Liston continued to fight in the ring until June 1970. He quickly learned how to box and within three years was fighting on the amateur circuit. (There is some speculation about his year of birth, but most sources state sometime from 1929 to 1932.) In October 1952, Liston was released on parole. with Cornelia Winfrey, born in April 1873 - Montgomery Co., MS, deceased. 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. WebListon retired on his stool citing an injured shoulder; After this fight Cassius Clay changed his name to Cassius X and then to Muhammad Ali; 1964 Ring Magazine Fight of the Year. He sold pecans from his brother-in-laws tree in order to reunite with his mother and his siblings. Nevertheless, he had a soft spot for children. On the side of Tobe Liston, born in 1872 - Choctaw Co., MS, deceased. 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. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Dowling Liston and Geraldine had no children, but Liston loved kids and enjoyed being in their company. He was born in St. Francis in the state of Missouri, USA. (LogOut/ Along with his many siblings, Liston grew up working in the local cotton fields. WebPatterson defended against Liston in Comiskey Park, Chicago, on September 25, 1962, and the rest is history. At 6 feet 1 inch and 217 pounds, Liston had devastating punching power, an iron chin, and lightning reflexes, along with a powerful jab. After a rough upbringing, with little formal education, Liston found himself in trouble with the law. Sonny Liston was born on May 8, 1932 in Sand Slough, AR. Major children and living persons must directly contact the. His time at the summit was brief. As Toches brings out, Liston's brooding temperament can be explained in part by his insecurity. He had been dead for some time, an ending every bit as murky as the Clay/Ali fights. Is mentioned in the song "Swinging" by Tom Petty. WebThe son of tenant farmer Tobey Liston and his second wife, Helen, Liston was the 24th of his father's 25 children. Scroll below and check our most recent updates about Sonny Liston Net Worth, Salary, Biography, Age, On this date in 1964, a heavily favored Liston lost his title to upstart Cassius Clay, soon to be Muhammad Ali. 1932-1970 Sonny Liston was the heavyweight boxing champion from 1962 to 1964. Sonny Liston lost his title to the little known Cassius Clay in the seventh round in February 1964. Tosches is admirably objective in his presentation of Liston. | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Contact Us. Boxer Charles L. "Sonny" Liston was born in St. Francis County, Arkansas on May 8, 1932. Those dark forces were also at work when Liston willingly placed himself in the hands of the mob that ran the fight game during the time of Liston's ascendancy to the crown. L'arbre After being unable to reach Liston for 12 days, his wife Geraldine returned to their Nevada home on January 5, 1971, at which time she discovered Listons dead body. Let's check, How Rich is Ivn P, Mario Daser estimated Net Worth, Biography, Age, Height, Dating, Relationship Records, Salary, Income, Cars, Lifestyles & many more details have been updated below. Liston continued to box until the time of his death. He only served six. 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.". 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. | Won his last fight on June 29, 1970, at the Jersey City Armory, stopping. His epitaph reads: "A Man.". Less than a year later, on February 25, 1964, in Miami Beach, Florida, a heavily favored Liston lost his title to upstart Cassius Clay (soon to be Muhammad Ali) when he refused to answer the bell for the seventh round, claiming a shoulder injury. The rematch, in Lewiston, Maine, on May 25, 1965, was even more controversial. Sonny Liston was introduced to boxing while serving time in a Missouri State Penitentiary. Sonny Liston was born in Sand Slough, AR on May 8, 1932. QUICK FACTS. As Liston made himself a serious challenger to Floyd Patterson for the heavyweight title, Liston made his alliance with the Devil, as Tosches refers to the mob. He died circa December 30, 1970, in Las Vegas, Nevada. angelsunchained, Other Works His death certificate states his death as December 30, 1970, based on milk deliveries at his doorstep. 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. When Liston died, he was rated 7th in the world heavyweight rankings by Ring Magazine. Some suspect foul play; others believe Liston died of a self-inflicted drug overdose. In 1957, he was sentenced to nine months in the St. Louis workhouse for assaulting a police officer. Joe Louis rated Liston's jab one of the best in boxing history. Hungry fighters eager to break free from the shackles of their own environment bring an element of savage desperation into their ring encounters. Liston turned professional in September 1953, earning his first paycheck in St. Louis with a first-round knockout of Don Smith. Liston scored another knockout in a rematch with Patterson, but his 17-month reign as heavyweight champion ended at the hands of a brash fighter named Cassius Clay. Survived by his wife Geraldine and a step-daughter. He knocked out Floyd Patterson in 1962 to become world heavyweight champion. Known for his powerful punch, the majority of his victories were knockouts. We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right,contact us! 