14.
#B. J. Friedman, "Requeim for a Heavy" ''Esquire'', Aug. 1971, ppg. 55-57.
#L. V. Davis, "Sonny Liston"; in ''American National Biography'', pp. 733-34. (1999).

----
Books on Liston: [[Devil and Sonny Liston|''Devil and Sonny Liston'']]

{{start box}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Floyd Patterson]]|
title=[[World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Cassius Clay]]|
years=25 Sep 1962–19 Jun 1964
}}
{{end box}}

[[Category:World Heavyweight Champions|Liston, Sonny]]
[[Category:American World Champions|Liston, Sonny]]
[[Category:IBHOF Members|Liston, Sonny]]
[[Category:World Boxing Hall of Fame Members|Liston, Sonny]]
[[Category:Intercity Golden Gloves Champions|Liston, Sonny]]
[[Category:Chicago Golden Gloves Champions|Liston, Sonny]]

Sonny Liston

2008-02-07T20:14:34Z

Flavius Constantius: /* Heavyweight Champion */

[[file:Liston.sonny.jpg|left]]
<boxer>009031</boxer>
'''Managers:''' [[Jack Nilon]], [[Joe (Pep) Barone]], [[Eddie Polino]], [[George Katz]], [[Frank Mitchell]], and [[Dick Sadler]] 
'''Trainers''': [[Willie Reddish]], Dick Sadler and [[Johnny Tocco]] 
'''Cut Men''': [[Joe Polino]] and [[Milt Bailey]]

== Mysteries Surrounding Birth and Death ==
Charles "Sonny" Liston was born May 8, 1932 in rural Arkansas, one of eleven children of his biological mother, Helen Baskin, and purportedly the twenty-fourth of twenty-five children sired by his father, Tobe Liston. Although many make a mystery out of his date of birth, as his mother was recorded as stating different dates, his prison records confirm his date of birth.

Liston died December 30, 1970 in Las Vegas, Nevada, and was discovered by his wife over a week later. The police declared it a drug overdose, however, referee [[Davey Pearl]] said he had a phobia of needles, prompting some rumors that he could have been murdered by some of his underworld contacts. His funeral was attended by many of boxing's dignataries, including former heavyweight champion Joe Louis as a pall-bearer.

== Early Life and Amateur Career ==
Liston's childhood was one of poverty, pain, and illiteracy. Brutal and frequent beatings from his father caused Liston to pursue his mother to St Louis at age 13.

In St. Louis, Liston was in frequent trouble with the law. After many minor arrests, Liston was arrested for armed robbery and sentenced to prison. During his stay, his talent was discovered by a Catholic priest. Through the actions of the Priest, Liston was paroled early and began a career in boxing.

In a brief amateur career, spanning less than a year, Liston captured the [[Chicago Golden Gloves]] Tournament of Champions on March 6, 1953, with a victory over [[Ed Sanders]], and the [[Intercity Golden Gloves]] championship by decision over Julius Griffin. In the United States National (A.A.U.) Championship, Liston was defeated by Jimmy McCarter of Chester, Pennsylvania.

==Early Professional Career ==
Liston began his professional career with a first round knockout of Don Smith and built up a nine fight winning streak against mainly unremarkable opposition. He was handed his first defeat by awkward journeyman [[Marty Marshall]] on 7th September 1954. Whilst laughing at his opponent's unorthodox ring tactics, Liston was caught by a Marshall right hand and suffered a broken jaw, but still lasted the distance, losing on a split decision. He met Marshall again seven months later, this winning by a sixth round TKO after flooring Marshall four times. Liston also won their rubber match in March 1956 to extend his record to 14-1. However, a few months later he was sentenced to nine months imprisonment for assaulting a police officer and banned from boxing for the whole of 1957.

==Heavyweight Contender ==
Following his released from prison, Liston embarked on an rigorous campaign starting in 1958 which would see him level the entire heavyweight division and become the only logical contender to champion [[Floyd Patterson]]'s crown. But it would be four years before Liston finally earned a shot at the title, with Patterson's handlers citing Liston's links to organised crime as a reason to avoid the match-up. Liston knocked out [[Nino Valdes]] in three rounds and [[Wayne Bethea]] in one; he twice knocked out the hard punching [[Cleveland Williams]] (TKO3 and TKO2) in classic slugfests; [[Zora Folley]] (51-3-2) was knocked out in three, [[Mike DeJohn]] (37-5-1) in six, [[Roy Harris]] (30-1) in one and German champion [[Albert Westphal]] in one. The only opponents to last the distance were [[Eddie Machen]] and [[Bert Whitehurst]], although both adopted ultra-cautious tactics and Liston won comfortably on points. Finally, after years of pressure, Patterson defied his manager [[Cus D'Amato]] and signed to fight Liston.

