If it was truly a fix, then Liston would have found a way to avoid taking the punishment that he received at Clay's hands before retiring on his stool after the sixth round. Liston went back to the ring. Gallender, Paul. Sonny Liston keeps his personal and love life private. WebHe had seven siblings. Liston was beholdin' to the mob and everybody knew it. James Ellroy portrayed Sonny Liston as a fight loser, a heroin addict, a black racist, and a Mafia jawbreaker in his novel "The Cold Six Thousand.". Liston was the youngest heavyweight boxing champion to die (age 38). Ali and Liston: The Boy Who Would Be King and the Ugly Bear. Sonny Liston: His Life, Strife, and the Phantom Punch. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. He got little good press, even from sports columnists, and was routinely subjected to overtly racist slurs in print: in 1964, Look ran a story titled Sonny Liston: King of the Beasts. Liston moved to Las Vegas in 1966 and was found dead there on January 5, 1971, when his wife returned to their Las Vegas home from a Christmas visit with her mother. He overcame tremendous odds to win the title and earn a measure of fame, but even so he was never embraced by the public. Liston was arrested more than 20 times. If two unmarried celebrities are seen in public together, they are often described as dating which means they were seen in public together, and it is not clear whether they are merely friends, exploring a more intimate relationship, or are romantically involved. contains thousands of pictures and GeneaStars. He had the biggest fist of any heavyweight champion: 15 inches. Outside of the ring, Liston had a charming personality. He died circa December 30, 1970, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Username and password are case sensitive. Liston turned professional in September 1953, earning his first paycheck in St. Louis with a first-round knockout of Don Smith. After a little while, Liston followed his mother and was reunited with his other siblings. View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. Sonny Liston was born on May 8, probably 1932, to Tobe and Helen (Baskin) Liston, African-American sharecroppers in rural St. Francis County. On September 25, 1962, Liston made history by becoming the heavyweight champion. Liston was sentenced to nine months in jail. Pre-European Exploration, Prehistory through 1540, European Exploration and Settlement, 1541 through 1802, Louisiana Purchase through Early Statehood, 1803 through 1860, Civil War through Reconstruction, 1861 through 1874, Post-Reconstruction through the Gilded Age, 1875 through 1900, Early Twentieth Century, 1901 through 1940, World War II through the Faubus Era, 1941 through 1967, Divergent Prosperity and the Arc of Reform, 19682022, World War II through the Faubus Era (1941 - 1967). His father was an abusive alcoholic, and Liston eventually left the house during his teens. Get in on the latest boxing conversations in our Forum and comment on articles. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. Introduced to boxing by Father Stevens in the St. Louis City Jail during 1950. Early Life. Charles "Sonny" Liston was pronounced dead at the scene. He sold pecans from his brother-in-laws tree in order to reunite with his mother and his siblings. There, he committed various muggings and robberies. At 6 feet 1 inch and 217 pounds, Liston had devastating punching power, an iron chin, and lightning reflexes, along with a powerful jab. Liston won 26 consecutive bouts, moving inexorably toward the heavyweight championship. His father was an abusive alcoholic, and Liston eventually left the house during his teens. . Very little is known about his birth and his In 1966, following his loss to Clay, Liston launched a comeback. Sonny Liston had a controversial boxing career, winning 54 of 58 bouts from 1953 to 1970. A story is told of Liston ordering his driver to stop on a busy highway, so that Liston could go and buy some pencils from an obviously poor, old, white women whom he had observed. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album cover. Paroled in 1952, he had a brief amateur career, winning several Golden Gloves championships and defeating 1952 Olympic heavyweight champion Ed Sanders. Later, films of the fight showed the bout ended at the 1:25 mark. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. Liston defeated Heavyweight Champion Floyd Patterson on Sept. 25, 1962. Served 7 months in jail for beating up a police officer over a parking ticket in St. Louis in the mid-1950s. Liston started boxing at the age of 14 because there were no sports available in Florida at the time. The title fight was in Chicago, Illinois, on September 25, 1962, with a wide public pulling for the champ (including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and authors James Baldwin and Norman Mailer). Apart from his demeanor, Liston was a charming man with a captivating smile. For those interested in knowing more about the life and times of one of the most enigmatic and troubled heavyweight champs, the book "The Devil and Sonny Liston," by Nick Tosches (Copyright 2000, published by Little, Brown and Company), is a wealth of knowledge. Boxer Charles L. "Sonny" Liston was born in St. Francis County, Arkansas on May 8, 1932. Mee, Bob. Liston, one of 25 children by his father, is reputed to have been born in May 1932, yet prison records show various birth dates, among them 1928. Womanizing. During his two-plus years in the state penitentiary, Liston attained