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. Womanizing. Served 7 months in jail for beating up a police officer over a parking ticket in St. Louis in the mid-1950s. Liston was raised on heavy farm work, many beatings and with virtually no schooling. The son of tenant farmer Tobey Liston and his second wife, Helen, Liston was the 24th of his fathers 25 children. Sonny Liston has been died on Dec 30, 1970 ( age 38). He never shied away from street fights. Hardly. During the years that Liston was champ, the mob was in retreat. Sonny Liston has been died on Dec 30, 1970 ( age 38). There, he became a thug, committing various muggings and robbery. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. His death was as mysterious as his birth. If you can, provide 1-2 sources of information backing up this correction. 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). Sonny Liston was born on May 8, probably 1932, to Tobe and Helen (Baskin) Liston, African-American sharecroppers in rural St. Francis County. Before he was 18, Liston was convicted of six muggings. 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. Tosches insists that films of Liston losing to Clay reveal that Liston was missing punches intentionally. . The official cause of his death was given as cardiac arrest and lung congestion. Served a prison sentence at Missouri State Penitentiary for robbing a gas station at age 18. Inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame, 1990. 72201. He continued fighting until June 29, 1970, when he knocked out Chuck Wepner, but he never got another title shot. There, he committed various muggings and robberies. Though it appeared that Liston had barely been grazed by Clay's right fist, the boxer went down just one minute and 45 seconds into the first round. (There is some speculation about his year of {{ media.date_translated }}, {{ asCtrl.bannerRights.content|translate }}, The Geneanet family trees are powered by Geneweb 7.0. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 2000. WebHis parents were Tobe Liston and Helen Baskin. Creating an account gives you access to all these features. In St. Louis, he quickly encountered problems with the local police. Along with his many siblings, Liston grew up working in the local cotton fields. boxer had the look of a champion. Known for scowling at opponents, he combined an intimidating ring presence with awesome power. Drinking. Just three months after Sonny's move to Denver, his license was reinstated. He cleared out his opponents to become the topmost contender. He was trained by Charles Hills and has raced for Chelsea Thoroughbreds, and was bred in [Add Data] by [Add Data] . Auspiciously, the massive man is known as "The Bear" then won his first nine fights before dropping an eight-round decision to Marty Marshall. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Clay later changed his name to Muhammad Ali. He became a professional fighter in 1953. Sonny Liston was a violent person even outside the ring. After being unable to reach Liston for 12 days, his wife Geraldine returned to their Nevada home on January 5, 1971, at which time she discovered Liston's dead body. The son of tenant farmer Tobey Liston and his second wife, Helen, Liston was the 24th of his fathers 25 children. Please try again. In a short amount of time, he rose to prominence as a contender in the heavyweight division. Clay is certainly to be counted among the greatest heavyweights of all time. Armed robbery. 100 Rock Street Carbo was in prison and Palmermo would soon follow. Folley knocked down twice in 2nd round; 9 count and saved by the bell at 9 count. 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. Known for scowling at opponents, he combined an intimidating ring presence with awesome power. Yet, Tosches postulates that Liston threw his first fight with Cassius Clay in Miami in February of 1964 at the behest of the mob. Liston claimed he was born in Liston was arrested more than 20 times. Soon caught (his crimes were inept, spur-of-the-moment, strong arm jobs) and charged with first-degree robbery and larceny, he was sentenced in 1950 to five years in the Missouri State Penitentiary. Tosches' explanation, of course, is that Liston was again dutifully following orders given by the mob. He was still a fringe contender at the age of 40 or so when he died under mysterious circumstances in December of 1970 at his house in Las Vegas. WebAnswer (1 of 2): At anytime in their careers Clay / Ali would have been too fast and elusive for Sonny. His relationship status is single. Sonny Liston is a 4 year old colt and has raced in 2022. Sonny Liston prefers not to tell the details of marital status & divorce. Former World Heavyweight Champion who learned to fight while in jail. 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. Sonny Liston had a controversial boxing career, winning 54 of 58 bouts from 1953 to 1970. Liston relocated to Denver with his wife Geraldine and friend/sparring partner Foneda Cox and underwent extensive counseling with Father Murphy. His alcoholic and violent father was thirty years older than Sonnys 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. That doesn't make sense. However, it turned out to be his stepdaughter, the daughter of his wife. contains thousands of pictures and GeneaStars. He married Geraldine Chambers on June 10, 1950. From the start, Liston was a devastating puncher. He was one of many childrenone account lists twenty-two siblings and half-siblings. Sonny never really had a Prime. After winning most of his matches by knockout, he turned pro in 1951. Give a donation in someones name to mark a special occasion, honor a friend or colleague or remember a beloved family member. The dark side is evident. 