==Heavyweight Champion ==
Liston and Patterson finally met in the ring on 25th September 1962 in Chicago. Once the bell rang, it soon became clear that Patterson lacked the strength or power to keep Liston away. Liston pinned Patterson on the ropes in the first round and felled the champion with a series of blows to the head. Patterson was unable to beat the count, and after 2:05 the bout was over. Liston was the new world champion. They rematch a year later just just four seconds longer, Liston again winning with a brutal first round knockout.

==Post Championship ==

== Media ==
*Liston appeared on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ed_Sullivan_Show "The Ed Sullivan Show"], performing his jump-roping talent, and made an appearance on ''The Jack Benny Program.''
*Liston also forayed into a career in acting. He appeared in the movies [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066095 Moonfire], [http://www.imdb.com/tittle/tt0063049 Head], and [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059253 Harlow (1965)].
*Also appeared in a television commercial for [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braniff_International_Airways Braniff International Airways] with acclaimed new age artist [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Warhol Andy Warhol].

== External Links ==
*Fight Record: [http://www.boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=009031]
*International Boxing Hall of Fame bio: [http://www.ibhof.com/liston.htm]
*Grave Site: [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=632]
*Seconds Out article: [http://www.secondsout.com/legends/legends_31480.asp]
*Cyber Boxing Zone Article: [http://cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/box2-00.htm#liston]
*International Movie Database: [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0514288/]

== Published References ==
#A. S. Young, ''Sonny Liston: The Champ Nobody Wanted'' (1963).
#R. Burnes, "Heavyweight with a Past" ''Saturday Evening Post'', 13 August 1960, pp. 56-58.
#J. Flaherty, "A Right to the Jaw-That's Black Power" ''Esquire'', March 1969, pp. 112-14.
#B. J. Friedman, "Requeim for a Heavy" ''Esquire'', Aug. 1971, ppg. 55-57.
#L. V. Davis, "Sonny Liston"; in ''American National Biography'', pp. 733-34. (1999).

----
Books on Liston: [[Devil and Sonny Liston|''Devil and Sonny Liston'']]

{{start box}}
{{Succession box|
before=[[Floyd Patterson]]|
title=[[World Heavyweight Champion]]|
after=[[Cassius Clay]]|
years=25 Sep 1962–19 Jun 1964
}}
{{end box}}

[[Category:World Heavyweight Champions|Liston, Sonny]]
[[Category:American World Champions|Liston, Sonny]]
[[Category:IBHOF Members|Liston, Sonny]]
[[Category:World Boxing Hall of Fame Members|Liston, Sonny]]
[[Category:Intercity Golden Gloves Champions|Liston, Sonny]]
[[Category:Chicago Golden Gloves Champions|Liston, Sonny]]

Sonny Liston

2008-02-07T03:47:55Z

Flavius Constantius: /* Early Professional Career */

Sonny Liston

2008-02-07T03:19:46Z

Flavius Constantius: /* Heavyweight Contender */

Talk:Roy Jones Jr.

2007-12-16T18:05:21Z

Flavius Constantius: New page: Did Roy Jones write this article?! No mention of: # Accusations of hand-picking his fights and selecting over-matched opponents like Otis Grant, Rick Frazier and Glen Kelly. # McCallum w...

Did Roy Jones write this article?!

No mention of:

# Accusations of hand-picking his fights and selecting over-matched opponents like Otis Grant, Rick Frazier and Glen Kelly.
# McCallum was way past his peak.
# The politics behind his loss to Park.
# Failure to fight Dariusz Michalczewski, lineal champ and the consensus no.2 light-heavy in the world who had never lost his WBA/IBF titles in the ring. Michalczewski called RJJ out when he was in the US, but there was no response.
# Potential fights with Benn and Jackson which never materialised.
# Dominating the LH division at a time when it was relatively weak.
# His suspect chin, and losing to arguably the first opponents with the ability to test it.
# His perceived boring and overly cautious style.
# Winning his heavyweight title against the mediocre John Ruiz and then refusing to defend it against a decent HW ie Holyfield.
# His unwillingness to fight Tarver the first time and then the rematch.
# Failing a drugs test.