a new nickname, "Sonny," and a new vocation, boxing. Tosches goes to great lengths in his book to convey the ubiquitous presence of the mob in those days and the power that men like Frank "Gray Man" Carbo and Frank "Blinky" Palermo wielded in boxing. The reader can form his own conclusion based on the reports of those involved. Major funding provided by the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation. The official cause of his death was given as cardiac arrest and lung congestion. London: Aurum Press, 2008. WebHe was the 12th of 13 children born to Tobe Liston and Helen Baskin, and he endured frequent beatings as a child. WebAsuncin "Sunny" Cummings Hostin (/ h s t n /; born October 20, 1968) is an American lawyer, journalist, and television host.Hostin is co-host on ABC's morning talk show The The Murder of Sonny Liston: Las Vegas, Heroin, and Heavyweights. Former World Heavyweight Champion who learned to fight while in jail. Liston, who was viewed as nearly invincible before the fight, was unable to answer the bell for the seventh round, and Clay (soon to take the nameMuhammad Ali) was named champion on February 25, 1964. Inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, 1991. In Michael Mann's Ali, Liston was portrayed by famous boxer Michael Bentt, with whom he shares a strong resemblance. His death certificate states his death as December 30, 1970, based on milk deliveries at his doorstep. As with the date of Liston's birth, no one knows for sure. The Devil and Sonny Liston. Reverend Stevens arranged the match for him. In 1950, he was convicted of two counts of larceny and two counts of first-degree robbery and spent more than two years in the Missouri State Penitentiary in Jefferson City. Foes like the murderous-punching Cleveland Williams, Mike DeJohn and Nino Valdez succumbed to Liston's heavy fists. Helen Liston However, his career was marred by criminal activity and, later, accusations of mob connections and throwing fights. Let's check, How Rich is Mario, Ben Villaflor estimated Net Worth, Biography, Age, Height, Dating, Relationship Records, Salary, Income, Cars, Lifestyles & many more details have been updated below. His time at the summit was brief. Read our Privacy Policy. Liston was buried in Paradise Memorial Gardens in Las Vegas, Nevada, beneath a simple gravestone. This enabled him to get hired as a manual laborer in the farms. Sonny had to put the proper face forward to the public. WebIn 1950, Liston was arrested at his apartment at 1006 O'Fallon Street for robbing the Unique Cafe on 1502 Market Street in St. Louis for 37 dollars. When he won the heavyweight title in 1962 at age 30, he had a daughter age 25. When Sonny KO'd Floyd Patterson in 1962 for The World Heavyweight Championship,he became the only challenger to win that title by a first round KO. He started boxing in prison and was likely over 30 then. Liston would later claim his birth date to be May 8, 1932, but that is off by at least two years. Joe Louis rated Liston's jab one of the best in boxing history. His 17-year ring log was an impressive 50-4 with 39 knockouts. It has been rumored that the crime boss John Vitale arranged for his early release. Boxer Charles L. "Sonny" Liston was born in St. Francis County, Arkansas on May 8, 1932. He kept fighting and kept winning against a progressively better grade of opponents. However, his career was marred by criminal activity and, later, accusations of mob connections and throwing fights, according to the. When a tribute gift is given the honoree will receive a letter acknowledging your generosity and a bookplate will be placed in a book. On Popular Bio, He is one of the successful Boxer. Liston destroyed the champion in one round and destroyed him again in the rematch. Biography, Net Worth, Gossips, Salary, News & Much More. His mother separated from his father and went to St. Louis in Missouri. Liston was inducted into the international Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991. Charles "Sonny" Liston was born circa 1930 into a sharecropping family who farmed the poor land of Morledge Plantation near Johnson Township, St. Francis County, Arkansas. DAmato went on to coach another great boxer in Mike Tyson. Again rumors were rife that the match was fixed by the criminal underworld. Basically, for a guy like Liston, it meant that you either dealt with them, or you didn't deal at all. The CALS Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. Liston relocated to Denver with his wife Geraldine and friend/sparring partner Foneda Cox and underwent extensive counseling with Father Murphy. Special thanks to the Department of Arkansas Heritage. Because of his arrest and prison term, Liston didn't have a fight between March of 1956, when he decisioned Marty Marshall in Pittsburgh, to January of 1958, when he knocked out Bill Hunter in two rounds in Chicago. (LogOut/ Former World Heavyweight Champion who learned to fight while in jail. Along with his many siblings, Liston grew up Sonny Liston has been died on Dec 30, 1970 ( age 38). (There is some speculation about his year of birth, but most sources state sometime from 1929 to 1932.) Sonny Liston was introduced to boxing while serving time in a Missouri State Penitentiary. For more information, contact 501-918-3025 orcalsfoundation@cals.org. 100 Rock Street document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ). He also has a position among the list of Most popular Boxer. contient des milliers de photos et GeneaStars. However, it turned out to be his stepdaughter, the daughter of his wife. Won his last fight on June 29, 1970, at the Jersey City Armory, stopping. The tactic worked. As most boxing fans know, it was in the Missouri State Penitentiary in Jefferson City that Sonny learned to box. He married Geraldine Chambers on June 10, 1950. Geraldine married Sonny Liston in 1950 WebSonny Liston is 6 feet 0 inches tall. Just three months after Sonny's move to Denver, his license was reinstated. In 1950, he was convicted of two counts of larceny and two counts of first-degree robbery and spent more than two years in the Missouri State Penitentiary in Jefferson City. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! (Which isn't to say that Liston took advantage of Father Murphy, or that he had a disregard for what Father Murphy had to say. The subsequent rematch with Clay on May 25, 1965, included the infamous phantom punch. Though it appeared that Liston had barely been grazed by Clays right fist, the boxer went down just one minute and 45 seconds into the first round. In 1950, Liston was arrested at his apartment at 1006 O'Fallon Street for robbing the Unique Cafe on 1502 Market Street in St. Louis for 37 dollars. For all his womanizing, Liston had a respect for his wife Geraldine and was faithful to her in his own way. Liston had a rough and violent childhood. Time magazine photograph of Ali standing over Liston, taunting him, is one of the most popularly published in boxing. Cruel Beginnings. New York: Blue Rider Press, 2016. Known for scowling at opponents, he combined an intimidating ring presence with awesome power. Honor or memorial gifts are an everlasting way to pay tribute to someone who has touched your life. Sonny Liston prefers not to tell the details of marital status & divorce. On the side of Tobe Liston, born in 1872 - Choctaw Co., MS, deceased. The Dowling Family Tree with over half a million relatives, | Sonny Liston Wife According to our records, Sonny Liston married to Geraldine Seithel. Additional support provided by the Arkansas General Assembly. He died under mysterious conditions on December 30, 1970. In accordance with the legal provisions, you can ask for the removal of your name and the name of your minor children. Liston continued to fight in the ring until June 1970. Check back often as we will continue to update this page with new relationship details. Even Sonny's mother, who was called Big Hela, didn't know, though she believed him to be born during the month of January. Tobe was mean to his children, and especially to Sonny. Assael, Shaun. But the champ went down in a hurry: two minutes and six seconds in the first round. Creating an account gives you access to all these features. With Cus DAmato as his coach, Liston reigned as champion for seventeen months. His last fight was against Chuck Wepner. The rematch in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 22 1963, was another first-round knockout, with Patterson counted out in two minutes, twenty-three seconds. It was just a matter of semantics, though. gnalogique Dowling avec plus d'un demi-million de parents, Liston, who was viewed as nearly invincible before the fight, was unable to answer the bell for the seventh round, and Clay (soon to take the name .css-47aoac{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#A00000;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;}.css-47aoac:hover{color:#595959;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;}Muhammad Ali) was named champion on February 25, 1964. Liston was arrested more than 20 times. He is one of the Richest Boxer who was born in AR. 1932-1970 Sonny Liston was the heavyweight boxing champion from 1962 to 1964. He had been dead for some time, an ending every bit as murky as the Clay/Ali fights. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. There were rumors of drug peddling, heroin use, and murder, but no answers. Education: Sonny Liston Net Worth: Sonny Liston net worth or net income is estimated to be between $1 Million $5 Million dollars. As for the rematch between the two fighters in an ice rink in Lewiston, Maine, in May of 1965, there are a lot of possible explanations for Liston's bizarre actions that night. In a short amount of time, those felonious deeds cost Sonny Liston his freedom. Scroll below and check our most recent updates about Sonny Liston Net Worth, Salary, Biography, Age, Liston was beaten in his ninth match by Marty Marshall. WebParents and Siblings Charles L. "Sonny" Liston 19321970 Geraldine Chamber 19252005 Spouse and Children Charles L. "Sonny" Liston Male19321970 Male Publicity Listings Donations made to the CALS Foundation are tax-deductible for United States federal income tax purposes. Liston was born in St. Francis County, Arkansas, around 1932. Liston excelled in his newfound love, boxing, and, after a short amateur career, turned professional. Charles L. Sonny Liston was born in St. Francis County, Arkansas, to Tobe Liston and Helen Baskin. His father was 30 years older than his mother. Owing to his bold physique and strict upbringing, Liston loved training. He was friendly with his fans and had a soft spot for children. His sporting agility was electrifying to watch. On this date in 1964, a heavily favored Liston lost his title to upstart Cassius Clay, soon to be Muhammad Ali. As Toches brings out, Liston's brooding temperament can be explained in part by his insecurity. (There is some speculation about his year of birth, but most sources state sometime from 1929 to 1932.) The son of tenant farmer Tobey