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. His mother believed he was born in January, 1928, but Liston would later claim his birth date to be May 8, 1932. 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. WebAnswer (1 of 2): At anytime in their careers Clay / Ali would have been too fast and elusive for Sonny. Boxer Charles L. "Sonny" Liston was born in St. Francis County, Arkansas on May 8, 1932. He acted in a number of films, the most famous being "Harlow" with Carroll Baker. It was there in Sand Slough that Charles L. Liston was born, on the 50 acres that Tobe rented from the Man.". Cox, who was interviewed extensively by Tosches, went as far as to say that Liston would still be alive if he had "spent more time with Father Murphy."). Tosches does a nice piece of reporting on the incident that led to Liston's arrest, objectively revealing all available viewpoints. Why he died remains one of sport's most enduring mysteries. General Melvin Krulewitch, chairman of the New York Boxing Commission in the 1950s, refused to issue Liston a license to fight in New York because he was guilty of associating with "questionable" characters. Robert B. Cochran New York: Skyhorse, 2011. Clay, later to be known as Muhammad Ali, may have had the fastest hands of any heavyweight ever to lace on a pair of gloves. He told them that he had no education, couldn't write and worked as a child to help feed his 24 siblings. He went on to win several amateur matches. After his release, Liston relocated to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where his career quickly flourished again. Sonny had to put the proper face forward to the public. Before his sentencing, Liston had been arrested more than twenty times. Big Hela had moved there in 1946. His parents were peasant farmers who grew cotton in the south. Sonny Liston, hard-luck son of Arkansas sharecroppers, was champion of the world. On the same night at a different location, but on the same closed-circuit broadcast, Patterson defeated unheralded Tom McNeeley in four rounds in what would be the final successful defense of his crown. in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, This form allows you to report an error or to submit additional information about this family tree: Sonny LISTON (1932), Copyright Wikipdia authors - This article is under licence CC BY-SA 3.0. (LogOut/ Very little is known about his birth and his Liston was beaten in his ninth match by Marty Marshall. He put himself under the care of still another Catholic priest, Father Edward P. Murphy, a kindly Jesuit who was the pastor of a predominantly black church in Denver. He was sired by Lawman out of the Galileo mare Stars In Your Eyes. Biography, Net Worth, Gossips, Salary, News & Much More. Change). All Rights Reserved. Primary Income source Boxer (profession). He was thirty-eight years. The most noticeable being his win over Ed Sanders. It was just a matter of semantics, though. The coroner picked December 30, 1970, as the date of death, and Liston was buried in the Paradise Memorial Gardens in Las Vegas under the simplest of epitaphs: A MAN.. Charles "Sonny" Liston was pronounced dead at the scene. 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. 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. Liston was the second last in a family of twenty-five siblings. The map below shows the places where the ancestors of the famous person lived. Basically, for a guy like Liston, it meant that you either dealt with them, or you didn't deal at all. Appeared in a Santa Claus hat on the cover of the December 1963 edition of Esquire Magazine. Liston was raised on heavy farm work, many beatings, and with virtually no schooling. At the age of 14, he was almost 6 feet tall. His mother separated from his father and went to St. Louis in Missouri. Liston claimed he was born in 1932, yet his rap sheet for his 1950 arrest for armed robbery listed his age as 22, making him born in 1928. He earned the money being a professional Boxer. As the top fighter in the world, Liston became an easy target for sports columnists who remarked frequently on not only his menacing demeanor and vicious punching power but also his criminal background. Known for his powerful punch, the majority of his victories were knockouts. Liston started boxing at the age of 14 because there were no sports available in Florida at the time. As with the date of Liston's birth, no one knows for sure. TM & 2023 BoxingScene.All Rights Reserved. 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. Sonny Liston Wife According to our records, Sonny Liston married to Geraldine Seithel. From the start, it was apparent that he had a future in the ring. DAmato went on to coach another great boxer in Mike Tyson. His alcoholic and violent father was thirty years older than Sonnys mother. Ali and Liston: The Boy Who Would Be King and the Ugly Bear.
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