His epitaph reads: A Man.. (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. 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. Yet, Tosches postulates that Liston threw his first fight with Cassius Clay in Miami in February of 1964 at the behest of the mob. Boxer Charles L. "Sonny" Liston was born in St. Francis County, Arkansas on May 8, 1932. 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. However, it turned out to be his stepdaughter, the daughter of his wife. 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. Additional support provided by the Charles M. and Joan R. Taylor Foundation Inc. All Rights Reserved. His final record as a professional was 50 wins, 39 by knockout, and four losses. Creating an account gives you access to all these features. In the same interval, he had gotten married (in 1957 to Geraldine Clark), moved from St. Louis to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1958, and been questioned by a congressional committee about the takeover of his management by mob elements in 1960. His mother worked several jobs to support her children. He acted in a number of films, the most famous being "Harlow" with Carroll Baker. Carbo was in prison and Palmermo would soon follow. Liston had a short and successful amateur career, following which he turned pro. 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. contient des milliers de photos et GeneaStars. It was there in Sand Slough that Charles L. Liston was born, on the 50 acres that Tobe rented from the Man.". 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. Trivia He was convicted of robbery and larceny. 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. Along with his many siblings, Liston grew up working in the local cotton fields. Please try again. Family Basically, for a guy like Liston, it meant that you either dealt with them, or you didn't deal at all. Tosches' explanation, of course, is that Liston was again dutifully following orders given by the mob. He knocked out Floyd Patterson in 1962 to become world heavyweight champion. Liston's purpose was to show the Pennylvania State Athletic Commission, and the world, that he was turning a new leaf. Deceased persons are not concerned by this provision. Get in on the latest boxing conversations in our Forum and comment on articles. His father was an abusive alcoholic, and Liston eventually left the house during his teens. It was just a matter of semantics, though. His dad was an abusive alcoholic and at the age of 13, Sonny left to live with his aunt in Sonny Liston turned professional in September 1953. On the side of Tobe Liston, born in 1872 - Choctaw Co., MS, deceased. Least of all, Sonny himself. 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. WebAnswer (1 of 2): At anytime in their careers Clay / Ali would have been too fast and elusive for Sonny. 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. - IMDb Mini Biography By: But the champ went down in a hurry: two minutes and six seconds in the first round. There's no question that the hard-scrabble existence of youth prepared Liston for the success he would later enjoy as a prizefighter. New York: Skyhorse, 2011. He never shied away from street fights. By all accounts, Liston had a woeful childhood. Liston, in fact, had great respect for Father Murphy and behaved admirably around him. Sonny Liston had a controversial boxing career, winning 54 of 58 bouts from 1953 to 1970. Nevertheless, he had a soft spot for children. He sold pecans from his brother-in-laws tree in order to reunite with his mother and his siblings. He had earned the title shot with an impressive string of 195960 victories over top contenders Cleveland Williams, Nino Valdes, Roy Harris, Zora Folley, and Eddie Machen (all knockouts except for Machen). 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. Known for his powerful punch, the majority of his victories were knockouts. He sold pecans from his brother-in-laws tree in order to reunite with his mother and his siblings. L'arbre For a while, he even lost his license to box in the United States. | Liston was the 12th of 13 children born to Tobe and Helen Liston (and one of 25 children sired by Tobe). On September 25, 1962, Liston made history by becoming the heavyweight champion. Nine years of steady fighting later, and following additional scrapes with the law, Liston fought Floyd Patterson for the Heavyweight Championship. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. He married Geraldine Chambers on June 10, 1950. 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. His ring style was the essence of simplicity; he displayed little finesse but much raw power, especially in his left hand. Give a donation in someones name to mark a special occasion, honor a friend or colleague or remember a beloved family member. Owing to his bold physique and strict upbringing, Liston loved training. Liston was born in St. Francis County, Arkansas, around 1932. Liston was raised on heavy farm work, many beatings, and with virtually no schooling. As most boxing fans know, it was in the Missouri State Penitentiary in Jefferson City that Sonny learned to box. He has ranked on the list of those famous people who were born on May 8, 1932. WebHis parents were Tobe Liston and Helen Baskin. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. 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. He continued fighting until June 29, 1970, when he knocked out Chuck Wepner, but he never got another title shot. His final record as a professional was fifty wins, thirty-nine by knockout, and four losses. Known for his powerful punch, the majority of his victories were knockouts. That inbred struggle for survival often produces champions. Copyright 2020 ARKANSAS SOUL MEDIA, All rights Reserved. Some suspect foul play; others believe Liston died of a self-inflicted drug overdose. Served time in prison for robbery and later for assaulting a police officer. Rate and review titles you borrow and share your opinions on them. The Murder of Sonny Liston: Las Vegas, Heroin, and Heavyweights. He was accused of stealing an officers gun. 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. In his next fight he bounced back to TKO Chuck Wepner shortly before his mysterious death in 1970. 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. Liston went back to the ring. Full body measurements, dress & shoe size will be updated soon. At the age of 13, he ran away to St. Louis, following his mother who had left earlier. His father was an abusive alcoholic, and Liston eventually left the house during his teens. During that same period, he got married (in 1957 to Geraldine Clark), moved from St. Louis to Philadelphia, and was questioned by a congressional committee about the takeover of his management by mob elements in 1960. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. 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