Liston and his second wife, Helen, Liston was the 24th of his father's 25 children. Liston won 13 of his first 14 bouts before trouble with the law cost him his freedom a second time. Liston was raised on heavy farm work, many beatings, and with virtually no schooling. angelsunchained, Other Works Liston, who posted a career record of 50 wins and 4 losses with 39 knockouts, reveled in this role of the fighter America loved to hate. Liston's formative years were spent growing up as a physically and mentally abused child living in a forsaken patch of land known as Sand Slough, Ark. All Rights Reserved. His best years were 195862 when he destroyed everyone while Patterson shamelessly ducked him. His death certificate states his death as December 30, 1970, based on milk deliveries at his doorstep. The place had a name, but it was not to be found on any map. Hungry fighters eager to break free from the shackles of their own environment bring an element of savage desperation into their ring encounters. He continued fighting until June 29, 1970, when he knocked out Chuck Wepner, but he never got another title shot. He has ranked on the list of those famous people who were born on May 8, 1932. Liston won 26 consecutive bouts, moving inexorably toward the heavyweight championship. He won in the first round against Don Smith. Steen, Rob. In 1950, he was arrested by the police. with Cornelia Winfrey, born in April 1873 - Montgomery Co., MS, deceased. In the films the good guy always wins, but this is one bad guy who ain't gonna lose. Tosches here betrays an ignorance of boxing that no doubt hurts his credibility with those know know the sport. Astrological Sign: Taurus, Death Year: 1970, Death date: December 30, 1970, Death State: Nevada, Death City: Las Vegas, Death Country: United States, Article Title: Sonny Liston Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/athletes/sonny-liston, Publisher: A&E; Television Networks, Last Updated: April 23, 2021, Original Published Date: April 2, 2014. Sonny Liston existed, and, Ali bouts or no Ali bouts, he was one of the greatest fighters to ever lace on a glove. At the age of 13, he ran away to St. Louis, following his mother who had left earlier. Clay is certainly to be counted among the greatest heavyweights of all time. Sonny Liston was officially born on May 8th 1932, even if no one knows exactly when he was born, that is the date that he set up for all the official records. Nine years of steady fighting later, and following additional scrapes with the law, Liston fought Floyd Patterson for the Heavyweight Championship. 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He died in Vegas as mysteriously as he had lived, a man bent under a great shadow, afflicted by a legion of personal demons that no one could exorcise. Before he was 18, Liston was convicted of six muggings. He climbed back into the ring on June 29, 1970, registering a 10th-round technical knockout against Bayonne Bleeder Chuck Wepner. Known for his powerful punch, the majority of his victories were knockouts. Nous sommes tous All Rights Reserved. After a rough upbringing, with little formal education, Liston found himself in trouble with the law. It was a defense mechanism designed to keep people from getting too close. He died circa December 30, 1970, in Las Vegas, Nevada. In September of 1953, he knocked out Don "Toro" Smith in two rounds in St. Louis, setting in motion a career which would span 17 years and bring Sonny to the pinnacle of success in his sport. She had been away on holiday. Additional support provided by the Arkansas Humanities Council. Liston was the second last in a family of twenty-five siblings. By all accounts, Liston had a woeful childhood. Auspiciously, the massive man is known as "The Bear" then won his first nine fights before dropping an eight-round decision to Marty Marshall. The official cause of death was lung congestion and heart failure, although Liston had fresh needle marks on his arm and police discovered heroin and a syringe in the house. Sonny, who was known by his proper name Charles while growing up, rarely attended school and never learned to read or write, a fact that haunted him as an adult and fed a lifelong problem with insecurity. Because of this alliance, which was public knowledge, Liston was called before the committee investigating organized crime that had been established by Tennessee Democratic Senator Estes Kefauver. Sonny Liston estimated Net Worth, Salary, Income, Cars, Lifestyles & many more details have been updated below. In prison, encouraged by Catholic chaplains, Liston took up boxing, where he was an immediate and spectacular success. He acted in a number of films, the most famous being "Harlow" with Carroll Baker. The first time you log in to our catalog you will need to create an account. 2023 Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Liston was buried in Paradise Memorial Gardens in Las Vegas, Nevada, beneath a simple gravestone. He is from AR. Tosches, who hails from Newark, writes in an engaging style that is as beautifully stylish as a Liston left jab and as savagely straightforward. Sonny Liston had a controversial boxing career, winning 54 of 58 bouts from 1953 to 1970. WebAnswer (1 of 2): At anytime in their careers Clay / Ali would have been too fast and elusive for Sonny. (adsbygoogle=window.adsbygoogle||[]).push({}); Ivn Popoca estimated Net Worth, Biography, Age, Height, Dating, Relationship Records, Salary, Income, Cars, Lifestyles & many more details have been updated below.